Treasures of Portugal

Day One

• Meet your driver at Lisbon airport for a transfer to Hotel Mundial (or similar).
• Take some time to get settled into centrally-located hotel and, if you’re not too jet lagged, perhaps take a walk around the beautiful coastal city. Dinner on your own.
• Overnight in Lisbon.

Day Two

• Breakfast.
• In the morning, head about 30 km away to the center of European Romantic architecture, the UNESCO town of Sintra. This town was a favorite summer destination for Portuguese kings for thousands of years. In town, spend some time on your own perusing the shops, full of handicrafts, and the Pena Palace (entrance ticket included). Visit the Casa Piriquita for one of the famed “queijada” pastries of Sintra.  Return transfer back to Lisbon. Lunch on own.
• Next, wind your way through the city of Lisbon’s unique and narrow streets that are lined with whitewashed houses and chapels. Visit the 16th-century Jeronimo’s Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its beautiful Manueline architecture that reflect Portugal’s trade over the centuries (entrance ticket not included). Next, stop at the Monument of Discoveries, which honors Portuguese explorers and their patrons through exhibits and stunning sculptures. Then, visit the impressive Belem Tower (entrance ticket not included), a fortified tower that is also a UNESCO site.
• Head to an old patisserie that is known for one of Portugal’s finest pastries, pastéis de Belem, for a tasting of this fabulous custard pastry.
• Dinner on your own. Overnight in Lisbon.

Day Three

• Following breakfast, depart for Portugal’s “Silver Coast,” and begin your journey in Óbidos, a fortified city that dates back to the early Celt tribes. Enjoy some time on your own and don’t forget to try ginja (or ginjinha)! This popular Portuguese alcohol is made by infusing ginja berries with alcohol.
• Lunch will be on your own in the picturesque fishing village of Nazaré. It is an excellent opportunity to taste the grilled fish and seafood rice. Nazaré is famous for the local women who wear skirts with seven petticoats. Women would sit on the beach waiting for their fishermen to sail home. It is also famous as a surfing destination, and the location of one of the largest waves ever ridden by a surfer!.
• Arrival in Porto, check in and overnight.

Day Four

• Breakfast.
• In the morning, take a 3-hour guided walking tour through Porto to see the city’s vibrant history and stunning architecture. The tour begins with the Torre dos Clérigos, an impressive bell tower that is part of a Baroque church. Continue on to Livraria Lello e Irmåo, an old bookstore that purportedly inspired J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter; Avenida dos Aliados, a large square in central Porto; Estacåo de S. Bento, a historical train station; Ponte Luis I, a double-decker bridge; Sé Cathedral, an important Romanesque monument; Bairro da Sé, the city’s old quarter; and Ribeira, another historic square. (Please note this is a walking tour and we recommend comfortable shooes! Entrance tickets to monuments not included and paid locally.)
• End the tour with a short presentation and tasting of Portuguese olive oils and local products, as well as a wine tasting of two types of Port.
• Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight in Porto.

Day Five

• Following breakfast, some time on your own to explore Porto and check out.
• At 12:30 pm meet your driver. You will first stop at the Pinhais & Cia cannery, which has been a top producer of canned sardines since 1920. Sardines are one of Portugal’s top fishes, and the canned version is considered a delicacy. You will end the tour with a tasting of sardines, bread, and Portuguese wines.
• In the afternoon, transfer to Arcos de Valdevez, where you will explore a new side of Portugal, one unknown to mass tourism. Sleep in the heart of Minho near the Peneda-Geres National park, and explore the beautiful nation of this region. You may even see the Garrano – wild ponies – that have been part of the region since the first millennium B.C.
• Dinner tonight is at your charming and rural hotel that promotes Portuguese Slow Food, and you can help the chef prepare it if you choose.
• Overnight in Arcos de Valdevez.

Day Six

• Breakfast.
• In the morning, enjoy a beautiful guided walk of the area, ending in a picnic lunch in the middle of a beautiful natural setting.
• In the afternoon, visit a small, rural winery to learn about Vinho Verde.
• Return to the hotel for dinner, which you can help the chef prepare if you wish.
• Overnight in Arcos de Valdevez.

Day Seven

• Breakfast.
• In the morning, participate in a cooking workshop. The workshop will focus on “broa de milho” – a Portuguese version of cornbread. Corn has an ancient history in this region, and that’s still in evidence today with the number of water mills, fields, and granaries dotting the landscape.
• Lunch to follow.
• In the afternoon, head to the city of Braga, which is nicknamed “Portuguese Rome” in large part for its religious history. Have a guided walking tour, and then time on your own to explore.
• Dinner on your own.
• Overnight in Braga.

Day Eight

• Breakfast followed by group transfer to Porto airport. (For a return transfer to Lisbon airport, please inquire).