Embark on a six-day guided tour to explore everything the north has to offer! Visit Northern Portugal’s famous landmarks including Batalha Monastery, Coimbra, the famous Douro Valley and more! The North of Portugal is not only the birthplace of the nation but a must for those that wish to explore a mix of medieval villages, cities steeped in history, ancient castles, religious shrines, picturesque drives along rivers and famous vineyards!
This morning you will be picked up at a centrally located hotel in Lisbon. From Lisbon, the tour will head to Obidos surrounded by medieval walls, windmills and fruit trees to see the unique architecture and crafts and taste the famous bitter cherry liquor. The next stop is Alcobaca with the first and largest gothic church in Portugal and burial site of Ines de Castro. To see a traditional fishing village and seaside resort, a stop is made in Nazare. Heading to Fatima for the night a stop is made in Batalha at the famous monastery and tomb of Henry the Navigator. You will have the opportunity to attend the candle-lit procession in Fatima. Overnight in Fatima.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will depart for Coimbra to see one of the oldest universities in the world with its magnificent baroque library. You will see St. Clara Church where lies Queen St. Isabel. In the afternoon you will enjoy Aveiro, known as Portugal’s Venice because of its many canals and graceful boats. The tour continues to Porto. Overnight in Porto. Meals: B
After breakfast at the hotel, your guide will lead you to a riverside living amphitheatre with old houses, palaces and churches. We continue to Minho, the northwest region of Portugal that offers natural green sceneries and sparkling “green wine”. Stop at Guimaraes – the cradle of the nation, the birthplace of the first king of Portugal, where, walking along the historic center, for moments one is plunged back into medieval times. Visit the Sacred Hill, crowned by the Castle, as well the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança, with original building dates back to the 15th century. Then drive to Braga known as the “Portuguese Rome” for its concentration of religious architecture, as the oldest Cathedral of the country, and the Bom Jesus do Monte Sanctuary with famous baroque stairways and gardens. After continuing to Barcelos, a historical city rich in popular handicraft where the Galo de Barcelos (the rooster of Barcelos) legend was born making the rooster a Portuguese icon. Return to Porto for overnight. Meals: B
Enjoy time at leisure to explore picture-perfect Porto at your own pace, or relax at your hotel. Optional tours are available to visit UNESCO declared Santiago de Compostela World Cultural Heritage, the capital of Galicia. Meals: B
After breakfast, depart to Amarante, a charming town known for the promotion of love and marriage and its beautiful market. The drive continues to Vila Real to visit the gardens of the manor of Mateus. Then, we enter the demarcated port region through vineyards and breathtaking landscapes. Stop in made in Lamego, overlooked by N.S Remedios, and trying some of the local delicacies here is highly recommended. Continue to the mountainous land of Viseu, a beautiful city in the shadow of a cathedral. We tour the centre and its busy commercial zone. Arrival in Urgeirica. Meals: B
After breakfast, the tour continues to Bussaco with its forest of exotic trees. Then on to Tomar, a city whose development is closely interlinked with the Order of the Templars. It was Dom Gualdim Pais, the first Grand Master of the Order in Portugal who founded the castle and the remarkable Convent of Christ within. Enlarged and altered over the centuries, the complex displays the influences of various architectural styles; it is the centrepiece of the city and classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Return to Lisbon and end of services. Meals: B
Various Saturday departures from November 2019 to October 2020
