Best of Portugal With the Azores

Itinerary

• Day 1: Porto, Arrival

  Start your Portugal vacation in Porto, the country's second-largest city with a rich history and lively food and wine scene! Your private driver will meet you at the airport and escort you to your centrally located hotel for check-in. For the rest of the day, you can have a good rest and recover from jet lag or explore this city on your own.

  • Porto

• Day 2: Discover Porto With A Private Walking Tour

  Meet your private guide for a half-day Porto walking tour! Visit the bustling Mercado do Bolhão to learn about the local culinary traditions. Photograph the Lello Bookshop (exterior view), before strolling towards the Clérigos Tower, a brilliant piece of Baroque-style architecture and an icon of Porto. Take in the sounds and sights as you stroll along the streets and gain a deeper understanding of this city's unique character.

  Next, see São Bento Station's impressive azulejo tilework and admire Porto Sé Cathedral's beautiful blend of Gothic and Baroque styles. The historic Ribeira neighborhood awaits with alleys and lanes telling age-old stories. You'll also join in a Port wine-tasting to savor the sweet flavors of this famous wine and take in an iconic view of the imposing Luís I Bridge.

  Explore Porto on your own for the rest of the day. The nearby Palace of the Stock Exchange and Church of Saint Francis are great choices if you're into history and culture.

  • B
  • Porto

• Day 3: Savor Douro Valley's Delicious Drops

  Travel to the Douro Valley with a private driver-guide for a wine-tasting day tour! With bucolic villages, centuries-old wine estates, terraced vineyards, and picture-perfect landscapes, the hilly banks of the Douro are home to some of the Iberian Peninsula's best wine regions. Step into a wine estate (Quintas in Portuguese) to taste their wines and learn about the current wine-making process and practices. The friendly staff here will imbue you with insider knowledge of wine and share intriguing behind-the-scenes stories.

  Enjoy a delectable lunch at a Quinta, then drive to Casal de Loivos Viewpoint, where you'll admire the splendid vistas of the valley unrolling before your eyes. Before getting back to Porto, take a walking tour to experience the endless terraced fields and rolling mountains, and taste some local characteristic traditional cuisine.

  • B L
  • Porto

• Day 4: Travel to Lisbon With Tomar Templar Castle Visit

  Today, your driver-guide will take you south to Lisbon by car, along with the scenic views. After around two hours on the road, you will arrive in Tomar, a small town shrouded in mysterious legends of the Knights Templar. The Convento de Cristo, a monumental complex blending Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance elements, once served as the headquarters of the Templars. Roam around the rotunda, halls, and cloisters overflowing with intricate details and immerse yourself in its timeless beauty and grandeur.

  Afterward, sit down for lunch at a local restaurant (own account) to delight your taste buds with local dishes and desserts before continuing your journey and arriving in Lisbon in the late afternoon.

  • B
  • Lisbon

• Day 5: Lisbon Highlights Tour, Evening Fado Show & Dinner

  Unveil the charm of Lisbon on this half-day tour! Your private guide will first take you to the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte lookout, from which you'll capture a sweeping view. Then, stroll through Lisbon's historic Alfama district during a walking tour. Walk along the cobbled streets, savor this traditional neighborhood's unique atmosphere, and step into the Lisbon Cathedral, a landmark dating back to the 12^th century when the city was recaptured from the Moors. Then, visit the riverside Commercial Plaza where merchant boats used to unload their goods in the past.

  Afterward, admire the iconic Belém Tower from the outside. Protruding out to the Tagus River, this granite structure stands as a reminder of the country's achievements during the Age of Discoveries.

  The rest of the day is for you to discover Lisbon in your style, perhaps visiting the Hieronymus Monastery, a World Heritage-listed monument.

  In the evening, your private driver will take you to enjoy a Fado Show & Dinner.

  • B D
  • Lisbon

• Day 6: Step into Sintra's Fairytalelike Pena Palace

  Travel out of Lisbon for a day tour to Sintra and Cascais with your driver! Perched on top of a verdant hill, the fanciful Pena Palace is the romanticist King Ferdinand II's dream come true. Presenting a mixture of styles, buoyant colors of red and yellow, and lavishly decorated halls and quarters, the palace creates a wonderland where visitors can retrace the lifestyle of 19th-century royalty. Then, wander the Sintra's streets lined with bakeries, cafes, and shops, and immerse yourself in the old-town vibe.

  Afterward, the beautiful Cascais welcomes you with swaying palm trees and a laid-back vibe. Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant (own account), followed by a scenic drive along the craggy coastline to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe. Get back to Lisbon after the tour for an evening at leisure.

  • B
  • Lisbon

• Day 7: Fly to São Miguel Island

  Enjoy some leisure time to explore this charming city on your own.

  Afterward, catch the flight to São Miguel island. Touch down in Ponta Delgada after around two and a half hours and head to the hotel by private car.

  • B
  • Ponta Delgada

• Day 8: Lagoa do Fogo and Sete Cidades Tour

  Immerse yourself in the beauty of São Miguel's volcanic landscapes today! Visit Lagoa do Fogo, the highest lake on the island. The crater lake's serene, crystal-clear waters and the lushly vegetated surroundings create a picture-perfect scene that'll have you snapping your camera. Explore Caldeira Velha on the way to the city of Ribeira Grande, whose well-preserved Baroque architecture lends a perspective into the city's past. You'll also savor the unique flavors of locally-produced liquor made using passion fruit!

  Moving on, you'll reach Pico do Carvão Viewpoint for a sweeping view of the island's verdant landscape. Then, the Vista do Rei Viewpoint offers a breathtaking panorama of Lagoa das Sete Cidades, two bodies of water reflecting blue and green colors respectively. Descending to the inside of the crater, you'll meet another lake, Lagoa de Santiago, at a nearby viewpoint. Before heading back to the hotel, you'll visit the parish of Sete Cidades and a Pineapple Greenhouse to learn about the local way of cultivating the fruit.

  • B L
  • Ponta Delgada

• Day 9: Furnas Day Trip With Lunch Made By A Volcano

  Unveil Furnas' charm on this day tour! You'll first visit a Tea Plantation to try locally-made green and black teas. From the Pico de Ferro Viewpoint, watch the emerald waters of Lagoa das Furnas sparkle in the embrace of verdant volcanic hills. Upon descending onto the lakeshores, capture the mesmerizing view of the Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias reflected on the quiet water surface.

  For lunch, try Cozido das Calderas, Furnas' specialty dish, cooked by placing the pot in hot volcanic soil. Be fascinated by the bubbling waters and spouting vents as you stroll around the area. Moving on, you'll visit Terra Nostra Park. The exotic flowers and plants, together with scenic lakes and streams, create a lush wonderland for you to indulge in the island's natural beauty. On your way back to Ponta Delgada, pass the coastal city of Vila Franca do Campo, São Miguel's ancient capital.

  • B L
  • Ponta Delgada

• Day 10: São Miguel in Your Style

  Today is for you to discover São Miguel under your own steam!

  If you're traveling between April to October, consider joining a wildlife cruise to meet the adorable whales and dolphins and get to know their behaviors and habits. Blue whales, fin whales, and sei whales usually pass the Azores during springtime on their migration, while Sperm Whales, Bottlenose Dolphins, and Risso's Dolphins can be spotted all year round.

  Alternatively, if you'd like to discover more of the island's hills and forests, hit a hiking trail to feel connected to this unique land. The island boasts over 20 hiking trails varying in difficulty and distance, and traverses different landscapes. From trails winding through endemic forests offering an insight into the island's ecosystem to walks leading to high vantage points boasting stunning panoramic views, your choices abound!

  • B
  • Ponta Delgada

• Day 11: São Miguel, Departure

  Bid a fond farewell to the Azores! Head to the airport by private transfer and board your homebound flight with sweet memories of the trip in your heart.

  • B