Journeys: Discover Portugal
8 days, Lisbon to Porto
Itinerary
Day 1Lisbon
Arrive at any time. This evening, savour a traditional Portuguese dinner and performance of fado, a local folk singing tradition, in one of Lisbon's oldest neighbourhoods.
To ensure you are able to join the group for dinner, please arrive in Lisbon by 6pm at the latest.
Portugal features diverse terrain, including regions with steep streets and uneven surfaces. Please bring sturdy walking shoes and be prepared for a lot of walking.
If you wish to explore Lisbon before your tour begins, consider booking pre-tour accommodation with us. Please speak to a G Adventures representative about booking accommodations in Lisbon before Day 1 of this itinerary.
Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.
Your Foodie Moment: Fado Night with Traditional Portuguese Meal
Sit down to a traditional meal and lend your ears to the sound of a performance by Portuguese folk music artists.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
My Story Hotel Tejo Lisbon (or similar)
Meals included:
DinnerDay 2Lisbon
Travel back in time to the fairytale castles and hills of Sintra, a 19th-century resort town and UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore the colourful manors, medieval palaces, and lush gardens that enchanted English Romantic poet Lord Byron as well as Portuguese royalty. Enjoy a short orientation walk followed be a free afternoon to discover Lisbon’s pastel-hued architecture and lively plazas. Opt to soar over Lisbon on the historic Santa Justa lift, an engineering marvel that ascends 147 feet to an epic viewing platform.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Pena Palace and Park Guided Visit
Situated in the hills of Sintra, Pena Palace and its surrounding park are one of the greatest expressions of 19th-century romanticism in Portugal. With clear Manueline influence and Moorish architectural styles, the palace is built in a such a way as to be visible from any point in the park. Tour the Palace and park and learn about the Palace's origins and influences throughout Portuguese history.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
Rossio Square
FreeStop in this lively square to get a taste of the local hustle and bustle.
Sao Jorge Castle
15EUR per personClimb up to this Moorish castle for a wander around the impressive grounds on a guided tour, and a great view over Lisbon and Tagus River.
Santa Justa Lift
6EUR per personTake a ride up 147ft from the lowest to highest points of Portugal. Sit back and enjoy the views.
Alfama District Visit
FreeExplore Lisbon’s past in Alfama, one of the city’s oldest quarters. Wander along narrow medieval streets lined with typical tile-covered façades and take a step back in time; the area largely survived the great earthquake of 1755, and still retains much of its original layout. Listen for Portugal's traditional music, fado, gracing the streets at night.
Accommodation
My Story Hotel Tejo Lisbon (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Lisbon/Évora
Head to medieval Évora, in the heart of the bucolic Alentejo region, for a fascinating foray into the past. Be mesmerized by the haunting Chapel of Bones, erected by 16th-century Franciscan monks. Then pay a visit to one of the best preserved Roman temples on the Iberian Peninsula, known as Diana’s Temple.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Chapel of Bones Visit
Visit the most famous sight in Évora, the Capela dos Ossos, or Chapel of Bones. Take care if squeamish – built in the 1500s by a Franciscan monk, the walls are covered with human skeletons as a reminder to fellow monks that life is fleeting.
Diana Roman Temple
Take a visit to the best preserved Roman structure on the Iberian Peninsula, assumed to have been constructed in 1 AD.
Accommodation
Vitoria Stone Evora (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 4Évora
Venture into the Alentejo countryside, home to centuries-old cork forests. Join a local expert at a traditional farm, and learn about cork harvesting and production. Then sit down to a traditional cork stripper’s lunch at the cork farm. This afternoon, return to Évora and explore its UNESCO World Heritage–designated city centre on your own, walking past whitewashed houses decorated with azulejos and wrought-iron balconies.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cork Farm Visit and Lunch
Since this is the region where most of Portugal's cork is grown you'll learn about cork harvesting and production from a local expert at a traditional cork farm in the Alentejo countryside, home to centuries-old cork forests and about 30 minutes from Évora. After the guided walk of the farm sit down for a traditional cork stripper's lunch at a local restaurant in town.
Optional Activities - Day 4 HideShow
Clock Museum
A remarkable collection of watches on display from different eras, this family run watch museum will take you back in time.
Évora Cathedral
Visit one of Évora's oldest and most important local monument. Located at the highest point of the city, the Cathedral of Évora is a Roman Catholic church with an elaborate interior including white mortar on the bare high walls, pillars and vaults.
Accommodation
Vitoria Stone Evora (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 5Évora/Coimbra
Spend the day in Tomar and delve into the Crusades era in Portugal. Go on a guided walk with a local expert around the vast medieval complex of the Convent of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Templar Castle, founded in 1160 by Gualdim Pais—grand master of the Knights Templar. Continue on to Coimbra for the evening.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Knights Templar Historic Tour
In Tomar, 14th-century Portugal’s headquarters for the Knights Templar Order, take an expert-led walk to learn about the country during the time of the Crusades. Visit the impressive Templar Castle and Convent of Christ, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Vila Gale Coimbra (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Coimbra/Porto
This morning, enjoy a tour around the centuries-old University of Coimbra, Portugal's most prestigious university and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enter through the 10th-century Porta Férra, the old entrance to the citadel of Coimbra. Following mosaic cobblestone paths around campus, stopping to see the baroque stylings of the Joanina Library, elaborate azulejo wall tiles adorning the Chapel of São Miguel, and the 18th-century Botanical Garden. Later, catch the train to Porto on the coast.
University of Coimbra Visit
Portugal's most prestigious university, the University of Coimbra is a must see landmark. Explore the World Heritage Site as you enter through the Porta Férra, the old entrance to the citadel of Coimbra constructed in the 10th century. Walk through the campus along mosaic cobblestone paths, explore it's botanical gardens and Chapel of S. Miguel and opt to visit the ornate Joanina Library.
Local Train
Climb aboard, take your seat, and get around like the locals do.
Accommodation
Mercure Porto Centro (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Porto
Board a boat down Portugal's Douro River, or "river of gold". Float on the typical Rabelo Boat along the riverbanks of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia and marvel at the historical bridges connecting the two cities. Famous for centuries as a port wine shipper's centre, discover the rich tradition of port making at a local wine cellar, then cap off the day with a tasting of this distinct regional specialty. In your free time, explore the cobblestone streets of Porto’s medieval Ribeira district, marvel at the baroque São Francisco Church, and admire the palatial Palácio de Bolsa, a one time stock market.
Porto Ribeira Cruise
Board a boat down Portugal's Douro River, or "river of gold". Float along this ancient route used for centuries as a port wine shipper's route.
Free Time
Enjoy all the gems of this coastal city. Visit the medieval Ribeira district with its narrowed cobbled stone streets. Marvel in the baroque architecture of São Francisco Church and discover the palatial 19th century Palácio de Bolsa, formerly a stock market, built to impress potential European investors. But most importantly, make sure to try a glass of port wine.
Your Hands-On Moment: Port Wine Cellar Visit
Finish off the day with a tour of the cellars of the region's famed export - Port wine. Learn about the art of Port making and the processes that render its rich taste. Indulge in a tasting and raise a glass to a day well spent. Saúde!
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
Ribeira Square
FreeTake some time to walk around this charming square and get in with the local hustle and bustle.
Sao Bento Railway Station
FreeThe blue painted tiles on the inside of São Bento railway station makes it one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. See for yourself.
Lello Bookstore
8EUR per personTake a wander around this incredible, and beautifully ornate bookstore built in 1906.
Palacio da Bolsa
12EUR per personJoin a half-hour guided tour of this neoclassical monument.
Accommodation
Mercure Porto Centro (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Porto
Depart at any time.