We’ll gather at Porto Airport at 12h00

In the vicinity of the airport in Porto, you put the suitcases in our baggage car and pick up the cars. The Tour Portugal will then start, based on a unique road book.

We leave immediately in a northwesterly direction. After 50 km Guimarães looms up as our first destination.

UNESCO has deservedly added the historic center of the city of Guimarães to the World Heritage List. The Colina Sagrada is crowned with the evocative castle of Guimarães. In the lower town, Largo da Oliveira square is located in the middle of the historic center. It is teeming with cozy squares and countless restaurants.

Lunch will be provided (TBC) in the monumental Pousada Mosteiro Guimarâes Hotel, just beyond the town itself.

In the afternoon we drive on a “scenic route” along the Spanish border towards Chaves.

We pass Braga, one of the oldest dioceses in Portugal and the start of one of the roads to Santiago de Compostela. The roads to Santiago actually followed the course of the existing Roman roads and were part of the road that connected Braga not only to Santiago de Compostela, but also to Rome.

Then we drive on wonderfully rolling roads in the beautiful nature of northern Portugal.

During Roman rule, Chaves was known as "Aquea Flaviae" in recognition of the quality of its water resources. The town is still a prized and much-visited spa town. From its past as a strategic fortified town, the castle, the main tower and the medieval quarter within the city walls can still be seen.

Chaves is also known for its rich cuisine, of which the fine sausages and hams have especially made a name for themselves.

After another fifteen minutes drive we reach our hotel in Vidago, Vidago Palace.

Vidago, a renowned spa town, was the chosen destination of the Portuguese court in the 19th century and was therefore considered the queen of springs. The hotel of the springs, the Palace do Vidago, is an elegant and imposing building nestled in the middle of a leafy park and exuding a "belle époque" atmosphere. The cold and carbonated water of Vidago is also highly valued as mineral drinking water and is bottled here and sold all over the country.

In the morning a nice route leads us to Pinhâo on the Douro.


We drive through the region at the time of the vintages. And that gives a colorful, folkloric atmosphere in various places. Along the way you can visit estates that produce Port.

Pinhão is seen as the geographical center of the demarcated wine region of the Douro. Worthy of mention is the 19th-century Pinhão train station, which is completely covered with tile panels (azulejos) inside.

Time for lunch now.



Then we start a breathtakingly scenic drive along the Douro via the iconic N222.

The valley into which the Douro flows was one of the first wine regions in the world and is full of extensive vineyards and authentic wine farms. The most famous Portuguese table wines and port wines come from this region. Port wine is Portugal's oldest ambassador.

We continue the beautiful drive along the Douro to the port city of Porto. A short drive, which gives you an extensive opportunity to visit Porto.

Here the port wine is ripening in the wine cellars. Here you will find more information about this wine and you can taste this divine drink as it should be. At the quay you can still use the old “barcos rabelo” which, before the construction of the many dams that made the river navigable, produced wine from the wine farms to the estuary in Porto.


And by the way, it is in the epicenter of the wine industry that we will spend the night, with the most beautiful view of Porto, on the Cais de Gaia, a picturesque quay along the Douro with nice terraces and restaurants that serve fresh grilled fish and seafood. This is the nerve center of port production with port cellars offering tours and tastings.
Port wine is ripening everywhere around our hotel. For example, Sandeman's, Taylor's and Ferreira have had their home base here for a long time. A takeaway: Portuguese wines are tasty and at a very affordable price! There is also a Port Museum with restaurants and bars.

With the téléférique close to the hotel, you can easily reach the old bridge - which you can now exceptionally walk on - a unique experience in itself - to arrive directly at the old city center (Baixa district and Ribeira district).

Colorful houses, narrow streets, restaurants and traditional Port boats give a picturesque sight.

Around the Praça da Liberdade - with its stately town hall on the one hand and the São Bento train station with an atrium full of beautiful tiled panels on the other - you will find cheerful streets full of shops and cafes; special are the magnificent Café Majestic, the busy and colorful Mercado market and the Art Nouveau facades.

It is certainly also worth going into the Livraria Lello bookshop, where you can see the beautiful wooden decorations.


The only downside is that major metro works have been carried out for several years now, leading to heavy traffic, diversions and very limited parking spaces. That is why we spend the night on the other side of the Douro, from where you are within walking distance of the old center via the beautiful old bridge.

In the road book you will find a plan for a city walk and much more explanation.

During the first part of this day we drive on a beautiful route to Viseu.

This old town with gray stone houses and lots of greenery is cozy and lively and has a well-preserved historic center with narrow medieval streets.
The Adro da Sé, the square in front of the cathedral, is almost the centerpiece. Here granite dominates in an impressive ensemble of buildings with Rococo facades. Viseu is part of the demarcated Dão wine region, where quality white and red wines are produced and can therefore be tasted “at the source” in one of the numerous restaurants and bars.

In the afternoon we leave for Coimbra. On our route we come across some surprisingly nice villages.
We are again treated to breathtaking viewpoints. But today's destination, Coimbra, is the icing on the cake.

Located on the banks of the Mondego, Coimbra is best known for its university, the oldest in Portugal and one of the oldest in Europe. As a result, Coimbra has been given the name of “student city” over the years. Numerous monuments bear witness to the heyday of Romanesque art. But there is much more to see and experience, especially in the lower town with shops and historic cafes.

In the morning we drive through the Serra da Estrela over the highest mountains of Portugal.

The views are truly spectacular. The wool industry is the main economic activity of this region, with large flocks of sheep everywhere. The loyal sheepdogs that herd these flocks are of an indigenous breed known as Serra da Estrela.

The Serra da Estrela, (with the highest peak the Torre, 1993 meters) is a region with beautiful landscapes and impressively steep slopes. During the cold months, the Serra da Estrela is the only place in Portugal where you can ski.

To regain your strength, you can taste the most famous regional product, the "Queijo da Serra". This buttery soft cheese goes perfectly with the traditionally baked bread.


In the afternoon we drive towards Alentejo.

The name "além do Tejo" literally means "across the Tagus" and thus covers the entire area south of the Tagus. We are going to explore the northern part of the Alentejo, a sparsely populated region with some nice towns such as Marvâo, Portalegre, Monforte, Campo Maior and especially a lot of beautiful nature such as in the Serra de Sao Mamede and again many vineyards.

The Alentejo is a wine-growing area with a rich tradition that produces excellent wines with surprising aromas and colors. These wines are as special as the landscape and gastronomy, as powerful as the surrounding landscape and are among the best in Portugal.

If you combine the wines with the delicious cheeses of the Alentejo and the aromatic flavors of the local gastronomy taste, your visit will undoubtedly be even more pleasant and complete.

In the first half of the day we discover some gems of the Alentejo.

In this way we drive through Estremoz or the “White City”. So named because the houses of the old town, around the castle, are built with white marble from the nearby marble quarries. You can taste local wines in the countless cozy streets. Around the city are the vineyards of no less than 15 producers who also open their doors to visitors.


The road to Vila Viçosa is surounded by citrus groves and marble quarries. In the city itself there are imposing buildings such as the Ducal Palace, the old medieval city gate and the castle.

A visit to Monsaraz is definitely worth it. This medieval village has managed to preserve its traditional character over the centuries. A visit to Monsaraz is also a journey back in time.

For lunch, however, you will find more choice in our next destination: Evora.

Crowned by the impressive cathedral, the city sits on a gently sloping hillside on the vast plain of the Alentejo. Surrounded by a solid ring of walls, the historic center preserves a valuable cultural heritage that has been designated a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

The narrow Moorish-looking streets are in sharp contrast to the squares bathed in abundant light.
Good restaurants, bars, boulevards, excellent shops selling local handicrafts and young people studying here at university are an expression of the dynamism of the present that rests on the roots of the past.

In the road book you will find a plan for a city walk and much more explanation.

Finally we go to Lisbon.

At Comporta we take the ferry (subject to change) to Sétubal. We reach the capital Lisbon via the Ponte Vasco Da Gamma. This is a more than 12 kilometer long (partial) cable-stayed bridge over the Tagus to the east of Lisbon. It is named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama (1469-1524). The bridge is the longest bridge in Europe after the Crimean Bridge (Russia).

If you return today, it is best to go into the very pleasant city.
But if your stay is extended by one day, you can drive a nice loop. Overnight stay with extension is in the same hotel: Palacio Do Governador*****

VISIT LISBOA

The capital of Portugal is a city where you will enjoy exploring all its neighborhoods and streets. It is a pleasant and safe, relatively small town.

In the city's oldest quarters, Bairo Alto and Alfama, many of the typical winding streets and white houses with red roofs can still be seen. One can listen to traditional Fado in one of the small bars here. You can visit the city in many different ways: on foot, by tram, in a hop-on-hop-off bus, with the Tuk Tuk or via a boat trip on the Tagus.
But the iconic tram line 28 is the ideal way to get around to discover all the beautiful places of the city. This way you go right through the city center along many of the historical highlights. From the higher upper city you also have a beautiful view of the city on the Tagus.


In the road book you will find a plan for a city walk and much more explanation.

OPTIONAL : LOOP LISBOA/CASCAIS/SINTRA/ERICEIRAS/LISBOA (150 KM)

We follow the right bank of the Tagus, towards the Atlantic coast, until Cascais and we pass through many beautiful seaside resorts such as Estoril and Carcavelos. Situated by the sea and as a traditional fishing village, Cascais experienced significant development in the 14th century when it was a busy stopover port for ships en route to Lisbon.

From the second half of the 19th century, bathing by the sea became more and more popular and Cascais was given such a boost that the town turned into a much-loved summer resort of the Portuguese monarchy. This example was followed by the nobility and many palaces and beautiful villas were built here, where they spent their summers. This completely changed the old fishing town.

Today Cascais is a lively and cosmopolitan place, which still retains its aristocratic atmosphere.


Sintra is a special place in Portugal. This used to be the place where the Portuguese kings stayed. Of course they had to stay in the most luxurious accommodations. That is why Sintra is one of the few places in Europe that is filled with palaces, manors and castles, each with their own gardens and parks. Perched atop a mountaintop is one of Portugal's most romantic palaces, the Palácio da Pena, an imaginative reconstruction in the style of 19th-century Romanticism.


In the road book you will find a plan for a city walk and much more explanation. Historically a fishing town, Ericeira has grown mainly in the 20th century with the increasing demand for summer resorts, but it has retained its original characteristics and atmosphere.
The beaches are among the best surfing beaches in Europe.

A walk through Ericeira will also give you the opportunity to taste the different dishes of fish and seafood, the specialty of this region.

THE ROUTE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGES.
DETAILS REGARDING INCLUDED LUNCHES AND DINNERS WILL BE LISTED IN ROADBOOK.

Contact the organisation for more information.