Legends of Portugal: 12-Day Highlights Tour

Portugal’s coastal capital, Lisbon, boasts a colorful facade of pastel-hued buildings nestled at the base of a hilly landscape on which the imposing São Jorge Castle rests. In town, trams dressed in vibrant graffiti run along narrow cobbled streets and drop passengers around Lisbon. Along the Tagus Estuary promenade, views of sparkling water flow southward to meet the Atlantic Ocean. Today, you will arrive and tour the city sights from panoramas on the April 25th Suspension Bridge to strolls in the old district of Alfama and Belém’s highlights, Jeronimos Monastery, the Tower of Belém, and fresh “Pastéis de Belém” pastries.

Portugal’s Algarve is its southernmost region regarded for its postcard-worthy rocky beaches and pristine sapphire seascapes. Fishing villages hang on precipices dropping into the ocean, and yachts glide into coves where sensational snorkeling can be found along protected reefs. You will come to adore Lagos when you arrive later today, having indulged in the wines of Azeitao and frolicked in the olive groves of Arrabida Natural Park en route. During your journey along the Portuguese coast, you will capture emphatic seaside spectacles that you will wallow in further the moment you arrive in Lagos.

The beaches along Lagos’ coast provide a retreat from the town activity and you will enjoy moments with your toes dug into the soft sand this morning after breakfast. You will climb into a yacht anchored in the crystal clear bay and set sail for the breathtaking Benagil Cave. As you swing around the headland and draw closer to the cave, you will catch a glimpse of wide caverns carved into the rocky outcrop. Inside, you will find a hidden beach veiled in sunshine flooding the aperture in the roof of the cave. These scenes will typify your seaside adventures.

You will head inland on your final tour of Lagos this morning to unpack the Algarve’s rich heritage and culture along rivers that have long-fed this stunning coastline and countryside and the historic city of Silves. Algarvian oranges are grown in the nourishing soil, and you may savor their sweet saccharine juices as you gaze out over Portugal’s bucolic pastures before you continue your gastronomic discoveries in the Algarve. Ancient Arab traditions, architecture, and cuisine dominate the city’s markets and modest districts that you will wander through at your leisure today.

An early start this morning will allow you to explore as much of the Portuguese countryside as possible as you make your way north towards the country’s border with Spain. You will cross the Alentejo’s sweeping golden plains and pass historic medieval towns fortified on hilltops commanding the luxuriant landscape. Mertola and Evora share a glimpse into Portugal’s past through the Roman relics and fabled stories preserved in the coveted walls of the Roman Temple, the Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral, and Saint Francis Church with the Bones Chapel. You will then continue to your gorgeous accommodation in Crato.

Perched on the looming rocky peaks overlooking Portalegre’s emerald countryside lies the historic town of Marvao. A day trip here will allow you to explore more of Portugal’s heritage, particularly that of the Jewish people who fled from Spain in the 15th and 16th centuries. You will pass doors that still possess carved crosses cut into them during a time when Christianity was forced upon those who dwelled here. Continuing to Castelo de Vide, you will stroll the town’s Jewish quarters and visit a medieval synagogue where you will reflect on stories of the past.

Belmonte’s castle battlements stand tall above its skyline, and its Romanesque-Gothic church and the Cabral family Pantheon offer a lens through which to view the city’s Roman history. You will wander the town after a morning transfer from Crato set to conclude in the bustling, youthful city of Porto. In Belmonte, Jews were bound to the borders of Portugal and required to follow Christian customs. It was only in 1993 that a new synagogue was built in an attempt to revive Jewish faith in the area.

Porto is a dreamy reflection of old-world Portugal and visionary innovation, representing a blend of modernity and classicality spreading from the banks of the Douro River. The Ribeira district's medieval charm is captured along its cobblestone streets where merchants trade fresh fish caught on the coast and enticing fragrances pour from the windows of stylish cafés. You will visit several iconic city highlights including the Sé Cathedral, Bolhão Market, Clérigos Church and Tower, Lello Bookshop, and São Bento Train Station as you meander in and around Porto.

The Cradle of Portugal, Guimaraes, is a capital of European culture you will explore this morning after a short drive from Porto. Renaissance pieces and Baroque furniture fill the rooms of the Palace of the Dukes, and regal artifacts sit in the halls of the Guimaraes Castle you will enter after climbing its gilded staircase. You will then visit what has earned the name “Portugal’s Rome,” Braga, for a tour of its Bom Jesus do Monte Sanctuary, a spectacular spiritual complex that boasts manicured botanical gardens, stained-glass-windowed chapels, and historic religious ornament exhibitions.

You will spend the remainder of your Portuguese experience in the comfort of a stellar hotel situated in the familiar Lisbon cityscape. During your adventure back to where it all began, you will stop over in Obidos and wander along the ancient streets winding between the neighborhoods fortified behind its protective battlements. You will also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Coimbra, and stroll through the historic halls of the second oldest university in the world. In the afternoon, you will arrive in Lisbon for some time spent at leisure.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sintra lies adjacent to Lisbon and offers plenty to talk about and swoon over during a guided tour of its historic districts and heritage highlights. You will ascend the dewy hill of Sintra Mountain to capture the iconic Pena Palace in all its colorful and commanding allure. Distinguished as an architectural piece representing the height of 19-century Romanticism expression, a visit to the Pena Palace will leave nothing to be desired. In the evening, you will return to Lisbon and listen to traditional Fado music while you tuck into exquisite Portuguese cuisine.

The sunrise over Lisbon will dance off Tagus Estuary and pour into the pastel-colored homes lining its sparkling banks. You will gaze out over the bustling cityscape as café doors swing open, markets flood with people, and scooters zip along the slender streets. There is so much action in Lisbon early in the morning that you will be beckoned onto the streets after breakfast for one last stroll around the neighborhood. Your transfer will meet you at your accommodation afterward, and you will make your way to Lisbon Portela Airport.