Lisbon, Porto & the Douro Valley by Air

Today we fly to Lisbon. We transfer by coach to our hotel and enjoy a welcome drink and dinner.

After breakfast, our local guide will take us on an introductory sight-seeing tour by coach of Portugal’s lively capital city – Lisbon. We’ll take in many of the highlights of this wonderful city, including the bronze statue of the Marques of Pombal who rebuilt Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. Our guide will also take us on a short walking tour of the historic centre where we’ll see the magnificent St George Castle and Lisbon Cathedral, the city's oldest church.  We'll also see the Belem Tower, the imposing St Jerome Monastery and the Monument to the Discoveries. There’s free time to enjoy lunch at leisure before we continue by coach to Sintra.

Sintra is an enchanting town with a fascinating UNESCO-listed centre, and is perched on a hillside with panoramic views towards the Atlantic coast. We include a visit and a guided tour at Sintra National Palace. Famous for its Royal Palace, once the residences of the Portuguese monarchy, today it’s a wonderful museum with grand rooms and priceless collections.

Later, we visit Cascais, an ancient fishing village which has gorgeous beaches, picturesque gardens and a pedestrianised Old Town. Before we make our way back to Lisbon, we’ll make a short stop in Estoril, once a summer retreat for royal families and now known for its sandy beaches and casino. This evening you are free to dine out at your leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel, you are free to explore Lisbon at your own pace. Perhaps you’ll ride the classic trams through the steep streets of Alfama and admire the views from Sao Jorge Castle. Whatever you do, be sure to sample the Pasteis de Nata.

After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer by coach to the train station where we board the Alfa Pendular high-speed train to Porto, arriving in just under 3 hours. We are met by our local guide and embark on a panoramic sightseeing tour of Porto by coach, taking in some of the highlights of this wonderful city.  We’ll explore the town centre, overlooked by the Neoclassic city hall with its clocktower, and then make our way to the São Bento Railway Station. This is one of the prettiest railway stations in Portugal, with its stunningly detailed Portuguese azulejos tiles. On arrival at our hotel, we’ll enjoy a welcome drink followed by dinner and drinks.

After breakfast, we head out for full-day excursion by coach to Guimarães, the birthplace of Alfonso I, the first King of Portugal. In the company of our local guide, we’ll walk through the city centre, passing by the Church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira. Nearby, you’ll also see the 10th-century Castle of Guimarães, and we include entrance to the Palace of the Dukes of Braganca. We’ll then pass through some of the city’s principal streets including Largo de Santiago and Largo da Oliveira. Afterwards, we’ll head to the famous Largo do Toural, considered the heartbeat of the city.

Later this afternoon, we continue by coach to Ponte de Lima, one of the oldest and most characterful towns in northern Portugal. The town sits on the Lima River and has been the primary river crossing since the Romans constructed a bridge here in 1AD.

We are taken by coach to Regua this morning, where we board the regular train for a 25-minute ride to Pinhão. The journey follows the banks of the River Douro and travels through the breathtaking landscapes of the Douro Wine Region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On arrival at Pinhão, there’s some free time to take in the station itself. Admire the famous tile panels decorating the station's walls, depicting the landscape and life of the people of the Douro, with images of Port production, grape picking and carrying wine in Rabelo boats. You can also visit the Wine House located in the station building, where you can buy typical products of the region.

From here, our coach picks us up and takes us to Quinta de S. Luiz, where we enjoy a visit, tour and tasting of some of the wines the region has to offer. Walk through the Romila vineyard and enjoy the view of a unique landscape over the Douro River from the terrace.  Afterwards, we continue to DOC Restaurant which is owned by Chef Rui Paula, distinguished with 2 Michelin stars in Portuguese cuisine.  Here we enjoy a 4-course meal accompanied by four wine pairings and the theme is 4 Moments: starter, sea, land and dessert. We return to Porto for an evening at leisure.

Enjoy a day at leisure to relax at the hotel or explore your local surroundings. This evening we gather for a final evening meal at the hotel, with drinks included.

Today we are transferred by coach to Porto airport for our return flight back to the UK.