An enticing tour to discover the genuine flavours of Portugal, from the Northern region, passing by the beautiful lands of Douro Valley and Minho, to Southern Alentejo, a charming area rich in wheatfields, cork oak forests, wildflower meadows and tiny white-washed villages, to experience Portugal's gastronomic soul.
Portugal's cuisine is as rich and varied as its landscape, as a cross-point of different cultures; the Portuguese have a long history of absorbing culinary traditions from other people, mainly due to its role during the discoveries in the past centuries.
This journey offers the chance to explore the beauties of Portugal, unveiling astonishing landscapes, colourful villages and historical heritage delighting the palate with a surprising gastronomic variety where the finest delicacies of the sea and the land are combined in delicious culinary creations.
A truly unbelievable gastronomic experience, it will be hard to overcome it due to the explosion of unique flavors encountered.
Lisbon
Arrive in Lisbon.
Upon arrival at the Lisbon Airport, a meet and greet guide will be waiting to assist you, followed by a transfer to your hotel.
Two nights’ accommodation in a four stars hotel in the city centre.
Lisbon – Cascais – Cape Roca – Sintra
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning spent discovering Lisbon; we are going to see the city centre, Commerce Square and the Cathedral, then moving to Belém district, the western side of the town, for a visit to the Jerónimos Monastery, built to commemorate the discovery of the maritime way to India, and to the Belém Tower. Then we’ll proceed along the coastal road towards Cascais for the lunch to taste freshest fish cooked in various ways, seafood and shellfish. Passing through Cape Roca we’ll stop in Sintra, declared UNESCO World Heritage, for a visit to the Royal Palace and for tasting the regional pastry like the famous cheese and cinnamon cakes of Sintra (queijadas).
Return to your hotel by the end of the afternoon.
Lisboa - Coimbra – Mealhada – Aveiro – Porto
Breakfast at the hotel.
Moving north towards Coimbra, a city full of enchantments and also known for having the 2nd oldest University in the world built in 1292. Upon arrival we’ll walk around the city centre passing by the Old Cathedral and the University Complex. Then we’ll proceed to Mealhada to have lunch delighting the palate with a roasted suckling pig and the famous Bairrada wines. After lunch the tour shall continue to Aveiro, famous for its fish dishes and for a special sweet, made of sugar and yolk of the eggs, called Doces de Ovos, we shall have a short stop for tea time to taste this famous pastry. Arrive in Porto for three nights accommodation in a four stars hotel.
Porto
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning we are going to discover Porto, walking around the city centre and visiting the Cathedral, St. Francis Church and Palacio da Bolsa. Then crossing the river to Vila Nova de Gaia, we shall have a wine tasting in one of the Port Wine Cellars. Lunch in one of the typical restaurants at the Ribeira Quarter to taste one of the many dishes of marvellous Porto’s gastronomy like the Bacalhau, the tripas and Francesinha, obviously well matched with a glass of good wine.
Rest of the afternoon at leisure.
Porto – Viana do Castelo – Ponte de Lima – Braga – Guimarães - Porto
Departure from Porto for a tour in the Minho district, known for the richness of its gastronomy which can be considered as one of the main pillars of the Portuguese cuisine.
Driving north to Barcelos , we are going to make a short stop to visit its pottery exhibition and continuing towards Viana do Castelo, after admiring the wonderful view of the Lima river on the top the Santa Luzia hill, we’ll visit the city centre and the historical part of the town including the charming 17th century Manor Houses . Before leaving this beautiful town, we shall relax and have lunch, tasting some typical dishes ranging from fish to meat, like marinated or smoked shad, lamper eel, pork carrés (rojões), roasted kid and other specialities well accompanied by the famous Vinho Verde, a special kind of wine grown in this district, called Verde (green) due to the special planting style in which vines are planted in treilage or up the trees avoiding much sun directly in the grapes. This technique ensures that grapes never mature too much and the final result is a light fruited wine with some acidity and natural gas, ideal to go with fish or sea food.
After lunch the tour will continue towards Braga, by Ponte de Lima route, for a visit to the historic centre of the city including its Cathedral. Last stop of the tour will be Guimarães, birthplace of the first Portuguese king, followed by city tour including the Dukes of Bragança Palace. Return to Porto.
Porto - Amarante – Vila Real – Régua – Lamego - Viseu
After breakfast at the hotel, departure from Porto driving inside the country towards Amarante, famous for its trout dishes, duck's rice and kid dishes as well as for its conventual sweets. Proceeding to Vila Real, passing through the amazing vineyards, we are going to stop for lunch to savour one of traditional recipe like roasted pork knee, roasted kid with oven rice, smoked ham steak accompanied by the best wines grown in the area ending the meal with a mouthwatering dessert and a glass of Vintage Port. Continuation to Lamego for a short visit, and on to Viseu in the heart of the Dão wine area, here we’ll visit the historical centre of the city and the Grão Vasco Museum to admire paintings of Portuguese authors from the 15th and 16th centuries as well as from important Flemish painters.
One night accommodation at four stars hotel in Viseu.
Viseu - Seia – Covilhã – Castelo Branco – Castelo de Vide
Breakfast at the hotel.
We’ll depart from Viseu towards Seia and Covilhã, located in the Natural Park of the Estrela Mountain , famous for its marvellous landscape as well as for the sheep's cheese of the area (queijo da serra). We’ll have lunch at Covilhã to taste local specialties like roasted kid, meat sausages of various types, partridges, hare and the above mentioned cheese. Then proceed to Castelo Branco for a visit to the Bishop's Palace Gardens, slowly make our way to Castelo de Vide, in Alentejo region, where we’ll visit the medieval Synagogue and the Gothic Quarter (old Jewish quarter). We’ll be spending the night here at a four star hotel.
Castelo de Vide - Marvão – Estremoz - Évora
After breakfast, moving to South, inside the Alentejo region, we are going to stop in Évora, passing by Marvão, a medieval town built within the Castle located on the top of an enormous rock. Continue towards Portalegre for a panoramic visit passing by Estremoz until we finally arriving in Évora, a little town declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We shall visit its historic centre, admiring the Geraldo Square, St. Francis Church with its macabre Bones Chappel and the Roman Temple.
Alentejo can be considered a pillar of the Portuguese Gastronomy for its creativity in mixed meat and fish. During the lunch in Évora we can taste typical delicacies like the famous Carne de Porco à Alentejana , a sort of fried pork carrés with clams and herbs sauce, the Cação Soup, lamb cooked in various ways (roasted, stewed, etc), hare with beans and various mouthwatering conventual sweets, all served with the wines of one of the best wine producing areas of Portugal.
Leisure time will be assigned, take this opportunity to explore and enjoy the town.. We’ll be spending the night in a four stars hotel in Évora
Évora - Montemor-o-Novo – Setúbal – Arrábida – Azeitão - Sesimbra
Breakfast at the hotel.
Moving to Montemor o Novo and Setúbal, in the mouth of the Sado river, proceeding to Arrábida, a beautiful protected area covered with a rich Mediterranean vegetation that offers beautiful landscapes, until our arrival in Azeitão, centre of another famous wine producing area, as well as, for its excellent sheep's cheese.
After a short visit in Azeitão, we’ll stop in Sesimbra for lunch to taste a fine tuna fish steak or some seafood accompanied by Azeitão renowned wine and its delicious cheese.
Return to Lisbon by mid-afternoon, leisure time assigned.
Special Farewell Dinner.
One night accommodation in a four starts hotel in Lisbon.
Lisbon
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Lisbon airport with guide, we wish you a safe flight home!
