Tour 2

Today, and after airport formalities, you will be collected outside customs, and transferred, by Deluxe vehicle with English speaking chauffeur, to your hotel in Lisbon.

After check-in procedures, take your time to unwind and relax!

Boasting springtime temperatures during the winter and cool summers freshened by a breeze blowing in from the Atlantic, Costa de Lisboa, on the southwestern coast, offers a rich and impressively integrated diversity. The capital of Portugal since its conquest from the Moors in 1147, Lisbon is a legendary city with over 20 centuries of History.

This morning, with the assistance of your expert guide, you’ll discover the most emblematic neighborhoods of the city: Bairro Alto – a picturesque quarter dating from the 1500s, that has traditionally been the city’s bohemian haunt of artists and writers, Chiado – an elegant, sophisticated district of theaters, bookshops, old-style cafes, art nouveau jewelry shops, luxurious international names such as Hermes, and local treasures, Rossio – the liveliest square in the city and Alfama – Lisbon’s heart during Moorish times, you’ll find yourself wandering through colorful XVIII century squares downtown and getting lost in the medieval maze of the Alfama district overlooked by an ancient castle.

Today’s highlight will be the intimate and romantic river cruise aboard a luxury sailing yacht. This cruise includes panoramic first row to the main Lisbon facade, where you can see the major nautical monuments such as Belem Tower, Discovery monument, 25 April Bridge, Sanctuary of Christ the King, MAAT (Museum of Art and Architecture and Technology) and Comercio Square.

Take this day to explore the city on own or just to rest and relax enjoying your hotel facilities!

Today, marvel with the quaint and aristocratic, World Heritage by UNESCO, town of Sintra – where Lord Byron lived and considered it to be “Paradise in Earth”. You’ll see castles, fortresses, forests, and beautiful scenery. 

Sintra and its mystical hills dotted with fairytale palaces and extravagant villas have bewitched visitors for centuries. The Romans made it a place of cult moon worshiping and named it “Cynthia” after the goddess of the moon. They were followed by the Moors who also fell in love with the lush vegetation and built a hilltop castle, a palace, and several fountains around the town. Later it became the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family and attracted a number of wealthy aristocrats who built huge mansions and villas.

You’ll visit the 19th century Pena Palace, one of Europe’s most fantastic palaces. It includes a drawbridge, a conglomeration of turrets, ramparts, and domes, and a gargoyle above a Neo-Manueline arch, all washed in an array of pastel shades. The extravagant interior is decorated in late Victorian and Edwardian furnishings, rich ornaments, paintings, and priceless porcelain preserved just as the royal family left them.

En-route back to Lisbon, stop at Cascais, a lovely fishermen village that became (along with neighboring Estoril) a popular resort favored by European nobility and kings in the early 20th century. Today it is a colorful cosmopolitan town with elegant pedestrian streets, luxuriant villas, fashionable shops, restaurants and bars.

Have a relaxed lunch (not included) and venture on a relaxing walking tour enjoying the fresh sea breeze.

Begin your day with a stop at Alcobaça for a private guided visit to the Alcobaça Monastery, Europe’s greatest Cistercian temple. 

Founded in 1153 to commemorate a victory against the Moors, it was finally completed in 1223. It is now Portugal’s largest church, and one of its outstanding architectural monuments. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and its excellent state of preservation makes it the finest example of Cistercian architecture in Europe.

In the transepts are the sumptuous, richly carved tombs of King Pedro I and his beloved Inês de Castro, a testimony to one of Portugal’s great love stories.

Tour continues towards Óbidos, Portugal’s most romantic medieval village.

All of Óbidos has been declared a national monument. It is known as the “Wedding Present Town” because it was a gift King Dinis gave to Queen Isabel on their wedding day in 1282, but that alone is not what makes it such an extraordinarily romantic place – what make it one of Europe’s most romantic medieval villages are its incredibly picturesque cobblestone streets lined with colorful houses filled with geraniums and bougainvillea, Gothic doorways and windows, whitewashed churches, flowerpots and dazzling tiles all encircled by the walls of a 12th century castle.

Enjoy a walking tour, on own, inside the walls. This walled town, with its narrow streets spreading from the foot of the castle, still preserves all the atmosphere of a 16th century mediaeval town.

For the next two nights, overnight at a magical place that will give you a sense of magic and romance!

• Not feasible on January 1st, Easter Sunday, May 1st, August 20th and December 25th.

Leisurely day for a (highly recommended!) spa treatment or a stroll on the beach…

First stop of the day will be Aveiro, a city on the west coast of Portugal set along a lagoon called Ria de Aveiro. It’s distinguished by its canals navigated by colorful boats (barcos moliceiros), traditionally used to harvest seaweed. Not far from its core, known for art nouveau buildings, is the Cathedral of Aveiro, with its prominent bell tower.

Explore, on own, Costa Nova, a very genuine small fishermen village, not too touristic and with plenty of charm due to the strike houses. By the middle of the 19th century, Costa Nova became a very popular seaside resort and the fishermen, who were very poor began renting their palheiros during the summer season. To make them even more eye-catching for tourists, they decided to paint the facades with bright colors, using moliceiros as inspiration, the typical boats of fishermen from Ria. Today, the beachfront promenade of this stunning rooftop village gives you the feeling of being inside an old postcard with an absolutely charming atmosphere.

Tour continues towards the world’s oldest wine region: Douro Valley. Let yourself be enchanted by the views of the river and the vineyards.

Down time to rest and relax. Take the opportunity to restore your energies for the next days of touring!

Today, enjoy the fresh air while participating on an e-bike tour. During this exiting tour, marvel with the scenic views of the Douro River and its dramatic vineyards landscape.

Lunch will be served as a casual and intimate picnic at one of the region’s most beautiful and impressive estates. This vast amphitheater overlooking the river is “the gateway to the silence of the Douro Valley”, where time seems to flow more slowly. The calmness and close connection to nature are its main intangible value.

You’ll have the opportunity to taste the local and traditional delicacies and regional wines.

The Region of Douro starts approximately one hundred kilometers east of Porto, to the border with Spain. It covers approximately 250,000 hectares, of which 40,000 are under vine. The Port vineyards are planted along the steep, spectacular hills overlooking the River Douro and its tributaries. Generations of men and women have toiled tirelessly to build terraces into the rock face that created an impressive landscape of unequalled beauty where stifling hot, dry summers are followed by harsh, wet winters. It is the region’s characteristic poor soil and uncompromising Mediterranean-like climate which produces one of the most sought-after wines in the world, Port.

Your journey starts with a private visit followed by a lectured wine tasting a charming, elegant and singular wine estate composed by 24 hectares with stunning vies over the Douro slopes. This property produces absolutely remarkable wines by treating its great terroir with the respect it deserves, and by the using the traditional methods updated in the light of the latest advances. 

Afterwards, come aboard a vintage yatch and indulge an exclusive river cruise. Lunch is served throughout the trip, on the deck, under the signature of a remarkable Chef. 

Enjoy a smooth drive towards Porto, the second biggest metropolis of Portugal and one of Europe’s most charismatic cities.

Upon arrival, venture on a special tour. Your driver/guide will take you on a “Mercedez Maria”, a Ural Ranger, a charming vintage motorcycle, with the look of Second World War but with all the modern safety features of an XXI century motorcycle and with room for two each. The rhythm is slow-paced with a lot of conversation, historical facts and curiosities, lots of stops for photos and to enjoy the views. 

Through the Historical Center, you’ll see places like S. Bento station, Ribeira and the Stock Exchange Palace, along the Douro River with its bridges, the Miragaia neighborhood, and all the way to the beach to understand the connection of the city’s history with the ocean. Return to the city center, explore Cristal Palace and neighborhoods like Virtudes, Vitória, and Clérigos, learn all their history and see the great views that Porto has to offer. 

Cross to Gaia, on the other side of the river and see the D. Luís bridge and the Port wine neighborhood.

Sidecar tour ends at your hotel in Porto.

According to your flight departure time, and after check-out procedures, your private chauffeur will meet you at the lobby and take you towards Porto International Airport.