Best of Portugal Singles Vacation (en anglais)

Arrive into Lisbon airport (airport code LIS) this morning (remember you are flying home from Porto - airport code OPO) and take the provided shuttle to the group's hotel, located in one of the most elegant areas of Lisbon. Time to relax or start your explorations in Lisbon, Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city before our singles vacation begins with a welcome meeting at 6:00pm and an optional dinner.  

Today we discover Lisbon on our full day guided city tour and learn about the Age of Discovery. View the impressive Belem Tower, a small fort that was constructed in the center of the Tejo Estuary to guard Lisbon from seafaring raiders. For such a trivial role the fort was lavished with beautiful and intricate details that include North African Moorish styled watchtowers, shield shaped battlements and the first European stone carving of a Rhinoceros. 

Stop at the "Pasteis de Belem" factory and enjoy a demonstration and tasting of the famous ‘pastéis de Belem’, Portugal’s finest pastry for over 100 years.  We will visit inside one of the most important monuments of the city, the Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Vasco de Gama's resting place. The monastery symbolizes Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery.

After free time for lunch we will visit Rossio Square, the heart of old and modern Lisbon. Walk to Restauradores Square, where an obelisk commemorates the independence of Portugal from Spain in 1640. From here we can admire the Avenida Liberdade, the Eden Theater and the Foz Palace. Marvel at the intricate architecture of Rossio Central Station. Learn more about the Carnation Revolution when we visit the beautiful Commercial Square. Then we will stroll through the elegant Chiado neighborhood, full of old cafes, boutiques, theaters, and bookstores.

Then we visit São Jorge Castle (Saint George Castle), a Moorish castle occupying a commanding hilltop overlooking the historic center and Tagus River. The strongly fortified citadel dates from the medieval period of Portuguese history, and is one of the main tourist sites of Lisbon.

Tonight enjoy our Welcome Dinner and Fado Show. Fado music is a form of Portuguese singing that is often associated with pubs, cafés, and restaurants.

Our morning begins with a drive to Sintra, a resort town in the foothills of Portugal’s Sintra Mountains. A longtime royal sanctuary, its forested terrain is studded with pastel-colored villas and palaces. The Moorish- and Manueline-style Sintra National Palace is distinguished by dramatic twin chimneys and elaborate tile work. The monastery was seriously damaged by the 1755 earthquake and was the abandoned. The building of Palacio da Pena, which started in 1840 and finished in 1885, when king Fernando died. It was inhabited by the royal family until 1910, when the Portuguese Republic was established and monarch was abolished.

The forested park lands that surround the palace continue the Romanticism design ideals of the palace, with hidden pathways, ornate features and stunning view points.

Free time for lunch before we drive to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, and get a souvenir certificate with the inscription "where the land ends and the sea begins". Pass the stunning beaches of Cascais, including Praia do Guincho, the most picturesque beach on the Lisbon coast.

On the way to Cascais, experience the mystery of the cave "Devil's Mouth", created by the crashing of the waves on the rocky cliff. Stop at the elegant seaside resort of Cascais, a once peaceful fishing village that was discovered by European nobility for its idyllic setting and became a favorite destination for the international jet set thereafter.

Then we travel back to Lisbon for a relaxing evening.

Enjoy a free day in Lisbon, discovering this magical city and doing some shopping!

Tonight we sail into the sunset for fantastic views of Lisbon. Our cruise takes place on the Tagus River during the most magical time of the day: sunset. While relaxing on board, the  cruise will pass by some of the main monuments of the Portuguese capital.

Our trip to the Portugal’s “Silver Coast” begins in the medieval walled town of Óbidos, located on a hilltop, encircled by a fortified wall, and divided between two parishes. Óbidos, steeped in history, culture and tradition remains a well-preserved example of medieval architecture. Inside the wall are colorful buildings, a small church, a market, lots of cafe's and locally made souvenirs. Stroll around the village walls and cobbled narrow streets with your guide and don’t forget to try the drink Ginja, a Portuguese liqueur made by infusing ginja berries.

For centuries, Nazare was a traditional seaside town where fishermen taught their children to avoid the big waves that crashed on the nearby cliffs. Yet over the past eight years, those same waves have made this place an unusual destination for extreme surfers, their fans, and the international companies that sponsor athletes. The waves, which are the height of a 10-story building, are caused by an underwater canyon - 3miles deep and 125 miles long - that ends abruptly just before the shore of the city. We will stop here for free time for lunch.

On the banks of the River Mondego is Coimbra (aka "the city of students"), famous for its University, the oldest in Portugal and one of the oldest in Europe. There are several monuments from those times that show the splendor of Romanesque art. In the shopping area and historic cafe area of the city center, see the Monastery of Santa Cruz, which houses the tomb of Portugal's first king and the Monastery of Santa Clara-A-Velha.

After breakfast we will have a guided tour of the University of Coimbra including the Palace of Schools where we can visit the Royal Palace that includes the Grand Hall of Acts, the Private Exam Room and the Armillary Room; The Royal Chapel of Saint Michael and the Joanine Library where we visit the Noble Floor, the Middle Floor and the Academic Prison. The Science Museum has 18th and 19th Century Physics Cabinets, the Natural History Galleries and the Chemistry Laboratory. Visit the Botanic Garden where we can travel around the world through botanic. Then we drive to Porto, the capital of northern Portugal and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. During our cultural tour, we will have the opportunity to visit interesting places such as the Bolhão Market, Santa Catarina Street, the Majestic Café, Avenida de Aliados, the cathedral, Batalha Square, Infante D. Henrique Square and many others. One of the buildings that we will visit today will be the impressive Palace of Porto Stock Exchange (Bolsa Palace), headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and of neoclassical style. 

This morning we will be transferred to the river area. Enjoy a nice walk across the Douro River as we get to know the six bridges that crown the city of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Then will set sail on an exciting 50-minute ride along the Douro River. See the different points of interest that surround the city and hear about the famous Rabelos boats, authentic barges of the region. Some of the places of interest that we can see from the boat are the Bolsa Palace, the Museum of Port Wine, Cristal Palace, Ribeira de Oporto, Mosteiro de Serra do Pilar, among others. Upon docking we will drive over to the World of Wine, WOW for short. In centuries old Port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, WOW pays homage to the region, and shines a light on the most important Portuguese industries and traditions. But WOW is more than museums, it is an entire district full of new and exciting things to do, explore, and learn. Six museum experiences, nine restaurants, shops, a temporary exhibition space, an events space and a wine school. The six museums, called experiences, have themes like wine, cork, chocolate, fashion (considering that Porto is the heart of Portugal’s garment industry), and the The Bridge Collection, featuring a vast array of centuries-old drinking vessels and glasses. Enjoy 2 experiences of your choice.

Today we take an unforgettable journey through the beautiful landscapes and scenic mountains of the Douro Valley plus get to enjoy wine tasting and a picnic lunch. We stop in Amarante, settled in the 4th century BC and the home of the beautiful Monastery of San Gonçalo on the chapel next to the bridge over the Tâmega River. According to tradition, San Gonçalo had lived and was buried in there.

The city of Peso da Régua was born from the merger of the villages of Peso and Regla, extending along the banks of the Duero. In the middle of the 18th century, the Marquis of Pombal created the Alto Duero Vineyard Company and from then on the Rule began to grow and develop its wine production and consequently the marketing of the wines, the city's brand image.

We pass through Pinhão, the region’s largest riverside town, from here the wine barrels were transported in special boats known as barcos rabelos to age in the local wine lodges. Famous for its beautiful train station along the Douro Line, The Pinhao station has tiled panels that depict scenes, landscapes and customs of the Douro Region.

Enjoy a free day in Porto strolling the cobblestone streets, take a funicular ride, check-out a museum, shop to you drop or take an optional tour. You can go wine tasting, explore a village or visit a national park - https://www.viator.com/Porto/d26879-ttd

After a wonderful day at leisure we will meet and transfer to a local restaurant for our Farewell dinner.

Time for breakfast before our wonderful singles vacation in Portugal comes to an end. You will transfer to the airport according to your individual flight schedules. Have a safe flight home.