Compare Portugal by Rail by Great Value Vacations vs Complete Portugal by Culture Trip
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| Trip |
4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 9 days |
| Price From | $ 1,481 | $ 2,659 |
| Price Per Day | $ 212 | $ 295 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Self-guided tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
8 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch & 2 Dinners |
| Description |
Welcome to Portugal! Get ready for an exciting 7 days of culture, history, sightseeing, and more! Your adventure begins in Porto! Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal after Lisbon and is a significant urban area along the Iberian Peninsula. Main attractions here include the Porto Cathedral, Crystal Palace Gardens, Avenida dos Aliados, and many others. Porto is famous for its port wine, so be sure to try a glass (or several!) From Porto, a three-hour train ride will bring you to Lisbon. Portugal's capital city is full of stunning scenery and lively culture. Explore the different neighborhoods, including Alfama, Belem, and Sintra. Visit St. George's Castle and the Jerónimos Monastery. Tram 28 is your best bet for getting around the city and up the hills, so be sure to grab a map and check it out! |
Immerse yourself in the most vibrant cities in Portugal – Porto and Lisbon – on this leisurely nine-day trip. You’ll have the chance to sip fine wine in two leading wine regions, the Douro Valley and the lesser-known Alentejo. Beyond the lush vineyards, you’ll trace the wild Atlantic coastline, where you'll find miles of white sand beaches and turquoise water. Tuck into regional delicacies – such as the heavenly pasteis de belem – on a culinary walking tour, plus float down the River Douro on a rabelo boat ride. Experience an authentic side to northern Portugal. |
Day 1 Welcome to Porto!
Upon arrival, you'll be transferred from the airport to your hotel. Check in, freshen up, and explore the area near your hotel!
Day 2 Porto
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before embarking on a half-day sightseeing tour of Porto! Discover the beautiful attractions Porto has to offer, including the Church of São Francisco! Explore independently in the afternoon, perhaps taking a stroll through the Ribeira district. See if there's anything playing at the Casa da Música tonight!
Day 3 Porto
Today, you're free to explore Porto independently! We recommend taking the tram to Foz, the mouth of the Douro River. Here, explore Avenida da Boavista and take a rest in the gardens of Serralves. Another option is to explore Cordoaria and its many gardens and sculptures. Lello Bookshop is nearby and inspired some of the Harry Potter stories! Tonight, find a waterfront restaurant in the Ribeira district and sample some Port wines!
Day 4 Porto - Lisbon
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before your transfer arrives to take you to the train station! The ride will take approximately three hours. Upon arrival in Lisbon, you'll be transferred to your new hotel. Get settled and start exploring!
Day 5 Lisbon
After breakfast, you'll experience a half-day tour of Lisbon! Discover the main attractions of this colorful city, and pinpoint what you'd like to explore further. Tonight, venture to the Praça do Comércio to find a bite to eat and shop for souvenirs!
Day 6 Lisbon
Today, we recommend exploring Lisbon independently via their famous tram! You'll pass by tourist-friendly attractions including Alfama and St. George's Castle. Belem is another waterfront area that begs to be explored! Find a restaurant here to indulge in a delicious dinner on your final night.
Day 7 Depart Portugal
Enjoy your final breakfast. You'll be transferred from your hotel to the Lisbon airport from your flight home!
Day 1: Arrive in Porto and savour the local culinary scene
Accommodation: Hotel Moon & Sun
Activities Included: Welcome dinner
Welcome to Porto. Ancient walls encircle 15th-century houses along the Douro River at this Unesco World Heritage site. Get to Hotel Moon & Sun for 6pm to meet your fellow travellers and our Local Insider, who will accompany the group throughout the trip. Learn more about the adventures ahead over a welcome drink, then head to a restaurant where you’ll get your first taste of traditional Portuguese cuisine. Get an early night – tomorrow promises plenty of sightseeing.
Day 2: Discover Porto and explore the key sights
Accommodation: Hotel Moon & Sun
Activities Included: Porto orientation tour, Matosinhos cycle tour
Ready to explore the colourful city of Porto? This Unesco World Heritage site is scattered with beautiful beaux arts buildings and baroque churches. Kick start the day with an orientation walk, before continuing your exploration of Porto by bicycle. Ride over to the fishing town of Matosinhos where you can tuck into fresh fish for lunch, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, before returning to Porto by metro. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Regroup for a glass of the city’s namesake drink, port, later that evening.
Day 3: Immerse yourself in the wine region of the Douro Valley
Accommodation: Quinta da Pacheca
Activities Included: Douro Valley hike, River Douro rabelo ride, Quinta da Pacheca wine tasting
Pull on your hiking boots. Today you’ll travel to the beautiful Douro Valley to walk among olive and almond trees. Then board a traditional rabelo, a gondola-shaped, flat bottomed boat that was once used to carry port to Porto. Float past the terraced vineyards that line the river banks before heading to your hotel for the evening. Here, you can sip a glass of red while watching the sunset.
Day 4: Books, beaches and birds from Porto to Comporta
Accommodation: Troia Design Hotel
Activities Included: Coimbra visit
After breakfast, you’ll depart the Douro Valley and head to the seaside. On the way to the sunny beaches of the Troia Peninsula, you’ll stop in Coimbra, best known for its university that was established in 1290. It’s said that inside the university’s Joanina Library, there are still bats that protect the old books from insects. You’ll be enchanted by this medieval city, which has a Roman-era aqueduct and centuries-old houses. After, continue your journey to Troia where you’ll check into your next hotel just in time for sunset.
Day 5: Design your own perfect beach day
Accommodation: Troia Design Hotel
Optional Activities: SUP lesson
Today you can pick your own itinerary. The Troia Peninsula is one of the top beach destinations in Portugal, so a coastal caper is a near essential. Optional adventures include surf lessons or stand-up paddleboarding. Or if you'd prefer an easy day, just chill on the sands with a novel and glass of wine. Alternatively, nearby Comporta is home to artists and designers such as Christian Louboutin and Philippe Starck. The beaches here are pristine, thanks to ecologically minded locals who treasure traditional living.
Day 6: Nature abounds on the road to Lisbon
Accommodation: Hotel My Story Figueira
Activities Included: Arrábida Natural Park walk and drive, Azeitão pastry tasting
Prepare for a scenic drive to Lisbon. Catch the ferry across to the Arrábida Natural Park, where you’ll explore on foot and by car. Pass through vineyards that produce the best muscat wine in the world, before stopping to taste local delicacy torta de azeitão, a rolled cake made with egg, lemon and cinnamon. Continue on to the secluded beaches of Sesimbra – the lookout from Cabo Espichel is especially memorable as it’s home to a well-preserved dinosaur footprint. Keep an eye out for bottlenose dolphins in the bay before crossing the red 25 de Abril suspension bridge into Lisbon.
Day 7: A day of history, art and architecture in Lisbon
Accommodation: Hotel My Story Figueira
Activities Included: Lisbon walking tour, Miradouros picnic, Tram ride, Belem walking tour & Pasteis de belem tasting
It’s time to become an explorer in this city renowned for historic exploration. Follow our Local Insider on a walking tour of the Lisbon neighbourhoods. Visit the Eiffel-inspired Santa Justa Elevator and explore quirky shops, including a much-loved conserve store. Stop for a picnic lunch at one of the city’s spectacular lookout points, called miradouros, just like the locals do. A visit to Lisbon wouldn’t be complete without a tram ride to the historic Belem area, where you’ll find the Monastery of Jeronimos, picturesque Belem Tower and the Monument of Discoveries. Sink your teeth into a delicious pasteis de belem (egg custard tart) to finish the day.
Day 8: Wine and dine in the Alentejo
Accommodation: Hotel My Story Figueira
Activities Included: Alentejo winery tour and tasting, Farewell dinner
Optional Activities: Evora visit
A visit to the Alentejo region will richly reward all your senses. The sweet smell of eucalyptus fills the air as you travel along wheat fields, cork plantations and olive groves to two of the finest wineries in the area. Sample the best wines in the region, followed by lunch overlooking the vineyard. Stop in at Evora to see the Temple of Diana and take in a panoramic town view from the 12th-century gothic cathedral. Return to Lisbon for last-minute souvenir shopping and enjoy a farewell dinner with your companions.
Day 9: Say a fond farewell to Lisbon
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before packing your bags and checking out of the hotel. Wave goodbye to your group at 11am and make your way to Lisbon Airport – or extend your stay in Portugal.
