PORTUGAL CULTURE & PORTO WINE 7 Days – 6 Nights
DAY 1 – Welcome to Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital and the largest city of Portugal and its urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits with a population of around 2.8 million people, being the 10th-most populous urban area in the European Union.
Lisbon is recognised as an alpha-level global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education and tourism. Lisbon is one of two Portuguese cities (alongside Porto) to be recognised as a global city. It is one of the major economic centres on the continent, with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe's Atlantic coast. Additionally, Humberto Delgado Airport served 29 million passengers in 2018, being the busiest airport in Portugal, the 3rd busiest in the Iberian Peninsula and the 20th busiest in Europe.
The motorway network and the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular links the main cities of Portugal to Lisbon. The city is the 9th-most-visited city in Southern Europe, after Rome, Istanbul, Barcelona, Milan, Venice, Madrid, Florence and Athens, with 3,320,300 tourists in 2017.
Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens), predating other modern European capitals by centuries. Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city and since then it has been the political, economic and cultural center of Portugal.
The beautiful city of the seven hills with its gorgeous sun light, reflecting in the river Tejo and its white buildings, covered with azulejos (glazed tiles).
Your guests will be welcome by a professional driver with a small white roses bouquet and transferred to the hotel for check-in.
We have the afternoon allocated for a city tour which includes highlights such as Baixa, Rossio, Alfama with its beautiful Castle and Cathedral, and Belém areas with Jeronimos monastery. Dinner in a Fado Restaurant, the typical and beautiful Lisboa music.
Overnight in Lisbon.
Day 2 – Sintra, Óbidos, Nazaré, Coimbra
Breakfast at the hotel.
Post breakfast, your guests will head out to explore Sintra Mountain and enjoy the beauty of this enchanted area with Castles and Manor houses. Visit Sintra Town Palace and the drive will be up till Óbidos village, a charming medieval walled town.
Lunch will be included this day at a local restaurant.
Post lunch, the tour will take your guests to Nazaré, a world famous beach for its gigantic waves and Batalha, before we depart to Coimbra, Portugal university town for many centuries.
Dinner in the center of the city of Coimbra, listening to the beautiful Coimbra Fado.
Accommodation in Coimbra.
DAY 4 – Coimbra, Aveiro, Douro Valley
Breakfast at the hotel.
Post breakfast, guests will head out to visit Coimbra – an old University, where we highlight is the Joanine Libary. Onward to Bussaco, the sacred forest of the Carmelite monks where the amazing Bussaco palace is situated.
We will drive to Aveiro, city of the channels and former center of salt production. Lunch during the routing. We will then head to Douro valley, a magnificent mountain area where the port wine grows.
Dinner and Accommodation in Douro valley.
DAY 4 - Douro Valley Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit to a Port wine estate in the Douro valley and the manor House of Mateus with its gardens. Lunch during the routing. Return to the hotel for a relaxing massage time! Dinner and Accommodation in Douro valley.
DAY 5 – Amarante, Oporto Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to Amarante, with its beautiful bridge and S. Gonçalo Monastery on the river side, and famous for its great pastry. Lunch during the routing. Then we head to Porto. City tour with a visit to a Port wine lodge and a Rabelo boat 50 minutes cruise, overlooking the Oporto banks.
Dinner by the river Douro in Porto.
Accommodation in Oporto.
DAY 6 – Guimarães, Barcelos, Oporto Breakfast at the hotel.
Depart to visit Guimarães considered the cradle of Portugal, and Braga known as the Archbishops city, as well as Barcelos famous for its handicraft. Return to Porto.
Dinner by the ocean in Porto. Accommodation in Oporto.
DAY 7 – Porto (departure) Transfer to Lisbon, on route we will be visiting Fátima.
The worldwide fame of the city is permanently associated with the apparitions of the Virgin Mary reported by three little shepherds – Lúcia, Francisco and Jacinta – from 13 May until 13 October 1917. The Catholic Church later recognized these events as "worthy of belief". A small chapel, now known as the Chapel of the Apparitions, was built at the site of the alleged supernatural events, and a precious statue of Our Lady of Fátima installed.
Due to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, a Marian shrine complex containing two minor basilicas, located in the wealthy quarter of Cova da Iria, the city has become in one of the most important international destinations of religious tourism, receiving between 6 and 8 million pilgrims by year. It attracts the religious, but also those who seek a peaceful lifestyle usually only found in the convents and monasteries.
To book, please contact your travel agent as we work only with Travel Agents and Tour Operators. Saleint is reachable at [email protected] or +1-416-238-2428. Disclaimer: Images have been provided by the DMC and sourced from the web. Some of the information is from Wikipedia.