Setting standards; exceeding expectations
Grand Tour of Portugal
10 Nights
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ITINERARY
Day 1: Lisbon
Welcome by a representative of Pinhal Tour at Lisbon Airport. Visit the historic center, picturesque and charming streets where still lives the soul of Lisbon. Transfer to the hotel in the area, dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Lisbon * Sintra * Cascais * Estoril * Lisbon
Breakfast at the hotel and visit of Lisbon. We will discover together, the Belém district, a monumental testimony of the wealth of Portuguese discoveries throughout the world: the Monument to the Discoveries, the elegant Belém Tower (exterior), fifteenth century fortress built on the Tagus and the Monastery of Jeronymites (visit the church of the Monastery). Time for the tasting of the famous Pastel de Belém, a typical pastry of the region. Lunch. In the afternoon departure to Sintra, city of natural landscapes of all splendor with a typically Portuguese charm. Then visit the Royal Palace of Sintra. Signaled by its two huge chimneys, this Palace was the favorite summer residence of the Portuguese kings. We end the day with a passage through the famous seaside resorts of Cascais and Estoril, favored by the brightness and the softness of their climate. Return to the hotel, dinner and evening.
Day 3: Lisbon * Tomar * Fátima * Batalha * Central Region
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Tomar, for the visit of the convent of Christ, famous fortress of the knights of the order of the Temple created in 1160, a veritable museum of Portuguese architecture which mixes the Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance styles. Then departure to Fatima and visit its shrine, a famous pilgrimage site. Lunch. In the afternoon, discover the most beautiful Portuguese Gothic work: the Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitoria, in Batalha. Late afternoon arrival at the Center Region, Check-in at the hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Central Region * Óbidos * Nazaré * Alcobaça * Central Region
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for the visit of the small medieval town of Óbidos, dominated by its castle with four doors and full of charm. Here we will do the tasting of Ginginha (liquor typical of the region) in a glass of chocolate. We continue the day with a fish lunch in a restaurant at the seaside, on the picturesque beach of Nazaré, an old fishing village with an authentic atmosphere and also known worldwide for its giant waves (The Canon of Nazaré). Then, departure to the city of Alcobaça, heart of the Portuguese ceramic industry. Visit the church of the Cistercian Abbey, where are the tombs of King D. Pedro I (the cruel) and D. Inês de Castro, the Queen who was crowned after his death. Return to the hotel, dinner and evening.
Day 5: Center Region * Coimbra * Aveiro * Porto
Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Coimbra. Visit the romantic and monumental city by the river: the Almedina Gate, one of the oldest university in Europe and its incomparable library Joanina remarkable decorations. Lunch. In the afternoon, visit Aveiro, called the Portuguese Venice, due to the presence of its canals navigated by colorful boats (moliceiros boats), traditionally used for seaweed harvesting. Continuation to the north. Installation, dinner and overnight at a hotel in the area. Optional: visit of the University’s of Coimbra library, subject to availability.
Day 6: Porto * Braga * Porto
Breakfast at the hotel and visit Porto, a charming city located in a magnificent amphitheater along the Douro. Discover the cathedral and one of the famous wine cellars of Porto, of course with tasting of this precious nectar. Lunch in a typical restaurant. In the afternoon, departure to the province of Minho. Visit Braga, often nicknamed "The Portuguese Rome" and known for heritage and religious events. We will pass by the imposing Sé and the church of Bom Jesus de Braga (Rococo style church, known for its double staircase). Return to the hotel, dinner and evening.
Day 7: Porto * Amarante * Lamego * Covilhã
Breakfast at the hotel and departure to visit Amarante, a small town with charming houses of the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Visit St. Gonsalvez Monastery, the patron saint of the city. Then crossing the Douro Valley, splendid landscape of terraced vineyards. Stop in Lamego and discover the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios. Then visit one of the most famous vineyard properties of the Douro and wine tasting. Lunch during the visit. Road to Viseu, check- in at the hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Covilhã * Castelo Branco * Marvão * Évora
Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Serra da Estrela, the most important mountain range in the country, an area of picturesque beauty where one can live intensely the silence of the heights. Then, you will discover Covilhã, famous for its weavings developed by the Jewish community in the 15th century. Continue to Castelo Branco, a real open-air museum, to see the famous gardens of the former Episcopal Palace. Then Marvão, real eagle's nest at the spectacular site. Lunch during the visit. At the end of the day, arrive in Évora. Installation in a hotel in the area, dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Évora * Monsaraz * Algarve
Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the guided tour of Évora, a historic city in the heart of the Alentejo, inherited from a rich and varied cultural heritage, built and preserved over time. You will discover its Roman past, its walls of Arab era and its cathedral. Lunch. Then stop at Monsaraz village Medieval fortified near the sky and near the Spanish border to reach the Algarve region. Installation, dinner and overnight at a hotel in the area.
Day 10: Algarve * Lagos * Sagres * Algarve
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for the visit of Lagos, former capital of the Algarve. Visit of the regional museum and the church St Antoine. Continue to Sagres, the place that symbolizes the southern end of Portugal. You can admire among others a fully restored Rosa dos Ventos, witness of the naval school founded in the 15th century by Henry the Navigator. Return to the hotel: lunch. Afternoon relaxation. Dinner and night.
Day 11: Algarve * Lisbon
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Lisbon airport, assistance with boarding formalities and termination of our services.