Best of Portugal

A sea of pastel pinks, yellows and blues dot the seven hills of the romantic Portuguese capital, which you will have an opportunity to explore today before meeting your fellow travelers and Travel Director for dinner and an orientation drive past some of the city's most iconic sights.

Delve into Lisbon's centuries-old seafaring heritage today, paying tribute to the brave men who set off from these shores to discover the ‘New World’. With your Local Specialist, see the shimmering white Monument to the Discoveries, the iconic suspension bridge spanning the Tagus River, and Belém Tower, built as a fortress protecting the city of Lisbon. Dive into Culture on a sightseeing tour of the UNESCO-listed Hieronymite Monastery, an exquisite testament to 16th-century Manueline architecture and art. There’s time to join an optional trip through the Golden Triangle, visiting Estoril, Cascais and one of Lisbon’s stunning royal palaces, before perhaps enjoying a traditional Portuguese dinner accompanied by the soulful and touching sounds of the Fado this evening.

• Lisbon City Tour
• Discover the Hieronymite Monastery

Journey across the Tagus this morning and drive south towards the Serra da Arrábida Mountains and to the golden pastures of the Alentejo. The hearty aroma of traditional Portuguese cuisine fills the air at your Be My Guest experience. You'll connect with locals over lunch in the family home after you visit the historic stud ranch that has been passed down through generations. Your Portugal trip itinerary continues further south, bound for the holiday paradise that is the Algarve – your home for the next two nights.

• Meet Tiago and Vera for lunch on their ranch in the Alentejo region

Today, discover the historic seaside town of Lagos, once home to Henry the Navigator and an important port during Portugal's Age of Discovery. Later, spend the afternoon at leisure in Portimão, where you can wander its charming streets, browse local shops, or relax at a local cafe while sampling traditional pastries.

• Explore the Algarve

Journeying north, travel to the ancient Alentejo city of Évora. Join your Local Specialist for a visit to the elaborate cathedral, Roman temple and the Chapel of Bones. Then, spend the rest of your day delving into the medieval history of this enchanting city. Trace centuries of history along its city walls, kick back with a bica and bolo in Praça do Giraldo or perhaps join an Optional Experience to the medieval village of Monsaraz. This evening you dine at your hotel.

• Évora City Tour

The first stop today is in the quaint hilltop town of Castelo de Vide with its charming white façades, narrow alleys and fascinating Jewish Quarter. Travel north towards the Serra de Estrela mountains and arrive later in Viseu, set high on a plateau near the famous Dão vineyards. Explore the city's rich art and architectural history, and see the 12th-century Sé, standing imposingly on a hill overlooking much of the city.

• Explore Castelo de Vide

Vineyard-clad hills provide an enchanting backdrop for your journey today through the Douro Valley, where Port wine is produced. Explore the magnificent gardens at the Baroque-style Palácio de Mateus, depicted on the label of the distinctive Mateus Rosé wine bottles. Continue via Guimarães for views of its impressive 10th-century castle, before arriving in the riverside town of Porto where you will spend the next two nights.

• Palácio de Mateus Visit
• Scenic drive through the Douro Valley
• Visit the ''Birthplace of Portugal''

Join a Local Specialist today for a sightseeing tour in Porto, which takes you past baroque churches and along the winding cobblestone lanes that tumble down towards the Douro River. See the remarkable bridges that span the river and the Gothic Church of St. Francis. Visit the Stock Exchange Palace with its splendid Arabian Hall inspired by Granada's Alhambra, then Dive into Culture and into the centuries-old tradition of local Port production at a tasting in a Port cellar. Spend the rest of the afternoon strolling through the historic center of Porto admiring the azulejo-clad facades.

• Discover the flavors of Portugal's Port heritage
• Porto City Tour

Soak up the grand atmosphere of one of Europe's greatest and oldest universities with a Local Specialist, then stroll through the ancient streets and squares of Coimbra, before journeying to the Templar city of Tomar. We join a Local Specialist to visit the Convent of Christ, originally built as a Templar stronghold in the 12th century. Later, we arrive in the pilgrimage center of Fátima, visited by millions of Catholic pilgrims, where three young shepherds famously saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

• Coimbra University Visit
• Tomar Templar Castle Visit
• Visit the Chapel of Apparitions in Fátima

En route to Lisbon, with a Local Specialist, stop at the imposing monastery of Batalha – a UNESCO World Heritage site and the best example of late Gothic architecture in Portugal. Our next stop is the fishing village of Nazaré, before we visit the medieval walled city of Óbidos with its whitewashed houses and cobblestone streets. Celebrate our last evening in Portugal over dinner in a family-run vineyard, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Toast to an incredible journey over organic wine and locally sourced flavors.

• Vale da Capucha Farewell Dinner
• Batalha Visit
• Nazaré Visit
• Explore Óbidos

Say a fond adeus to your fellow travelers at the end of an unforgettable Portuguese holiday.