Duration: 15 Days
What shoes should you pack for walking on sunshine? The pair best suited for 1,000 miles of shoreline and 300 days of sunlit skies per year. With its refreshing Atlantic breezes and live-life-to the-fullest Mediterranean ways, the sun-drenched country of Portugal invites you to dip your toe—and entire body—into a sea of relaxation. This rejuvenating tour of Portugal leads you past rolling olive farms, through scenic cork groves, and down winding Moorish alleyways to the country’s signature delights. In its coastal villages and medieval towns, grilled seafood fills the tables, sweet port fills the glasses, and the soulful sounds of fado music fill the air. Your holiday in Portugal continues with a flight from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada—to soak in some of Mother Nature’s finest work on the Atlantic Ocean. Take in the views of volcanic masterpieces from the top of Pico da Barrosa Mountain and visit Europe’s only tea plantation on the massive Maia farm. Visit Furnas’ geothermal wonders and marvel at the volcanic crater, cradling the luminous Sete Cidades Lake—one of Portugal’s Seven Natural Wonders.
Traveller Notes
We’ve packed everything you need for the perfect holiday—from hand-selected hotels and dining to the friendly expertise of Globus Tour Directors and Local Guides (with headsets to hear every word), to seamless transportation between destinations and VIP access to the world’s most iconic sites! Touring by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi. Return flight from Lisbon to Azores.
Welcome to Lisbon!
At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Lovely Lisbon
LISBON Guided sightseeing includes Jeronimos Monastery and cloister and a photo stop at Belem Tower and the Monument to the Discoveries. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOTS The stunning capital city of Portugal is a treasure trove of historic and architectural masterpieces. Lisbon is home to the 16th-century Monastery of Jeronimos, with its 100-foot facade featuring images of St. Michael the Archangel and Our Lady of Belem. See the 16th-century Belem Tower, which served as a fortress but also as an embarkation point for sailors and was their last sight of land before the start of their journey. Lisbon's Monument to the Discoveries pays homage to great Portuguese explorers with a spectacular carved prow of an ancient ship.
Sea, Surf & Sanctuaries
OBIDOS Take an orientation walk of the medieval town.
NAZARE Free time to browse.
ALCOBACA Visit the Church of Santa Maria Monastery.
FATIMA Visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary en route to Tomar. (B,D) 137 mi / 220 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDARY LIVES The monastery of Alcobaca is a unique masterpiece of Gothic Cistercian art. See the tombs of King Pedro I and his Castillan lover, Ines de Castro, and hear about the heartbreaking tale of these ill- fated lovers. The king never stopped loving Ines even after she was murdered, and during his life he commissioned matching tombs that sit together so that they can look at each other as they rise from their graves.
Academic Honors
TOMAR Visit the Convent of Christ.
COIMBRA Visit the University. Scenic drive en route to Porto. (B) 155 mi / 250km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURE & TRADITION The University of Coimbra is distinguished as the oldest university in Portugal and one of the oldest in the world, it is also one of the best known and internationally celebrated. With a history of more than seven centuries, the students at Coimbra University dress in the traditional black capes with ribbons in varying hues as was the tradition when the school was founded in 1290.
Panoramas & Port Wine
PORTO Guided sightseeing includes a panoramic drive to the mouth of the Douro River and the cathedral. Visit the Church of Sao Francisco and the Arabian Hall in the Stock Exchange. Enjoy a [LF] Port wine tasting at the famous Sandeman & Co Port Wine Cellar. Free time this afternoon. (B)
LOCAL FAVOURITE
LOCAL TASTES You're invited to the home of the most internationally recognised Porto wines at the magnificent Sandeman Wine Cellars. Here, taste centuries of tradition in a glass of Port wine in the city that bears its name. Saude!
Tapas & Tastings
GUIMARAES Orientation walk through the medieval district.
PENAFIEL [LF] Visit the gardens of the Quinta da Aveleda winery and enjoy Portuguese tapas tasting. Take a scenic drive through the port wine vineyards en route to Viseu.
VISEU Dinner with local specialties and wine at Forno da Mimi restaurant. (B,D) 149 mi/ 240 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE
HISTORY & HERITAGE The history of the Quinta da Aveleda estate spans the centuries and generations who have preserved the Portuguese traditions of wine making and proud legacy of the Guedes family. The architectural heritage of this cherished estate is only matched by its wines, produced, and nurtured as the largest Vinho Verde exporter and family-owned winery.
Bottles & Corks
BELMONTE Visit the Jewish Museum. Enjoy an [LF] olive oil tasting.
CASTELO DE VIDE Walk through the Jewish quarter with free time to browse.
EVORA [LF] Visit a traditional cork factory. (B,D) 236 mi / 380 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE
LOCAL TASTES Discover the tradition and taste of authentic Portuguese olive oil in a 20th-century olive-oil-factory-turned-museum in Belmonte. See the machinery which farmers used to transform olives into oil and taste the delicious fruits of their labours. Perhaps take home a gift of wine, olive oil, or jam to commemorate your visit. Later, visit a Cork Factory in Evora to learn about this traditional artisanship of Portugal.
Gothic Grandeur
EVORA Guided walking tour includes the Gothic cathedral, the Sao Francisco Church, and the Ossuary Chapel. Free time for lunch.
ALGARVE Free time late afternoon and evening (B) 162 mi / 260 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURE & TRADITION Walk back in time to the Roman era of Evora - a city with roots firmly planted in the 16th century in the home of Portuguese kings. See the white houses, architectural tiles, and embellished balconies with a stroll through the Gothic sites of the cathedral, church, and chapel.
Cliffs & Coastlines
ALGARVE Join an excursion to the Promontory of Sagres, Cape St. Vincent, and Lagos. (B) 81 mi / 130 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT Take in the breathtaking views of the sweeping southern coastline of Portugal in Algarve. Stand on the Promontory of Sagres and Cape St. Vincent to gaze at the glorious beaches, postcard-perfect fishing ports, and towering cliffs along the sea.
Peninsula Miles & Painted Tiles
Scenic drive along the Serra da Arrabida with views of the Troia Peninsula.
AZEITAO Visit a traditional tile workshop.
LISBON Enjoy a farewell dinner at your hotel. (B,D) 180 mi / 290 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ART & ARTISTRY Enter a world of authentically handmade Portuguese tiles at the Sao Simao Arte workshop and gallery in Azeitao. It is here that distinguished antique collector Antonio Soares Franco creates his ceramic masterpieces by hand in the style of his ancestors.
The European Hawaii
LISBON Fly to Ponta Delgada.
PONTA DELGADA Orientation walk. Free time. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PURE & NATURAL Mother Nature has created a land full of natural beauty, ready to be explored in the blue immensity of the Atlantic. Waterfalls tumble down basalt cliffs, rainforest-covered hills are topped by spectacular crater lakes and pale-green pastures are hedged by crowned by a kaleidoscope of hydrangeas. Dive into the rich cultural heritage as well with warm welcomes by local residents who graciously share stories of proud history and traditions.
Volcanic Craters & Cups of Tea
RIBEIRA GRANDE Stop at the top of Pico da Barrosa mountain and take in views of the volcano's crater and the ocean.
MAIA Visit the oldest and only tea plantation in Europe.
FURNAS See geothermal activity in the area. Free time for lunch. Visit the botanical gardens.
PONTA DEL GADA Dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
EUROPE'S CUP OF TEA Visit the oldest (and currently the only) tea plantation in Europe. Today the Tea Factory produces 40 tons of tea every year from 37 hectares of plantations with without the use of chemicals products. One lump or two?
Forbidden Fruit & Fruitful Landscapes
PONTA DELGADA Enjoy the morning at leisure before an afternoon drive to visit a pineapple plantation. Continue to Pico do Carvao viewpoint and take in the region's stunning beauty. Next drive to the bridge of Sete Cidades. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Sete Cidades Lake is located in a volcanic crater about 4 kilometres long by 2 kilometres wide with a depth of 30 metres. The lake is one of the seven Natural Wonders of Portugal and the largest natural freshwater reservoir in the Azores. The lake is actually two lagoons, called Green Lake (Lagoa Verde) and Blue Lake (Lagoa Azul), linked by a shallow channel. The differing hues of each lake are the natural result of varying reflected light, or it could be the legend of a blue-eyed shepherd and a green-eyed princess whose tears filled each lake with tears of forbidden love. You decide!
Leisure Time in Lisbon
PONTA DELGADA Fly to Lisbon
LISBON Free time (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT Time to pack your bags and depart the magical Island of San Miguel with a flight to Lisbon to relax and reminisce over your adventure in Portugal.
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
