Itinerary
On arrival at Lisbon International Airport, there are complimentary transfers to your hotel. Settle in and relax before joining your Travel Director for dinner at a local restaurant. Enjoy the opportunity to mingle with your fellow travellers during a pleasant evening of good food and wine.
Your guided sightseeing with a Local Expert takes you along the avenues of the Lower Town and past tree-shaded squares. See the ancient Belém Tower and marvel at the Monument to the Discoveries. Explore more of the Belém Quarter as you visit the Cloister of Jeronimos Monastery and enjoy a taste of Pastéis de Belém from the patisserie that has been using the same secret recipe for almost 200 years.
This evening, gain further insight into Portuguese culture with an Optional Experience dinner.
Cross the River Tagus and head towards the sun-drenched southern coast to reach Lagos, a fishing port nestled in the bay of Meia Praia.
After some free time to explore, continue to your resort hotel, set within a magnificent 360-acre estate. Simplicity is at the heart of Algarve cuisine, with seafood so fresh it still tastes of the sea. Just a short walk away, specialised Portuguese seafood restaurants line the coastline, overlooking the Atlantic.
Journey to the medieval walled city of Évora where cathedrals, churches, aqueducts and ancient castle walls all serve to create the feeling that this beautiful city is a living, breathing museum to Portugal's rich past. Join your Local Expert to explore the highlights of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Roman Temple and visit the Capela dos Ossos, an extraordinary 16th-century chapel comprising the skulls and bones of 5,000 bones. Visit the cathedral with its attractive mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
With the rest of the afternoon at leisure, you may wish to continue to stroll through Évora's unique historical centre, or the serene city park, following the aqueduct inside the city walls.
Travel to the striking white village of Monsaraz, situated on an imposing hilltop, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. From the castle ruins, admire the spectacular views across to the dry Spanish plains, contrasting with the blue of one of the largest artificial lakes.
Join a local boat captain for a leisurely cruise on the tranquil waters of Lake Alqueva. Relax and enjoy picturesque views and tales of river life. Sit down to a delicious lunch at local restaurant Sem Fim, once an olive mill. Enjoy a wide range of tasty tapas dishes showcasing the local cuisine, and soak up the vibrant; cheerful atmosphere.
Return to Évora where the evening is at your leisure to explore this beautifully preserved regional capital.
This morning, enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with a visit to Casa Relvas for a wine tasting, featuring uniquely Portuguese grape varietals like Touriga Nacional. Despite the dry climate of the Alentejo region, this family-run estate produces exceptional wine through innovative water-saving techniques.
Continue your journey to Fátima, Portugal's most renowned pilgrimage site. Here, you may visit the basilica or the Chapel of the Apparitions, commemorating the Virgin Mary's appearance to three young shepherds in 1917.
Journey across central Portugal's rolling hills to explore Tomar with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Convento do Cristo with a Local Expert, where you'll admire the octagonal Templars' Rotunda and the Manueline Window, and learn about the daily life of a warrior monk. Alternatively, join a guided city tour and visit the Synagogue of Tomar, one of the best-preserved medieval synagogues in Portugal, as your Local Expert reveals the town's rich architectural and cultural history.
In Coimbra, your Local Expert will show you the highlights of the Old Town, including the University of Coimbra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit its impressive baroque university library, one of the finest in the world. Your journey continues past verdant hills and lush vineyards, along the tranquil waters of the Douro River. Enjoy a wonderful Farm-to-Table lunch, freshly prepared from locally sourced ingredients, with a Port wine tasting.
The mountain ranges of Northern Portugal accompany your morning journey to Guimarães, known as the birthplace of Portugal. Here, you can take in views from the Visigoth castle before wandering the cobbled streets and charming squares that exude medieval character.
Continue to Porto, a city steeped in history whose central district is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Porto seamlessly blends tradition and modernity. Accompanied by your Local Expert, visit the São Bento Railway Station, renowned for the hand-painted azulejo tilework depicting scenes of Portugal's past, and stroll across the Dom Luís I Bridge, a masterpiece of engineering that offers spectacular views of the Douro River.
For a different perspective, consider joining an Optional Experience to explore the pastel-hued houses of the Ribeira district, cruise aboard a traditional Rabelo boat, and savour traditional flavours at a riverside restaurant.
With a full day free to enjoy at your own pace, why not take a stroll to admire the Multi-coloured houses and churches covered in beautiful glazed tiles. Perhaps choose to visit Braga, the capital of Baroque.
Discover the charm of the fortified town of Óbidos. Step inside the medieval town's ancient walls to wander through cobblestone streets, then continue to Lisbon. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a delightful dinner, raising a glass to the unforgettable moments shared on your tour.
After breakfast, transfer to Lisbon International Airport.
Trip Inclusions
- Lisbon: Explore Lisbon with a Local Specialist, focusing on the Baixa district rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake and the broad Pombaline layout that shaped the Lower Town. Continue through the Belém Quarter to view landmarks linked to Portugal's maritime era, including the Monument to the Discoveries and the Belém Tower, both positioned along the Tagus.
- Lisbon: Visit the cloisters of Jerónimos Monastery with its beautiful Manueline architecture, reflecting Portugal's trade over the centuries and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Lagos: Stroll through this coastal town nestled on Meia Praia, with your Travel Director.
- Évora: Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site guided by your Local Specialist and see the famous Roman Temple. While sightseeing, witness the fascinating cathedral and be charmed by its mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
- Monsaraz: Surrounded by cork oaks and vineyards, wander through the castle ruins to admire the incredible view over the Spanish plains that contrast with the blue of one of Europe's largest artificial lakes.
- Fátima: You'll visit the Sanctuary of Fátima, centred on the reported apparitions of 1917. The site brings together major places of worship such as the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Chapel of the Apparitions, set around a vast open square used for major pilgrimages.
- Coimbra: Explore Coimbra with a Local Specialist in a city that served as Portugal's early capital. The walk brings you through steep lanes linked to the old royal palace, past long-standing student cafes and towards the upper town where academic life has shaped the streets for centuries.
- Coimbra: Visit the University of Coimbra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with roots in the 1200s. Inside the baroque library, you'll stand among carved shelves and painted ceilings built to protect rare volumes, including works central to Portugal's early scientific and literary study.
- Guimaraes: Wander through Guimarães' medieval centre, where narrow lanes link small squares shaped around the original castle and palace. The quarter holds stone-fronted houses, arcades and courtyards that reflect the town's role in Portugal's early formation, with buildings that have remained in use for centuries.
- Porto: Enjoy a panoramic drive through historic avenues and past exquisite tiled facades.
- Obidos: Walk inside Óbidos' medieval walls, you'll follow a street pattern that reflects its origins as a Roman settlement later granted as a royal wedding gift in the 13th century. You'll move through lanes lined with whitewashed houses and small churches, and sample ginja, the local cherry liqueur traditionally served in small cups.
- Monsaraz: Join a local boat captain for a tranquil cruise on Lake Alqueva. Relax and enjoy calming waters, picturesque views and tales of river life.
Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Tomar: Explore Tomar's Templar Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, first built in the 12th century and later expanded by the Order of Christ. As you move through the complex, you'll see the Charola, a circular chapel linked to the order's early ceremonies, along with the defensive structures that shaped the hilltop site.
- Tomar: Walk through Tomar's centre to the 15th-century synagogue, one of the few surviving examples of its kind in Portugal. This former place of worship now houses a small collection related to the Jewish community that lived in the town before the expulsion.
- Évora: Take part in a wine tasting that introduces Alentejo varieties grown on the Relvas family estate. As you taste the wines, you'll hear how the family manages its vineyards with reduced water use, reforests areas with native species and supports local education through scholarships in the surrounding villages. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
- Air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with a local specialty representing the destination.
- Complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi where available
- Lisbon: Join your Travel Director at 18:00 for a dinner at a local restaurant and the opportunity to mingle with your fellow travellers.
- Monsaraz: Enjoy a memorable Alentejo Highlight Lunch at local restaurant Sem Fim, once an olive mill. Indulge in dish-after-dish of the tastiest tapas in a vibrant setting.
- Douro Valley: You'll sit down to a Farm-to-Table meal prepared with produce grown in the Douro region. Alongside local dishes, you'll try Port wine made from grapes cultivated on the valley's terraced hillsides, with staff sharing how the landscape shapes the flavour and style of each pour.
- Lisbon: Shared experiences and memories are often the foundation for special bonds and friendships. Toast your travels with wine and good cheer during your dinner at a restaurant in Lisbon, devoted to the enjoyment of regional cooking.
- Dining Summary: 3 Dinners (D), 10 Breakfasts (B), 2 Lunches (L)
- Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
You’ll enjoy the icons and hidden gems with a Local Specialist by your side. Read more
With one on every itinerary, Be My Guest ensures your journey is truly one-of-a-kind, wherever it takes you. Read more
Find yourself overnighting in accommodations with stories as rich as the destinations you’re exploring. Read more
Trip Reviews (6)
There were read more many highlights, even if some were a bit of a challenge: try wine tasting at 9.15 am. The three that stood out for me were the Capela dos Ossos with its skulls, bones and the mummified remains of a young women and a child; the cork factory; and the Templar Castle and Convent of Christ in Tomar. The local guides were excellent, especially the local guide in Tomar.
Criticisms are few. The time in Lisbon was limited and our tour director probably spent more time talking about his real estate adventures and the unreliability of Portuguese tradesmen than was necessary. And if you use a face washer (or face cloth), bring one with you, because they aren’t supplied in the hotels.
Jemma Rosen, as always, provided the service I’ve come to expect from Global Journeys, but excelled when it came to a major problem with Lufthansa’s cancelled flights and difficulties with alternative flights. She had the problem sorted in a very short time.
Although the itinerary was similar to the previous tour, this time there were new inclusions and a broader cultural focus, both read more of which made a difference. For example, in each region we tasted local delicacies: pastel de nata in Lisbon, doce fino in Algarve, ginjinha in Obidos, pastel de Tentugal in Coimbra, tibia in Braga, etc. etc. These are small touches, but were appreciated by all, since they and the stories behind them are all threads in the tapestry that is Portugal.
Accommodation was comfortable and very close to city centres and historic sites. Included food was excellent, particularly in the local restaurants Frade dos mares in Lisbon, Sem-Fim in Monsaraz, farm-to-table dinner in Quinta de Maroccos in Peso da Regua... Both included and optional excursions were excellent and were a real value-add to an already great choice of locations and sightseeing.
The local guides were superb - they were passionate about their cities, knowledgeable and entertaining. The tour director and the driver were great too: professional and attentive. The former was friendly, personable, well organised, able to quickly solve problems and displayed excellent attention to detail.
Overall, the tour was very well organised. If anything, I think it should be a bit longer- additional two days would have allowed for some more time to be spent in locations worthy of more exploration. My only criticism would be the stay in Almancil. While the stroll on the beach was nice, there really wasn't anything else to do in the afternoon/evening. Perhaps a different location for an overnight should be considered? Apart from that, the tour was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in gaining a deeper insight into Portugal.
On a separate note - this was the first time I've booked a tour with Global Journeys, an agency I came across accidentally while doing an online search. At first I was a little sceptical and concerned about whether I'd made the right choice of an agent. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. Global Journeys provided service of a high standard: communication was timely, responses to questions prompt, information accurate. I have already recommended them to friends and would use them again myself.
Download Brochure
Trafalgar Worldwide Tours (2027-28)
Dates & Pricing
Global Tour Rewards
GJ Loyalty Discount
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Trafalgar. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
