ROSS GARDEN TOURS AND THE MADEIRA FLOWER FESTIVAL 26 APRIL - 11 MAY 2020 ITINERARY

Citrus scented streets, Art Nouveau buildings, mosaic pavements, blue/white ceramic tiles (azulejos) decorated walls, arcades, columns and water tanks; all go to make this spring journey through Portugal and Madeira one to remember. Highlight is Madeira’s famous Flower Festival.

DAY 1 Sun 26 April epitomizes the romantic spirit with Lunch today is included in Funchal. Home to which is associated. Tour the exotic and manicured tropical Meet your Ross Tour Leader Robin Lunch is included then Quinta de garden at Reid’s Palace, on a series of Powell at Sydney International Airport Regaleira, an elegant fantasy of stone terraces down to the water. for your flight to Lisbon via Dubai. with gardens styled to represent Accommodation: Belmond Reid’s Palace, ancient secret orders, with hidden Funchal. tunnels and concealed symbolism. DAY 2 Mon 27 April Travel back to Lisbon via Estoril and Lisbon DAY 7 Sat 2 May Cascais on the coast road. Optional Madeira Arrive into Lisbon the capital of Fado dinner this evening in the Portugal. Check in to your deluxe hotel District, the true home of ‘Fado’, the Explore Funchal this morning with the in the city centre, then meet your fellow melancholy Portuguese “blues”. Flower Festival underway; carpets of travellers at our Welcome Dinner. flowers, outdoor concerts and floral Accommodation: Sofitel, Lisbon Accommodation: Sofitel, Lisbon pavilions. Many of the buildings here date from its heritage as a ‘sugar’ DAY 5 Thu 30 April town in the 15th and 16th centuries. DAY 3 Tue 28 April Lisbon to Madeira Option to watch the Children’s Parade Lisbon Morning visit to the waterfront at as hundreds of children dressed for A walking tour this morning through Belem at the mouth of the River the occasion, parade into Municipio the old city squares and down to the Tagus. See the impressive Discoveries Square. There’s a beautiful flower waterfront. Monument to Portuguese sea power mural, symbolically named “the Wall Afternoon visit to the National Palace and the Tower of Belem. Visit Mosteiro of Hope” (Muro da Esperança). Free of Queluz in the hills outside Lisbon. dos Jeronimos, Manueline masterpiece afternoon. There’s a remarkable balance of commissioned in gratitude for Accommodation: Belmond Reid’s Palace, architecture and landscape at this Royal Vasco de Gama’s discovery of a sea Funchal. summer palace with reception rooms route to India and his safe return. opening onto a terrace surrounding the This monastery and the off shore DAY 8 Sun 3 May Sunken Parterre. watchtower, Tower of Belem, have Madeira The Palace of Fronteira is next, one of UNESCO World Heritage status. Visit the finest in Portugal, with its formal Berardo Museum, home to the very Morning tea at Quinta da Boa Vista garden, a vast parterre built around a best of modern and contemporary art. Orchids, a place of science and culture set of five fountains. This huge open-air Late afternoon flight to Madeira then of orchids and a range of tropical gallery serves to display a collection of transfer to your grand 5 star hotel in exotic plants. Meet Patrick Garton and 17th century azulejos (tiles) on walls, Funchal for the next five nights. learn the history of his family estate, still irrigated by Madeira’s signature staircases, benches, balustrades and its Accommodation: Belmond Reid’s Palace, aqueducts, the levadas, that were cut great tank. Funchal. into the hillsides and go back to the Accommodation: Sofitel, Lisbon 16th century. DAY 6 Fri 1st May Travel back into Funchal and take your DAY 4 Wed 29 April Madeira seats for Madeira’s famous Flower Sintra Take the cable car from Funchal to the Festival Parade. Dinner included Sintra is a cultural landscape with village of Monte. This skyway allows tonight. UNESCO heritage status located on access to a rugged landscape with Accommodation: Belmond Reid’s Palace, the slopes behind Lisbon. This hilly and panoramic views over Funchal Bay and Funchal. cooler climate enticed the nobility and the River of Joao Gomes. Visit Monte elite of Portugal, who built extravagant Palace Tropical Gardens. Ride in the DAY 9 Mon 4 May villas and surreal palaces on the famous wicker Toboggans down the hill wooded slopes. Visit Monserrate Palace from Monte. This tradition has been Madeira with its Anglo-Portuguese garden, that a constant on Madeira for 100 years. Explore the island today travelling to Santana on the north coast and the including a view of the Majestic Café, focus with a series of follies. The eastern point Ponta Sao Lourenco. one of the most beautiful in the world, Guedes family have been producing Option to walk the levadas, the canal São Bento railway station with azulejos wine on this estate since 1870 but irrigation system that was developed covered walls, Bridge Luis I and Ribeira the main building dates back to 1671. in the 16th century to distribute water. quarter. Dinner included to night. Lunch is included with their signature Lunch is included. Accommodation: Hotel Infante Sagres, Porto wine, the refreshing Vinho Verde. Accommodation: Belmond Reid’s Palace, Accommodation: Hotel Infante Sagres, Porto Funchal. DAY 12 Thu 7 May Porto DAY 14 Sat 9 May DAY 10 Tue 5 May Morning walking tour of the Cristal Porto – Lisbon Funchal to Porto Palace Botanic Garden with panoramic Travel back to Lisbon today with a Two gardens today. First Madeira views over the River Douro. Visit Casa stop in Conimbriga to visit Portugal’s Botanic Gardens where you will see the de Serralves on the outskirts of Porto. finest Roman ruins that date to the indigenous plants of Madeira and other With spare silhouette and minimal 1st century. Free time for lunch in the Atlantic islands; Azores, Canaries and decoration, it’s classic Art Deco with ancient university town of Coimbra Cape Verde. The subtropical climate garden rooms to complement its stark then visit the Coimbra Botanic Garden here on Madeira encourages exuberant simple shape. that was established in 1772 with vegetation. Late afternoon Douro River cruise museum and herbarium. Travel on to On your way to the airport visit Quinta followed by dinner on the riverfront to Lisbon and check in to the Sofitel, with do Palheiro, a comprehensive suite of watch to sun set on the old town, then Farewell Dinner included this evening. gardens on a terraced slope with views turn the water gold. Accommodation: Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade, to the coast. Evening flight to Porto, Accommodation: Hotel Infante Sagres, Porto Lisbon famous for the production of sweet port wine stored in vast cellars along DAY 13 Fri 8 May DAY 15 Sun 10 May the banks of the river Douro. Settle Porto Lisbon – Home Port into your deluxe hotel for the next four Check out this morning before your nights in the city centre. A day in the countryside of the River Douro region to visit two fine gardens. transfer to the airport. Accommodation: Hotel Infante Sagres, Porto First stop is Casa do Campo in the hills above the Tamega River with ancient DAY 16 Mon 11 May Day 11 Wed 6 May camellias and a manor house that Arrive home Porto dates to the 16th century. Next stop Check out this morning before your is Quinta da Aveleda with woodland Free morning transfer to the airport. Afternoon walking tour of the old city, garden that is given an architectural

DETAILS PRICE

° Tour escorted by Robin Powell Tropical Gardens, Boa Vista ° Twin Share land only ° Return group airfare Sydney-Lisbon- Orchids, Madeira Flower Festival $10,795 per person Madeira-Porto and Lisbon-Sydney Parade, Madeira Botanic Gardens, ° Twin Share including air ° Luxury air-conditioned motorcoach Quinta do Palheiro, Cristal Palace $12,995 per person throughout tour Botanic Garden, Casa de Serralves, ° Single Supplement ° Stay at the Sofitel, Lisbon, Belmond Casa do Campo, Quinta da Aveleda, $2,995 Reid’s Palace, Funchal, Hotel Infante Coimbra Botanic Garden All prices in Australian dollars. Prices Sagres, Porto based on minimum 15 passengers. ° Breakfast daily Air price is based on departure from ° 4 Lunches Sydney. ° 5 Dinner ° Entrance fees to all gardens and DISCOUNTS sightseeing including and gardens, Palace of ° Earlybird $300 - Pay by 2/12/19 Fronteira and gardens, Monserrate, ° Previous Traveller $100 , Monte Palace, ° Garden Clinic Member $50

TO BOOK PLEASE CONTACT ROSLYN OR MELISSA

1300 233 200 [email protected] OR BOOK ONLINE www.rosstours.com/portugal