- Departure Dates 2013: 05 Jan, 02 Feb, 16 Mar, 06 Apr, 27 Apr, 18 May, 15 Jun, 13 Jul, 17 Aug, 07 Sep, 28 Sep, 19 Oct
- Full Day Tour to the Green Minho Region
- Visits to amazing villages like Amarante, Vila Real, Lamego & Viseu
- Trip to the Bussaco forest, made up of ancient rare trees & plants of exotic beauty
Day 1: Lisbon / Óbidos / Alcobaça / Nazaré / Batalha / Fátima
Crossing a landscape full of windmills and fruit trees, we arrive in Óbidos. This beautiful town is surrounded by medieval walls where you can admire the harmony of the architecture, the diversity of the handicrafts and taste the famous ginginha (bitter cherry liqueur). After leaving Óbidos you will visit Alcobaça, home of the largest gothic church in Portugal. We will stop in Nazaré, a typical fishing village and seaside resort. We continue to Batalha where you will visit the Monastery of Santa Maria de Victoria, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Afterwards we arrive in Fátima, known for its famous Marian Shrine. Accommodation in Fátima.
Day 2: Fátima / Coimbra / Aveiro / Porto
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure towards Coimbra where you will visit the University, one of the oldest in the world. The university has a magnificent baroque library and a unique atmosphere characterised by ancient traditions and customs such as the black cape of the students and the melancholic Fado music. We continue our trip to Aveiro, city of the canals, known as the "Portuguese Venice", where you shall have time to see the graceful boats "moliceiros" and taste the local sweets "ovos moles". Drive to Porto. Accommodation in Porto.
Day 3: Porto
Porto, Portugal's 2nd biggest city and World Heritage by UNESCO, is a living amphitheatre inviting us to make a morning visit which lets us discover the riverside area, the old houses, palaces and churches which are all eternal historical places. Free time in the afternoon. Accommodation in Porto.
Day 4: Porto / Guimarães / Braga / Barcelos
Breakfast at the hotel. Full day tour in the Minho region, the northwest region of Portugal that offers natural green sceneries and the sparkling "green wine". We start our trip in Guimarães, the birthplace of the first king of Portugal. You will walk through the historic center where you will be plunged back into medieval times. We continue our trip to Braga, the "Portuguese Rome", popular for its concentration of religious architecture. After Braga, we will continue to Barcelos, where the Galo de Barcelos (the rooster of Barcelos) legend was born, making the rooster a Portuguese icon. Return to Porto. Accomodation in Porto.
Day 5: Porto / Amarante / Vila Real / Douro Valley / Lamego / Viseu / Urgeiriça
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Amarante, the pretty town of São Gonçalo where you can find an immense variety of popular items in the market. After this, we will drive to Vila Real. There we will visit the gardens of Mateus' Manor which is still depicted on the well-known Portuguese Rose wine bottles. Then we enter in the Port wine region, travelling through the vineyards and the breathtaking landscapes of the Douro Valley. We continue our trip with a stop in Lamego that is overlooked by one of Portugal's most important shrines: N.S. Remédios. We continue to Viseu, center of the Dão Vineyards and a city connected with Portugal´s oldest hero, Viriato, the Lusitanian chief. Arrival to Urgeiriça.
Dia 6: Urgeiriça / Bussaco / Tomar / Lisbon
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to the heart of Portugal to Bussaco, well known for its forest which is made up of a selection of rare trees and plants of exotic beauty. We continue our trip to Tomar. The development of the city is closely linked to 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 inside. It is the centrepiece of the city and classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. We arrive in Lisbon where we will end this 6-day tour.