Best of Portugal
From CAD $4,515
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
(10 reviews)
Experience Overview
This Best of Portugal tour reveals a nation’s proud history, warm-hearted locals and soul-warming cuisine. Starting in Lisbon, you’ll travel north and south to explore a Templar stronghold, watch thoroughbreds perform at an Alentejo farm and visit the Algarve.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 4 Dinner (D)
- 10 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Be My Guest
- Panoias-Ourique: Visit a family ranch and learn about Portugal's Lusitano horse. Hear an ancestral story of unrequited love that defined the character (and color) of the ranch before sitting down to a home-cooked lunch with Tiago and Vera in the heart of the Alentejo region.
Dive into Culture
- Lisbon: Visit the Hieronymite Monastery, a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome and exquisite example of Manueline architecture.
- Porto: Savor the flavors of Portugal's centuries-old Port heritage and gain insights into its local production at a tasting in a Port cellar.
Iconic Experience
- Lisbon: With your Local Specialist, visit the Belém Quarter to see the modern Monument to the Discoveries and the medieval Belém Tower.
- The Algarve: Explore the history of the Algarve in depth.
- Évora: Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site with your Local Specialist and see the famous Roman Temple. Witness the fascinating cathedral and its mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
- Castelo de Vide: See the traditional cobblestone streets and whitewashed homes of Castelo de Vide.
- Casa de Mateus: Admire the Baroque architecture of Mateus Palace and its gardens.
- Douro Valley: Marvel at the extensive terraced vineyards as you travel through the Douro Valley.
- Guimaraes: See Guimarães Castle and the Palace of Dukes before walking through the medieval squares of central Guimarães.
- Porto: See the Clérigos Tower, Avenida dos Aliados and the Palácio da Bolsa former stock exchange.
- Coimbra: With a Local Specialist, visit the University and witness the triumphal arches, painted ceilings, and walls of ancient tomes in the Joanina Library.
- Tomar: Dominating the town is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Templar Castle and the Convent of Christ. During your visit with a Local Specialist, see the Manueline Window and follow the story of the mysterious Knights Templar.
- Fátima: Join the faithful at one of the world's holiest sites and pay homage at the Chapel of the Apparitions or see the basilica.
- Batalha: Join a Local Specialist to see the Monastery of Batalha, with included entry to the cloisters and chapels.
- Nazaré: Enjoy time at leisure on Portugal's Costa de Prata.
- Obidos: Stroll along the cobblestone streets and view the traditional azulejos of medieval Óbidos, perhaps stopping in a local shop to try the regional cherry liqueur, Ginja.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Lisbon: Bid farewell to your Portuguese adventures at the award-winning organic vineyard Vale da Capucha which prides itself in producing organic and biodynamic wines. Your experience supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Lisbon, Évora, Porto, Coimbra and Tomar
- Discover the Algarve, Lagos, Castelo de Vide, Viseu, Nazaré and Óbidos
- Visit the Hieronymite Monastery in Lisbon, the cathedral in Évora, the Palace Gardens at Palacio de Mateus, the Stock Exchange Palace, Arabian Hall and a local port wine cellar in Porto, the University Library of Coimbra, the Convent of Christ in Tomar and Batalha's Gothic Monastery
- View the Castle of Guimarães and the Shrine at Fátima
Trip Details
Product Code: 34393
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 38.112C
Starts: Lisbon, Portugal
Finishes: Lisbon, Portugal
Duration: 11 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $4,515 ($410 /day)
Itinerary
A sea of pastel pinks, yellows and blues dot the seven hills of the romantic Portuguese capital, which you will have an opportunity to explore today before meeting your fellow travelers and Travel Director for dinner and an orientation drive past some of the city's most iconic sights.
Accommodation: Turim Av Liberdade
Meals: Dinner
Delve into Lisbon's centuries-old seafaring heritage today, paying tribute to the brave men who set off from these shores to discover the ‘New World’. With our Local Specialist, see the shimmering white Monument to the Discoveries, the iconic suspension bridge spanning the Tagus, and Belém Tower, built as a fortress protecting the city of Lisbon. Dive Into Culture on a sightseeing tour of the UNESCO-listed Hieronymite Monastery, an exquisite testament to 16th-century Manueline architecture and art. There’s time to join an Optional Experience to the historic towns of Cascais and Sintra, before perhaps enjoying a traditional Portuguese dinner amidst the soulful and touching sounds of the Fado this evening.
Accommodation: Turim Av Liberdade
Meals: Breakfast
Journey across the Tagus this morning and drive south towards the Serra da Arrábida Mountains and to the golden pastures of the Alentejo. The hearty aroma of traditional Portuguese cuisine fills the air at your Be My Guest experience. You'll connect with locals over lunch in the family home of a historic stud ranch, where Lusitano horses were reared for King João VI in the 18th century. Your Portugal trip itinerary continues further south, bound for the sun-kissed shores of the Algarve – your home for the next two nights.
Accommodation: Real Bellavista
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, visit the resort town of Lagos – once home to Henry the Navigator. Later, stop in Albufeira for an orientation walk and enjoy some free time at the beach.
Accommodation: Real Bellavista
Meals: Breakfast
Journeying north, travel to the ancient Alentejo city of Évora. Join your Local Specialist for a visit to the elaborate cathedral, Roman temple and the Chapel of Bones. Then, spend the rest of your day delving into the medieval history of this enchanting city. Trace centuries of history along its city walls, kick back with a bica and bolo in Praça do Giraldo or perhaps join an Optional Experience to the medieval village of Monsaraz. This evening you dine at your hotel.
Accommodation: M'ar de Ar Muralhas
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
The first stop today is in the quaint hilltop town of Castelo de Vide with its charming white façades, narrow alleys and fascinating Jewish Quarter. Travel north towards the Serra de Estrela mountains and arrive later in Viseu, set high on a plateau near the famous Dão vineyards. Explore the city's rich art and architectural history, and see the 12th-century Sé, standing imposingly on a hill overlooking much of the city.
Accommodation: Grão Vasco
Meals: Breakfast
Vineyard-clad hills provide an enchanting backdrop for your journey today through the Douro Valley, where Port wine is produced. Explore the magnificent gardens at the Baroque-style Palácio de Mateus, depicted on the label of the distinctive Mateus Rosé wine bottles. Continue via Guimarães for views of its impressive 10th-century castle, before arriving in the riverside town of Porto where you will spend the next two nights.
Accommodation: Turim Oporto
Meals: Breakfast
Join a Local Specialist today for a sightseeing tour in Porto, which takes you past baroque churches and along the winding cobblestone lanes that tumble down towards the Douro River. See the remarkable bridges that span the river and the Gothic Church of St. Francis. Visit the Stock Exchange Palace with its splendid Arabian Hall inspired by Granada's Alhambra, then Dive Into Culture and into the centuries-old tradition of local port production at a tasting in a port cellar. Spend the rest of the afternoon strolling through the historic center of Porto admiring the azulejo-clad façades, or visit Livraria Lello, the city's oldest bookstore.
Accommodation: Turim Oporto
Meals: Breakfast
Soak up the grand atmosphere of one of Europe's greatest and oldest universities with a Local Specialist, then stroll through the ancient streets and squares of Coimbra, before journeying to the Templar city of Tomar. We join a Local Specialist to visit the Convent of Christ, originally built as a Templar stronghold in the 12th century. Later, we arrive in the pilgrimage center of Fátima, visited by millions of Catholic pilgrims, where three young shepherds famously saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary.
Accommodation: Santa Maria , Fátima
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
En route to Lisbon, with a Local Specialist we stop at the imposing monastery of Batalha – a UNESCO World Heritage site and the best example of late Gothic architecture in Portugal. Our next stop is the fishing village of Nazaré, before we visit the medieval walled city of Óbidos with its whitewashed houses and cobblestone streets. Celebrate our last evening in Portugal over dinner in a family-run vineyard, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Toast to an incredible journey over organic wine and locally sourced flavors.
Accommodation: Smy Lisboa, Olissippo Oriente
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Say a fond adeus to your fellow travelers at the end of an unforgettable Portuguese holiday.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
David Beames - Traveled, November 2024
An exceptional experience in Portugal! Organisation and delivery of service was first class. Wonderful experience. Special thanks to *Personal information removed by Feefo* the Tour Director whose performance was outstanding. The coach driver *Personal information removed by Feefo* got us in and out of places that were very difficult. Altogether an exceptional experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/29/2024
Roberta Rubinstein - Traveled, June 2024
My exciting trip to the entire county of Portugal. I couldn't have asked for more. Nothing was left for chance. I don't remember filling this out before. I was extremely happy with this trip. Our guide,*Personal information removed by Feefo*, was amazing as were the other guides that came along the way. The trip was better than expected. Our accommodation were great and I was very happy that each night I received an email as what to expect the next day as well as a wakeup call every morning so as to make sure that I didn't miss anything. All the places that were included and all the extra tours that I was able to go on covered everything that you could imagine. I will definitely consider going on another tour with Trafalgar.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/20/2024
Nancy Wheatley - Traveled, June 2024
Portuguese Perfection! There were no issues at all with anything. Our driver, *Personal information removed by Feefo* was great, *Personal information removed by Feefo* our tour director, was amazing, and all the local specialists were also on point, This was our second Trafalgar trip and it did not disappoint. All the hotels were clean (the first one was very small), but all the rest were very comfortable. We got to see so much of Portugal and experienced the delicious food and warm hospitality of the Portuguese people. Our tour director, *Personal information removed by Feefo* was FABULOUS. He kept the bus in great spirits every day with his energetic personality. If there was an issue *Personal information removed by Feefo* handled it with his usual professionalism. We loved the little treats he would provide for us each day. My only complaint is now I’m addicted to Portuguese Tarts and I gained 5 pounds with all the fabulous food that I ate!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/17/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, June 2024
Trafalgar's Best of Portugal was very good! Trafalgar's Best of Portugal itinerary provided an excellent overview of Portugal’s geography, architecture, history, and culture. The “Included Experiences” were generally enjoyable but the (extra cost) “Optional Experiences” were needed to complete our experiences and should have been included in the base itinerary. HITS: -Our Travel Director *Personal information removed by Feefo*, was the best that we have experienced with any of our Trafalgar tours. He was knowledgeable, informative, caring and entertaining. Trafalgar is lucky to have him on their team. Our Driver *Personal information removed by Feefo* was an expert driver who navigated Portugal's narrow streets with ease. The Local Specialists were extremely knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise. -The “Optional Experiences” were very enjoyable which greatly improved our overall satisfaction with this Land Tour. AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED -The Turim Ave Liberdade hotel gave us a poor “First Impression” of Trafalgar Tours. We paid extra for a "Superior Room" which is barely big enough for both of us and our luggage. We couldn't imagine how small Trafalgar's "Standard Room" could be. There was free internet but the signal is so weak that speed barely allowed text emails. The reception staff seemed fairy disinterested they are usually looking at their phones. Fortunately, the subsequent hotels that Trafalgar had booked provided much better lodging experiences. -The “Included Experiences” were generally enjoyable but are somewhat incomplete. The “Optional Experiences” truly completed our experiences and should have been included in the base itinerary. This was clearly a “Bait and Switch” Marketing Strategy by Trafalgar that added an extra $1,028 to our tour cost. This needs to be understood by anyone interested in Trafalgar tours. BOTTOM LINE: Trafalgar’s Best of Portugal Tour provided an excellent overview of Portugal’s geography, architecture, history, and culture. However, I cannot recommend this tour without including the “Optional Experiences” because the traveler’s overall experiences in Portugal will be merely “Average to Poor”.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/08/2024
Miriam Gomez - Traveled, October 2024
Providing professionalism! The tour guide and bus drive could not have been more pleasant, organized and professional. A comprehensive tour of Portugal. We visited all important sites, the tour guide was outstanding, attentive and caring about our needs. I highly recommend this tour, it was a very memorable experience. Trafalgar delivered just as advertized.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/27/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, October 2024
Great guide and great guest guided. Great itinerary!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/13/2024
Andrew Reid - Traveled, October 2024
Efiicient! Excellent tour of Portugal highlighting its history, scenery and cuisine. Many unexpected little bonuses on the trip made each day enjoyable.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/18/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, October 2024
Would go again! Very attentive service on the telephone when making the original booking. All tour staff were amazing! Knowledgeable and fun. So organized. All the add-ons are a good deal. Never had to wait in any lines. Delicious meals included in most.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/12/2024
Megan - Traveled, June 2024
You will LOVE Portugal! The service was great! We had the best travel director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*! And had great local guides that were very knowledgeable! It was a great trip! *Personal information removed by Feefo* was the best travel director. Our longest bus ride was no more than 2 hours. There was always a great stop along the way! The hotels were fabulous! The sites and views were spectacular!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/10/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, November 2024
Jorge was a wonderful guide. Very caring and considerate. He was always concerned with our safety and enjoyment. Fernando was an amazing driver. How he negotiated that huge bus was unbelievable There was too much time on the bus. The hotels were beautiful very upscale. Trafalgar was tasked with our flight reservations and it was a nightmare. Over 20 hours of travel each way and totally unnecessary stops and waits. We went from Florida to Texas, had a 5 hour delay and then to Philadelphia for another wait. On return we went to Philadelphia then Charlotte for long delay. We could have gone directly to Atlanta and then Lisbon with minimum waits. This will make me reconsider my next trip
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/27/2024
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