Springtime in Portugal

DURATION: 15 DAYS/ 14 NIGHTS 

Day 1 - Sunday - April 25

Depart Toronto on Air Transat 732 at 7:25 pm.

Day 2 - Monday - April 26 - Lisbon

Arrive 7:30 am.  Local guide will meet the group. Transfer to Hotel Mundial in the centre of the city. The hotel is only a few minutes walk from the downtown shopping area, pedestrian-only streets lined with shops and cafes. Balance of day is free. Welcome dinner with wine in “Varanda” the elegant rooftop restaurant of your hotel.

Day 3 - Tuesday - April 27 - Sintra

Morning departure for Sintra, a pretty town with lush greenery and many beautiful old manor homes.  In the historic town centre, stands the National Palace. Tour the palace and have some time to enjoy the town, perhaps have a coffee and pastry.  More free time in Cascais, an 18th century resort town on the Atlantic to stroll or have lunch before returning to Lisbon. Afternoon free.  This evening you will hear the traditional “soul” music of Lisbon called “Fado.” Singers and musicians will entertain as you enjoy typical Portuguese food & wine in a Fado restaurant in the old part of the city. 

Day 4 - Wednesday - April 28 - Morning city sightseeing tour  of Lisbon

Welcome to one of the most beautiful capitals in Europa! Panoramic visit of the downtown areas: Marquês de Pombal, Avenida da Liberdade and the Rossio Square. Visit to the Old town of Alfama the oldest district of Lisbon, spreading on the slope between the Sao Jorge Castle and the Tejo River. A visit to the Castle on the hilltop has a wonderful panoramic view of the city and the Tejo River.  Walk down through the Alfama quarter to experience the small, curvy streets and its old-world atmosphere. Visit to Belém – the area strongly linked to Portugal’s Golden Age of Discoveries as the site where the famous navigators set sail to discover the world. Today it is a spacious green area with many gardens, parks and monuments that are well worth a visit. Amongst Belém’s attractions are the Jerónimos Monastery, the Monument to the Discoveries, the Torre de Belém. Afternoon and evening is free. Dine at leisure at your hotel. (Drinks not included).

Day 5 - Thursday - April 29 – Lisbon -  Obidos – Alcobaça – Nazaré - Tomar

The “Oeste Region” is full of nature and cultural attractions.  Its landscapes, full of colour, varying with the seasons of the year, are dominated by thousands of hills with scattered whitewashed villages and the characteristic windmills that symbolise the West region. Nazare, is an old fishing town with a seemingly endless stretch of beach.  Free time for lunch at one the small restaurants. Proceed to Tomar, a charming and historically outstanding town on the banks of the Nabão River. It is dominated by a 12th-century Templar castle containing one of the country's most significant and impressive monuments, the Convent of Christ. The Order of the Knights Templar helped fight the Moors in the 12th and 13th centuries and were rewarded with land and political power. Enjoy a quiet dinner evening at your hotel.

Day 6 - Friday - April 30 - Tomar – Conímbriga – Coimbra - Porto

Conimbriga was inhabited as early as the 9th century BC. By the time the Romans arrived, in the second half of the 1st century BC, Conimbriga was already a flourishing village. Conimbriga became a prosperous Roman town. Later it suffered the consequences of barbaric invasions and was abandoned around the year 468. Next stop is Coimbra, a charming university town. It was the capital of the Kingdom in the early days of the Monarchy (12th Century) and today is the most important city from the cultural point of view in the centre of Portugal. Coimbra has one of the most important universities of Europe and we start the visit at the University Library, an extraordinary landmark of golden carved work, a perfect expression of luxury and the knowledge expressed in the 300,000 books, representing an important Portuguese heritage. Free time for lunch. Proceed to Porto. Accommodation at Pousada do Freixo in Oporto. Built in the mid 19th century, the Palácio do Freixo is one of the most remarkable examples of Portuguese civil architecture from the baroque period. The Pousada has preserved the entire façade of the palace buildings, which became a National Monument in 1910. The property consists of two separate but interconnected buildings: the Palácio (or palace), which houses the restaurant, bar, lounges and meeting rooms; and the former Harmonia Flour Factory, where the rooms are to be found. Dinner at the Pousada.

Day 7 - Saturday - May 1 - Porto

Morning city tour. Porto has many imposing streets and squares: The wide “Avenida dos Aliados” with its colourful flowerbeds stretches from “Praça da Liberdade” to “Praça D. Joao” and at the end of the square is the proud belfry of the Town Hall. Visit St. Francis Church, an interesting 18th century church with fine examples of gilded carved wood. Right next door, is one of the most remarkable buildings of the city, the Stock Exchange Palace. Then walk to the Ribeira area and have some free time to relax and enjoy a coffee at a sidewalk cafe.  Cross the river to Vila Nova de Gaia to visit one of the famous Port wine cellars as well as sample the wine. Free time for lunch.  Afternoon cruise on the Douro River, followed by a buffet dinner at a popular restaurant called “Tromba Rija”.

Day 8 - Sunday - May 2 - Porto – Guimarães -  Peso de Régua -  Viseu

Guimarães is linked to the founding of Portugal. Visit the castle with its 7 granite towers and vast keep. The Palace of the Dukes of Bragança, another point on our itinerary, is a fine example of a nobleman’s home and was completely restored.  Inside there are paintings, tapestries, fine furniture and porcelain from bygone ages.  After this visit make a walking tour through the old city.  This is a city to be appreciated on foot, with its attractive shops selling local and traditional pottery, quiet corners and narrow streets. The heart of the city is the ancient “Largo Nossa Senhora da Oliveira” (Olive Tree Square) where there is a church dating from the 10th century dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  The walking tour ends at the old tower “Torre da Alfândega.” Free time for lunch in charming Peso da Regua, the center of Port Wine in the upper Douro valley.  Then on to Viseu. During the 16th Century Viseu became a very important cultural centre and was given the title of "Ancient and most Noble Town" of Portugal.  The Pousada belongs to the Pousada “Charm” category. It opened as a Pousada in 2008 and was originally built as a hospital in 1842.

Day 9 - Monday - May 3 - Viseau – Evora

Évora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site still partially enclosed by medieval town walls. The town has a number of impressive buildings dating from various historical periods, including a Roman Temple.  Free time for lunch then set off for a short walking tour through the town.  When you are ready, enjoy a 3 course dinner with wine at your charming hotel in the centre of Evora.

Day 10 - Tuesday - May 4 - Evora - Algarve

Have a leisurely morning. Leave early afternoon for the beautiful southern coast, the Algarve. Arrive Hotel Algarve Casino in the centre of Praia da Rocha. The hotel has 2 beautiful swimming pools overlooking the huge beach. Shops and cafes are right outside the front door.  Dine when you wish in the elegant restaurant of the hotel (drinks not included).

Day 11 - Wednesday - May 5 - Full Day tour to Lagos, Sagres & Cape St. Vincent

The St. Vincent coast features the most important sites of the Portuguese Maritime Discoveries period. Visit Lagos, a charming seaside city. The streets in the town centre are for pedestrians only so it will be a walking tour, through the main sites of the city - Prince Henrys’ Square, the old Slaves Market and the famous Saint Anthony Church. Then make sure the cameras are ready for beautiful pictures of the coastline at Ponta da Piedade. Here are some of the most beautiful rock formations in the Algarve coast.  Continue to the south-western tip of Europe at Sagres, visit the fortress and Cape St. Vincent.

Day 12 - Thursday - May 6 - Full Day East Algarve

The coastline, almost to the Spanish border, is largely lined by stretches of tidal marshlands which are an integral part of the Ria Formosa National Park, a conservation areaof raw beauty and great ecological importance. These marshlands are protected by long and magnificent sand flats (ilhas). Tavira is one of the most interesting towns in the Algarve. The River Gilao runs through the town centre and an old Roman bridge is still in use to cross over to the other side of town.

Day 13 - Friday - May 7 - Free day Algarve

Simply relax, walk about on your own, and shop for souvenirs. Handicrafts typical of the Algarve include hand-painted tiles and ceramics and items such as placemats or coasters made from cork. There are local liquors made from almonds and fanciful marzipan cookies, almost too beautiful to eat. Or there is the possibility of booking an optional full day tour to Seville, Spain.

Day 14 - Saturday  - May 8 – Algarve - Sesimbra

Check out and drive north through Alentejo, a land of rolling plains dotted with cork trees.  Free time for lunch in Setubal. Portugal has many excellent wineries and today you will visit one of them,  JM Fonseca winery in Azeitão. Proceed to isbon for overnight.

Day 15 - Sunday - May 9 

Transfer to Lisbon airport. Air Transat 633 departs Lisbon 7:55am. Arrives Toronto 11am.