Portugal In Depth

2012 Season
Departs From: Lisbon

From 1,202EUR

Length:  11 days from Lisbon to Lisbon, or 12 days incl. travel

Overview

This vacation shows you all of Portugal without any rush, thanks to the well-planned 2-night stopovers in Lisbon, Oporto, and the Algarve. Start and end in Lisbon, and see the interior and almost the entire coastline of Portugal. Guided sightseeing tours in Lisbon, Oporto, and Evora allow you to see many of the must-see sights, including Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon. Built in 1502 and now regarded as Lisbon’s most important landmark, it was traditional for Portuguese seafarers to pray in the chapel before their departure to the unknown. In Evora, visit the Ossuary Chapel, with its walls covered with thousands of human bones and skulls.

Enjoy the Roman ruins of Conimbriga, tour the excavations, view the well-preserved mosaics, and visit the excellent museum. Spend time in the Algarve, Portugal’s most popular vacation area, where you can relax and explore this beautiful resort at your own pace. From here, take an excursion to the Promontory of Sagres, where Henry the Navigator lived and planned his overseas expansion. For those interested in food and wine, you’ll have an opportunity to enjoy an olive oil tasting in Belmonte (birthplace of Pedro Alvares Cabral, discoverer of Brazil) and a wine tasting at a port wine cellar in Oporto.

All of this and much more await you on this wonderful vacation to Portugal—a trip of a lifetime!

Duration:  11 Days

Schedule:

Start Date	End Date
28 June, 2012	08 July, 2012
05 July, 2012	15 July, 2012
12 July, 2012	22 July, 2012
09 August, 2012	19 August, 2012
06 September, 2012	16 September, 2012
13 September, 2012	23 September, 2012
20 September, 2012	30 September, 2012
27 September, 2012	07 October, 2012
04 October, 2012	14 October, 2012
11 October, 2012	21 October, 2012
18 October, 2012	28 October, 2012

City Highlights

Lisbon
Welcome dinner; guided sightseeing, visit the Alfama quarter and Jeronimos Monastery

Obidos
Walking tour of the medieval town

Alcobaça
Visit the Church of Santa Maria Monastery

Nazaré
Lunch break

Fatima
Visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary

Tomar
Visit the Convent of Christ

Conimbriga
Visit of the Roman ruins and the museum

Coimbra
Visit the University Library

Oporto
Guided sightseeing, visit the Church of Sao Francisco and the Arabian Hall in the Stock Exchange; wine tasting in a Port wine cellar

Guimaraes
Walk through the medieval center

Vila Real
Visit the Palacio de Mateus

Belmonte
Visit the Jewish Museum; olive oil tasting

Castelo de Vide
Walk through the Jewish quarter

Evora
Guided walking tour, visit the gothic cathedral, the Sao Francisco Church, and the Ossuary Chapel; dinner at a local restaurant

Algarve
Excursion to the Promontory of Sagres, Cape St. Vincent, and Lagos

Headsets throughout the tour

Day 1   Arrive in Lisbon, Portugal. Free time to rest or start exploring the Portuguese capital. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 2   Lisbon. Lisbon was the center of Europe’s longest-lived overseas empire. Portugal’s imperial ambitions date back to Prince Henry the Navigator’s 15th-century discoveries in West Africa. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide features a drive through the Baixa quarter’s main squares. Then, enjoy a walk through the cobblestone alleys of quaint ALFAMA, the popular quarter of the seamen and Fado singers. Drive along the grand Avenida da Liberdade up to Pombal Square. Stop for pictures of Belem Tower, guarding the mouth of the Tagus, and visit JERONIMOS MONASTERY with the tomb of Vasco da Gama. Afternoon and evening at leisure. Exciting optional excursions to Sintra and the royal palace of Queluz, and dinner at a typical taverna with Fado-style entertainment are available. (B)

Day 3   Lisbon–Obidos–Alcobaça–Nazaré–Fatima–Tomar. First stop on your northbound journey is medieval Obidos. Go back in time as you pass the main gate in the impressive perimeter wall and walk along the narrow streets. Continue to Alcobaça to visit the CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA MONASTERY, built in the 12th century for 999 Cistercian monks. See the elaborate tombs of King Pedro I and his Castilian lover, Inês de Castro, and hear how she was murdered at the order of Pedro’s father. The fishing harbor of Nazaré is the perfect place for a leisurely lunch break. In the afternoon, mix with the pilgrims at the country’s hallowed national shrine, Fatima’s SANCTUARY OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY. Overnight in Tomar, the historic seat of the mighty Order of the Knights of Christ. (B,D)

Day 4   Tomar–Conimbriga–Coimbra–Oporto. Visit the hilltop CONVENT OF CHRIST with its famous Manueline Window. Further north, the ROMAN RUINS OF CONIMBRIGA are eloquent testimony to centuries of Roman influence. Tour the excavations, admire the well-preserved mosaics, and visit the excellent MUSEUM. Continue to Coimbra, strategically situated on a hill overlooking the Mondego River. After a visit to the gilded baroque LIBRARY of its 700-year-old university, drive by ancient Buçaco Forest on your way to Oporto, Portugal’s second-largest city. Tonight, why not join an optional dinner at one of Oporto’s fine restaurants? (B)

Day 5   Oporto. Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes a panoramic drive to the mouth of the Douro River, the soaring cathedral, the richly decorated CHURCH OF SAO FRANCISCO, and the STOCK EXCHANGE with its contemporary ARABIAN HALL inspired by Granada’s Alhambra. Next, visit a PORT WINE CELLAR where the famous wine produced from grapes of the Douro Valley is aged in huge vats. Afternoon at leisure. An optional boat ride combined with a visit to the House of Music is available. (B,D)

Day 6   Oporto–Guimaraes –Vila Real–Viseu. Head inland to Guimaraes, often referred to as the “Cradle of Portugal” because of its association with the country’s first king, Alfonso Henriques. Enjoy a walk through the medieval center, before continuing to Vila Real, former capital of Portugal’s northeastern region of Trás-os-Montes. Just outside the town, visit the splendid park and manor of PALACIO DE MATEUS, whose picture graces the label of the excellent Mateus rosé wine. From here, a scenic road through the Port wine vineyards leads to Viseu, believed to have been the home of Lusitanian leader Viriate, who resisted the Roman conquest. (B,D)

Day 7   Viseu–Belmonte–Castelo de Vide–Evora. This morning, your first stop is in Belmonte, today a symbol of Jewish awakening, for a visit the JEWISH MUSEUM. Also enjoy an OLIVE OIL TASTING. Afternoon break in Castelo de Vide, an enchanting small town. Time to walk through the Jewish quarter with its white-washed houses and to take pictures of the 14th-century castle. Continue to Evora, the cultural center of southern Portugal and a former royal residence. This evening, dinner at a local restaurant is included. (B,D)

Day 8   Evora–Algarve. A massive wall surrounds Evora’s medieval center, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Follow your Local Guide on a walking tour through its narrow alleys to the Roman Temple, the early gothic CATHEDRAL, Portas de Moura Fountain, and SAO FRANCISCO CHURCH. Visit the OSSUARY CHAPEL, whose walls are covered with thousands of human bones and skulls. Next, proceed across the arid Alentejo plain to the Algarve, Portugal’s most popular vacation area. Tonight, why not try one of the seafood restaurants for which the Algarve is famous? (B)

Day 9   Algarve. Coastal Excursion. Today you may prefer to relax, explore this beautiful resort at your own pace, or join the included excursion along the enchanting southern coastline. History comes alive as you reach the wind-swept PROMONTORY OF SAGRES, where Henry the Navigator lived and planned his overseas expansion. Only a few miles away is Cape St. Vincent, the southwestern corner of continental Europe, a dramatic cliff defying the waves of an ever-angry Atlantic Ocean. Time in pretty Lagos before returning to your hotel. (B,D)

Day 10   Algarve–Lisbon. Take the scenic route over the Serra da Arrábida and savor sweeping views of the Tróia Peninsula. Catch glimpses of the castle at Sesimbra, which recall fierce medieval battles between Christians and Moors. After crossing the Bridge of April 25th, you’re back in Lisbon. Why not join an optional dinner to celebrate the success of an exciting touring adventure? (B)

Day 11   Lisbon. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Meals:  Full buffet breakfast daily (B); 6 three-course dinners (D), including a welcome dinner in Lisbon and a special dinner with wine in Evora

Hotel Information:  LISBON Mundial (F), TOMAR Dos Templarios (F), OPORTO Tiara Park Atlantic (SF), VISEU Grao Vasco (F), EVORA M’AR De AR Muralhas (F), ALGARVE Tivoli Carvoeiro (F) at Carvoeiro


Terms and Conditions

Note: Flights are NOT included with the Tour and unless otherwise stated above transfers are also NOT included.

Currently viewing: Portugal Tours - TravelToe Inclusive Tours - Portugal In Depth