PORTUGAL

Day 1 | Sunday 4 October
Arrive Lisbon
In the early evening we meet for introductions and
a welcome drink in the hotel, followed by dinner in a popular restaurant with a menu of traditional Portuguese cuisine. Overnight Lisbon (D)

Day 2 | Monday 5 October
Alfama & Archaeology
Our morning begins with an introductory talk in the hotel, before we head up to the castle of São Jorge. Located on a hill in Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood, Alfama, here we enjoy outstanding 360° views over Lisbon and the Tagus River. From here we meander down through the Moorish bairro (borough) of Alfama, a maze of narrow streets, flower-laden iron balconies and small squares. After a break for lunch, we then make our way down a web of tunnels under the Millennium BCP bank building, where we find overlapping ruins from periods ranging from the Punic to the medieval and Pombal era. Discovered when digging for a parking-lot in 1991, highlights include Lisbon’s only visible Roman mosaic, dating to the 3rd century, numerous baths and a Visigoth burial site with an ancient well-preserved male skeleton. Following our guided tour, our final stop for the day is the Rua Augusta Arch, Lisbon’s iconic landmark. Situated in Praça do Comércio, this majestic arch stands as a triumph of resilience, commemorating the city’s rapid reconstruction after the devastating 1755 earthquake. On return to our hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Lisbon (B)

Day 3 | Tuesday 6 October
Belém & Fado
Today we pay homage to the Golden Age of Discovery as we explore the bairro of Belém. Following a panoramic coach tour on arrival, we visit the Maritime Museum, offering an insight into Portugal’s rich naval history. Founded in 1863 by King D. Luís I, its collection includes more than 20,000 objects, with themes ranging from the Portuguese discoveries to the contemporary Navy. Our afternoon then takes in two of the finest examples of the Gothic-inspired, maritime-themed style known as Manueline: The Belém Tower, built in the 16th century to serve as both a gateway to the city of Lisbon and as a defence against possible invasions and attacks from the Tagus, and the Jerónimos Monastery, with its superb Manueline cloisters built to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s success. After a well-timed coffee break and a Portuguese tart, we continue up the river to the more modern Discovery Monument, celebrating the location where explorers departed to the Far East to open important trade routes. And to complete a fabulous day, this evening we enjoy dinner and a performance of fado, a distinctly Portuguese musical style, with a melancholy theme. Overnight Lisbon (B, D)

Day 4 | Wednesday 7 October
Sintra & Surrounds
This morning we venture out of Lisbon to the hushed suburb of Benfica, where we find the 17th-century Baroque Palace Fronteira, built for Dom João Mascarenhas, 1st Marquis of Fronteira. The striking formal grounds greet us on arrival, home to a topiary and statuary filled garden, and inside, Italian Renaissance influences are blended with Portuguese-inspired blue-and-white tiles throughout. We continue to Sintra, a unique combination of natural mountain beauty and fairytale palaces, where our destination is the medieval National Palace – distinguished by its two large conical chimneys and architecture which combines Manueline, Gothic and Moorish styles. Of all the palaces built by the Portuguese monarchs throughout the Middle Ages, only the National Palace of Sintra has survived to the present day virtually intact, still maintaining the same essential features of its shape and outline since the mid-16th century. On our way back to the capital we stop in at the Convent of the Capuchos – a stark contrast to the previous palaces. This austere Franciscan Monastery seems to emerge from the surrounding woodland, with its tiny cells carved out of the rock. We end our journey back to Lisbon along the coast, via the seaside town of Cascais. Overnight Lisbon (B)

Day 5 | Thursday 8 October
Art & Azulejos
Our day begins in the northern edge of Lisbon, where we find one of Europe’s unsung treasure houses, the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian. Designed by architects Ruy Jervis d’Athouguia, Pedro Cid and Alberto Pessoa, tranquil gardens surround a brutalist building that accommodates around 6,000 pieces amassed by its founder, Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian. Our tour here takes in renowned pieces by artists such as Rembrandt, Monet and Renoir, as well as exceptional examples of Egyptian artifacts, Islamic art and Eastern ceramics. Following a break for lunch in the museum’s cafeteria, we shift focus in the afternoon to explore an artistic tradition that has become a symbol of Portuguese heritage. More than just decoration, glazed tiles have uniquely blended artistry, utility and storytelling, and our next stop at the National Azulejo Museum delves into their rich legacy. Housed in the historic Convent of Madre de Deus, founded in 1509 by Queen Leonor, the museum showcases the development of azulejo art over several centuries. A highlight is the 23-metre-long tile panel depicting Lisbon’s waterfront before the 1755 earthquake. On return to our hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Lisbon (B)

Day 6 | Friday 9 October
Setúbal Peninsula and the Alentejo Region
Departing Lisbon for the World Heritage-listed city of Évora today, we travel south to the dramatic Setúbal peninsula. En route at Cabo Espichel, we witness the ferocity of the Atlantic Ocean. In this magnificently isolated spot, one can view two different, well-preserved sets of dinosaur footprints, dating over 50 million years apart. We then stop for lunch in Sesimbra, one of Portugal’s finest beach towns, before continuing to Évora through the Arrábida Natural Park, where the blue of the sea alternates with the white tones of the chalk cliffs and the green vegetation that covers the mountain range. On arrival in Évora we have the late afternoon at leisure, before we reconvene in this evening for dinner, enjoying a menu of contemporary Alentejo cuisine. Overnight Évora (B, D)

Day 7 | Saturday 10 October
Évora & Vila Viçosa
Capital of the Alentejo region, famed for its wine as well as the cork oak forests and olive tree plantations which cover its rolling hills, Évora has a colourful and fascinating history which allegedly goes back to Celtic times. We begin today with a walk around the historic centre of Évora, starting with the city’s iconic Roman Temple. Other highlights are the Igreja (church) de São João and attached convent, dating from the 15th century, built over the top of Évora’s Moorish castle. We also visit the Igreja de São Francisco, best known for its lugubrious Chapel of The Bones, where Franciscan monks decorated the walls with skulls. After a break for lunch, our afternoon is spent driving through the semi-arid Alentejo countryside to the surrounding hill towns, stopping in Vila Viçosa – famous for its marble with more than 150 quarries, one of which we visit. In the early evening we meet for a talk in the hotel. Overnight Évora (B)

Day 8 | Sunday 11 October
Megalithic Structures & Wine Tastings
Our destination this morning is the unique site of Anta do Zambujeiro (Great Dolmen of Zambujeiro) – a remarkable megalithic monument dating back to approximately 4000–3000 BCE. Constructed during the late Neolithic to early Chalcolithic period, with a polygonal burial chamber formed by seven massive granite orthostats, the Anta Grande do Zambujeiro is one of the largest dolmens in the Iberian Peninsula. Archaeological excavations in 1965 uncovered a wealth of artifacts here, including pottery, stone tools and human remains, offering valuable insights into the funerary practices and social structures of the ancient communities in the Iberian Peninsula. After touring the site, we continue into the heart of the Alentejo region to the cellar door of one of Portugal’s most famous winemakers. We begin with a guided tour of the winery and cellars, with traditional Alentejo elements on show in its architecture, followed by a delightful lunch paired with exquisite wines. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure on our return to Évora. Overnight Évora (B, L)

Day 9 | Monday 12 October
Tomar & The Knights Templar
Departing Évora this morning, we make our way north to the city of Tomar, founded in 1160 and designed by Gualdim Pais – the most famous master of the Order of the Temple. En route we stop for a boat ride across the River Tagus to the enigmatic Almourol castle, emblematic of the Christian Reconquest of the peninsula and now home to a Templar interpretation centre. We arrive in Tomar intime for a lunch break before we embark on a tour of this Templar city, including the Convento de Cristo. A historical jewel, the oldest part of this vast monumental complex is the 16-sided Templar church, or Charola which, like the castle, dates from the 12th century. This church was then converted to a Chancel under Manuel I in the 16th century, turning it into one of the finest works of the Portuguese Renaissance and giving it the World Heritage status, it enjoys today. Before we check-in to our hotel, we also stop to view the 180 arches of the nearby Pegões Aqueduct, designed by a distinguished architect in the 17th century to provide water to the Convento de Cristo. This evening we enjoy dinner at one of Tomar’s fine restaurants. Overnight Tomar (B, D)

Day 10 | Tuesday 13 October
Alcobaça
We venture out of Tomar this morning to visit the unique monastic establishment of Alcobaça which utterly dominates the town. After the Reconquest, the Cistercian monks started a settlement here, going from wooden houses in 1178 to a stone monastery and church in 1252. Now inscribed on the UNESCO World-Heritage list, it is one of the finest and most impressive examples of Cistercian architecture in Europe and its set of medieval premises remains intact. Following our guided tour we return to Tomar, with the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. We reconvene in the early evening for a talk in our htoel. Overnight Tomar (B)

Day 11 | Wednesday 14 October
Conimbriga
Leaving Tomar behind today, we continue our journey north to the river-front city of Coimbra – Portugal’s medieval capital for more than a century and home of the country’s oldest and most prestigious university. Just southwest of Coimbra, we stop en route to visit the well-preserved site of Conímbriga. This is Portugal’s largest and most impressive Roman site, dating from the 1st century CE, and features villas paved with magnificent mosaic floors, and a 3rd-century defensive wall. After an extended stop here and time to visit the small museum near the entrance, we continue our journey to Coimbra, enjoying free time on arrival before dinner in our hotel – the 18th-century palace, Quinta das Lágrimas. Overnight Coimbra (B, D)

Day 12 | Thursday 15 October
Coimbra
Declining in importance in the Late Middle Ages, Coimbra still remained as one of Portugal’s major cultural hubs, boasting the country’s finest university. Another UNESCO World-Heritage site, it is one of the longest continuously operating universities in the world. Our walking tour this morning begins in the University’s courtyard, surrounded by its most iconic buildings, before venturing inside the 18th-century Baroque Joanina Library, considered one of the most beautiful in the world. We then wander into the heart of medieval Coimbra, where we find the well-preserved Sé Velha, the best example of a Romanesque cathedral in the country, and the Praça do Comércio, or Commercial Square. Cozy cafés with outdoor seating make this the perfect place to break for the day, reconvening this evening for a talk in our hotel. Overnight Coimbra (B)

Day 13 | Friday 16 October
North to Pinhão
Today we leave the centre of Portugal and continue north to Pinhão, with stops to punctuate our route. We first stop in Viseu, where we stroll the cobbled streets of its well-preserved medieval quarter and break for lunch. Our next stop is São João de Tarouca, the first monastery to be erected by the Cistercian order on the Iberian Peninsula. Recently carefully restored, our guided tour takes in the three-nave church, lavishly decorated in gilt, with tiles from the 17th and 18th centuries. Before arriving in Pinhão, we also stop in the quaint village of Ucanha to view the single-arch fortified bridge spanning the River Varosa. Dinner this evening is in our hotel. Overnight Pinhão (B, D)

Day 14 | Saturday 17 October
Paleolithic Rock Art
Today a collection of 4WD Jeeps take us to Vila Nova de Foz Côa to visit the World Heritage-listed Côa Valley Archaeological Park. Our guided tour takes in the best of the 5,000 or so examples of rock art and engravings, dating from the end of the Paleolithic era to 8,000 BCE. This extraordinary site, in a rural and isolated spot, along with its outstanding museum atop the mouth of the Côa River, gives us an excellent window into the life of primitive man on the Iberian Peninsula. Lunch today is enjoyed at the museum, featuring a large terrace overlooking the Douro winemaking landscape, with local products the stars of the menu. We return to our hotel in the late afternoon, with the evening at leisure. Overnight Pinhão (B, L)

Day 15 | Sunday 18 October
Pinhão to Porto
Leaving the roads behind, we pack our bags and embark on a full-day private cruise downstream along the Douro River to the UNESCO World-Heritage city of Porto, the City of Bridges. As we navigate the various dams and locks of this stretch of river, which once transported port grapes to the coast, we enjoy lunch and a port aperitif, along with views of steep terraced vineyards dotted with wine-producing farmhouses or quintas. Built with the wealth from the deal with British traders for port export in the 18th century, many have now transformed into luxury hotels. Disembarking in Porto, we settle into our final hotel. Overnight Porto (B, L)

Day 16 | Monday 19 October
Porto
Porto’s rich history dates back over two millennia. Originally a Roman settlement known as Portus Cale, the city grew throughout the Middle Ages as a key commercial and maritime hub due to its strategic location on the Douro. Its port facilitated trade with Northern Europe, especially in wine and textiles, and today its vibrant architecture reflects its layered history – from the Romanesque Cathedral and medieval Ribeira district to the baroque churches and neoclassical buildings. This morning we discover Porto’s historic centre on foot, climbing the narrow streets behind the hotel where buildings are adorned with colourful tiles. Our tour takes in the Gothic São Francisco Church, the neoclassical Palacio da Bolsa and the São Bento railway station, with its vast display of over 20,000 tiles representing the history of Portugal. In the afternoon we take a guided tour through Rem Koolhaas’ Casa da Música, hailed as the Dutch architect’s most attractive work since opening in 2005, before crossing the Douro to visit Taylor’s Port cellars and wine lodges situated in Vila Nova de Gaia. Our private tour through the historic cellars will conclude with a port tasting. We end the day with a farewell dinner in one of Porto’s Michelin-starred restaurants. Overnight Porto (B, T, D)

Day 17 | Tuesday 20 October
Depart Porto
The tour concludes after breakfast. It may be necessary to take a domestic flight to Lisbon before flying home. (B)