Best of Portugal

Description

This Best of Portugal journey 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.

Your Holiday Package Includes:

• $2,500 flight credit per person
• 10 night Best of Portugal guided tour with Trafalgar, Lisbon return

Includes:

• Cherry-picked accommodation
• 10 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners
• Must-see sightseeing & surprise extras
• An expert Travel Director & professional Driver
• Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi
• Optional experiences & free time
• All porterage & restaurant gratuities
• All hotel tips, charges & local taxes
• Airport transfers

Pricing is per person twin share and based on travel 24 January – 03 February 2025

Other departures available, surcharges apply

Extend your holiday with a cruise, speak to the team about options

Itinerary:

Day 1 / Welcome to Lisbon

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 travellers and Travel Director for dinner and an orientation drive past some of the city's most iconic sights.

Day 2 / Discover Colourful Lisbon Dive Into Culture

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.

Day 3 / Journey to the Algarve Region Connect with Locals

We 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 Portuguese chicken fills the air at our Be My Guest experience as we Connect With Locals over a traditional lunch at a stud ranch, where Lusitano horses were once reared at the pleasure of King João VI.  Our journey continues further south, bound for the holiday paradise that is the Algarve – our home for the next two nights.

Day 4 / Cliffs, Beaches and More in the Algarve

The dramatic landscapes of the Sagres Peninsula provide a stunning backdrop for our morning drive. Admire spectacular views across Baleeira Beach, before continuing along the coast to Cape St. Vincent, the site of many sea battles centuries ago. Enjoy your free afternoon in the resort town Lagos – once the home of Henry the Navigator.

Day 5 / Onwards to Elegant Évora

Journeying north, we 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 we dine at our hotel.

Day 6 / Venture Past Mountains to Viseu

Our 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.

Day 7 / Through the Douro Valley to Porto

Vineyard-clad hills provide an enchanting backdrop for our journey today through the Douro Valley, where Port wine is produced. We explore the magnificent gardens at the Baroque-style Palácio de Mateus, depicted on the label of the distinctive Mateus Rosé wine bottles. We continue via Guimarães for views of its impressive 10th-century castle, before arriving in the riverside town of Porto where we will spend the next two nights.

Day 8 / Explore Vibrant Porto Dive Into Culture

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 centre of Porto admiring the azulejo-clad façades, or visit Livraria Lello, the city's oldest bookstore.

Day 9 / On to Coimbra and Pilgrimage to Fátima

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 centre of Fátima, visited by millions of Catholic pilgrims, where three young shepherds famously saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

Day 10 / Experience Village Life Returning to Lisbon

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 flavours.

Day 11 / Farewell Lisbon

Say a fond adeus to your fellow travellers at the end of an unforgettable Portuguese holiday.

Terms & Conditions

Prices listed are per person in AUD, based on twin occupancy, including all discounts unless otherwise stated. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking and shown on the lowest category available at the time.  Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. Prices/Offers are correct as at 25-09-2024 and can be withdrawn without notice.   Cabin categories include prepaid government fees and port taxes unless otherwise stated.  Hotels may charge resort fees not included in this package, payable direct upon check in. Visas are not included.  Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge.