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Overview

Cooking Holidays in Portugal

Detail from Pena Castle in Sintra during a culinary vacation in Portugal with The International Kitchen.This trip is eligible for our Worry-Free Booking promotion.

Explore the flavors of Portugal on this amazing Portuguese cooking holiday from Lisbon to Porto. Taste the fresh seafood and characteristic local dishes on a Lisbon food tour and enjoy the wines of Portugal on a Porto wine tour in the Douro Valley. Travel between the two cities during a thorough exploration of this fascinating country.

The waterfront of Porto as seen on a Porto wine tour and Portugal cooking vacation.Your culinary tour of Portugal will start in the capital city. Lisbon was colonized by many civilizations throughout the centuries, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and then the Portuguese after 1147. The city is linked with many deeds of the Portuguese maritime explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries known as the Age of Discoveries and the Golden Era of Portugal. These centuries transformed Lisbon into the center of a vast empire, and the wealth was used to build wonderful monuments in a unique Portuguese style known as the extravagant “Manueline” style.

From Lisbon your cooking holiday in Portugal will lead you north to Lamego and Amarante, beautiful towns in the Douro region. Lamego is known for its beautiful city center, while Amarante is known as the home of the early 13th-century São Gonçalo and for its ancient stone bridge. Enjoy wine tours in Portugal and learn about the historical sites of Portugal’s Golden Era before heading to another amazing city, Porto.

Porto (or Oporto) is the second-largest city in Portugal. Situated on the Douro River estuary, the city boasts a vibrant waterfront and unique architectural style. Its buildings are painted brightly or covered with tiles and intricate wrought iron accents, giving it a bit the aesthetic of a hilly European New Orleans. An ancient city, today it is known an energetic and youthful foodie destination full of restaurants and wine bars that you can visit on Porto food tours and Porto wine tours both in town and out into the surrounding countryside.





Cooking Holidays in Portugal Trip Highlights

Our cooking holidays in Portugal will introduce you to Portuguese food and wine, from the tasty seafood, traditional salt cod (bacalhau), olive oil, cured meats, cheeses, grains, and of course wine! Your culinary tour of Portugal will also give you an understanding of Portuguese art and culture with visits of Lisbon, Óbidos, Fåtima, Lamego, Amarante, and Porto.

Itinerary

Castle of Saint George in Lisbon, visited on a cooking vacation in PortugalYour authentic cooking holiday in Portugal will include daily activities and meals as indicated below, or it can be customized to suit your tastes. Depending on the season and dates booked, the order of activities is subject to change.

Day One

  • Arrival in Lisbon airport and private transfer to your hotel.
  • This evening you are free to relax, dinner on your own.
  • Overnight in Lisbon

The tower of Belem on a Lisbon food tour with The International Kitchen.

Day Two

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Meet your driver at the hotel and transfer to your cooking class in Chef Artur’s home kitchen. Enjoy a private Lisbon food tour to the off the beaten path area of Campo Pequeno. You will meet the chef and buy some ingredients for a cooking class at the chef’s house featuring a series of Portuguese “petiscos” (like tapas) such as codfish patties and octopus salad, all in a laid back and intimate environment, while drinking a good glass of Portuguese wine. Learn the basic principles of Portuguese cuisine and how to prepare some of our most traditional dishes. The chef has therefore selected a tasting menu of four dishes that are a good representation of our vast culinary culture and history.
  • Lunch to follow,
  • After the tour head out for a guided tour of Lisbon’s historical sites. You will see some of the greatest examples of Lisbon’s Golden Era and the Portuguese Manueline style of architecture by exploring the Belém district. Visit Jeronimo’s Monastery and the Belém Tower, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the Monument of Discoveries. End the tour with dessert: a tasting of the famous and incredibly delicious pastéis de Belem,” a custard pastry.
  • Dinner on your own and overnight in Lisbon.

A view of Lamego from the famous staircase.

Day Three

  • Breakfast and check out. Your driver will meet you at your hotel to take you to Lamego in the Douro Region, the next stop in your Portugal cooking vacation.
  • During the transfer north you have several options. You can visit Obidos, a beautiful medieval town with whitewashed houses, and Fàtima, which is the religious capital of Portugal and a popular pilgrimage site known for the appearance of Our Lady of Fátima in 1917. Or, if the religious site does not interest you, you can head to Coimbra or another town.
  • Lunch on your own during the journey.
  • Arrive in Lamego and check in to your accommodations.
  • Dinner on your own, overnight in Lamego.

A beautiful cork oak tree in the Douro Valley on a cooking vacation in Portugal.

Day Four

  • Breakfast, then it is off to another cooking experience during your culinary tour of Portugal, this time with a Viscountess.
  • Immerse yourself in the history and traditions of the Douro on this Douro wine tour and cooking class. The Viscountess will show you her estate, taking you through the farm, the olive groves, and organic garden. Select vegetables and herbs then head to the kitchen where you will learn traditional Portuguese dishes. Her cousin will assist in the class, and it will end with lunch in the elegant dining room or al fresco when weather permits.
  • After lunch, head to Lamego, a beautiful town known for the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies with its famous staircase. Stroll to the center of town to enjoy the promenade, the Cathedral, and if you like a visit to the town Museum, which was the former Bishop’s palace.
  • Check in to your hotel and dinner on your own. Overnight in Lamego.

Visiting the famed bridge of Amarante during a cooking vacation Portugal.

Day Five

  • Breakfast and check out. Head to Amarante, a small town in the Douro Valley and the next stop on our Portugal food and wine tour. The River Tamega runs through the town and is traversed by the iconic São Gonçalo Bridge. Now the town is full of cafes and restaurants, and is home to the tomb of São Gonçalo, a 12th-century Saint known to heal the sick.
  • Lunch on our own during your time in Amarante.
  • Journey to the hotel where you enjoy a wine tasting paired with traditional canapes.
  • Dinner on your own and overnight in Amarante.

Cod fritters enjoyed on a culinary vacation in Portugal.

Day Six

  • Breakfast and check out. Your driver will pick you up and then it is off to Guimarães, Braga, and Porto.
  • Guimarães is called the “cradle” of Portuguese nationality and boasts more than 800 years of history. .It was birthplace of the first king of Portugal, Alfonso Henriques, who declared the independence of Portugal. You will see the old Castle, the 15th-century Place of the Dukes of Bragança with its famous tapestries, and the Oliveira square, a World Heritage site.
  • Lunch on your own in Braga.
  • Next head to Braga, an important religious capital known as the Portuguese Rome for its Baroque style and many churches, including the Cathedral and the Shrine of the “Bon Jesus of Braga” with its Baroque staircase.
  • Next head to Porto where you will check in to your hotel.
  • Dinner on your own and overnight in Porto.

The city of Porto as seen from the water during a Porto wine tour.

Day Seven

  • Breakfast, then head out for a cooking experience featuring the famed Francesinha sandwich, one of Porto’s most iconic dishes. Originally from Porto but now popular throughout the country, the Franscesinha is a sandwich with ham and cured and fresh sausage, served on bread, topped with melted cheese, and smothered with a special sauce.
  • Lunch to follow.
  • In the afternoon enjoy a Porto on your own (with your driver guide), exploring such sites as the Church of São Francisco with its gold-leaf decor, the neo-Arab Stock Exchange Palace, the Cathedral, and more.
  • If you’d like, you can end the tour at a port wine lodge for a tasting (not included) and then make your own way back to the hotel.
  • Dinner on your own and overnight in Porto.

Pastel de nata as enjoyed on a culinary tour of Portugal

Day Eight

  • Breakfast and departure transfer to Porto airport.

Trip Details

Included in the Week-Long Portugal Culinary Tours

Accommodations

Accommodations for 7 nights in 4* hotels (2 nights Lisbon, 2 nights Lamego, 1 night Amarante, 2 nights Porto)

Food & Beverages

  • Daily breakfast
  • Three lunches

Classes & Instructors

You will enjoy three very different cooking experiences:

  • Enjoy a market visit and cooking class in Lisbon at the home of a chef.
  • Experience the life of Portuguese nobility in Lamego during a cooking class at the home of a Viscountess.
  • Learn the secrets of the famed Francesinha sandwich in Porto.

Excursions

  • Guided walking tour of Lisbon with licensed guide
  • Visits of Óbidos and Fåtima
  • Walking tour of Lamego (with driver guide)
  • Walking tour of Amarante (with driver guide)
  • Walking tour of Porto (with driver guide)

Transfer Details

  • Arrival transfer from Lisbon airport
  • Departure transfer to Porto airport

Miscellaneous

  • Transportation between Lisbon and Lamego, Lamego and Amarante, and Amarante to Porto

Not Included

  • Entrance tickets to museums and monuments (paid locally)
  • Drinks during meals
  • Overnight city tourist tax (2 to 3 Euros per person per night)

Accommodation Information

Spend two nights in Lisbon at the elegant 4* H10 Duque de Loulé (or similar). The Duque de Loulé was carefully renovated by a prestigious interior designer and boasts a beautiful facade, modern facilities, an a la carte restaurant, and terrace with stunning views of the city.

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Spend 2 nights in Lamego at the Hotel Rural Casa dos Viscondes Várzea (or similar). Located in the middle of the Douro region, it blends Romanesque and Manueline styles in its beautiful building and grounds, which span some 180 hectares.

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Spend 1 night in Amarante at the beautiful Monverde Wine Hotel (or similar). This countryside hotel aims to imbue every aspect of the design and feel with the exploration of wine. The rooms are spacious, the exterior surrounded by vineyards.

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Finish your trip with 2 nights at Porto’s Hotel do Teatro (or similar). Ideally situated in the heart old the historical center and near the port, the Hotel Teatro has contemporary decor.

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Cooking Holidays in Portugal: Pricing and Tour Dates

Find pricing and dates for Flavors of Portugal culinary tours below, and contact us for availability or to book your trip.



High Season Sample* Pricing:
April through October

7-Night Portugal Cooking Vacation Pricing

US$4995 per person based on double occupancy

    *Pricing can depend on season and specific dates. Please inquire.

    30% deposit due to confirm booking.

    Upgrades and single occupancy supplement: please inquire.

    Low Season Sample* Pricing:
    February, March, November, December

    7-Night Portugal Cooking Vacation Pricing

    US$4575 per person based on double occupancy

      *Pricing can depend on season and specific dates. Please inquire.

      30% deposit due to confirm booking.

      Upgrades and single occupancy supplement: please inquire.


      Portugal Cooking Holiday Tour Dates

      Our 7-night Portugal food and wine tour is usually available year round for a minimum of 2 people.

      2023
      Please inquire for 2023 dates.

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      We can help plan the best Portugal cooking holidays!

      Enjoying a cooking class during our Portugal culinary vacations.
      Whether you need help planning additional nights in Portugal, or if you want to completely customize your trip, we are always here to help you plan the ultimate Portugal cooking vacation. There are many ways we can help to make your Portugal culinary vacation that much better. Contact us for more information, or you can indicate your interest during check out and we will follow up with you directly! Contact Us
       

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