Portugal

At a Glance

• Northern Region | Porto & Duoro Valley: Private guided tour to World Heritage by Unesco city of Porto historical center with Stock Exchange and the emblematic Arabic room, visit to one of the most beautiful libraries in Europe, Lello Bookshop, visit to Concert Hall, visit to Modern Art Museum. -Picnic at Romaneira estate gardens nearby the river. Private guided visit to Porto wine cellars. Cruise the Douro River aboard a typical rabelo boat.
• ·En Route to Lisbon: Stop at Coimbra for a visit to the historical center.  Walk through the serene botanical garden.  Stop at the Alcobaça Monastery where Pedro and Ines rest hopefully in peace, their matched tombs inscribed with the word “until the end of the world”.
• Lisbon & Surroundings: Visit the delightful town of Óbidos, with white house’s adorned with bougainvilleas and honeysuckle was captured from the Moors by the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, in 1148. D. Dinis later presented it to his wife, Queen Santa Isabel.  Visit the most romantic city in Portugal – Sintra. A beautiful town at the foot of the mountain range of the same name, its unique characteristics has led UNESCO to classify it as a World heritage site. It was even necessary to create a special category for the purpose – that of “cultural landscape” – taking into account its natural riches as well as the historic buildings in the town and mountains. Endowed with luxuriant vegetation, the mountains are part of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. Tour the Alfama district in Lisbon where you’ll find the St. George Castle and Tile Museum, the Belem area with Jeronimos monastery and Coach museum. Visit the Alentejo region and its white washed towns. Trek the promenade at the luxurious Arrabida Mountain that faces the sea.
• Southern Portugal | Algarve: Dinner at the hotel 2 michelin star restaurant.  Enjoy the hotels facilities and beaches.
• Island | Madeira:  Stay at the lovely Reid’s Palace with breathtaking views. Private visit to small embroidery family own factory. Toboggan ride.  Jeep tour to the most beautiful sites in the island.  Sunrise trekking journey followed by a picnic.

Fast Facts

• TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: You both will need valid Passports to enter Portugal. Make sure Passports do not have an expiration date that is less than 90 days from your anticipated departure date from Portugal. A tourist visa is not required for citizens of the United States, Canada, and the U.K. for any trip lasting up to 90 days.
• GETTING AROUND: If you first arrive in Portugal at the Portela Airport in Lisbon, connecting flights to other parts of the country can be booked on TAP Portugal airlines (www.flytap.com).
  • Rental cars are readily available; and there is a 4-lane superhighway which connects Lisbon with the city of Porto. Additional highways within the country will allow you to easily reach other destinations waiting for you to explore.
  • If you desire to sit back and relax, an extensive rail network known as Comboios de Portugal (www.cp.pt), provides comfortable rail service. (For a unique excursion, look into CP’s “Adventure Train” or their “Grape-picking Party” out to the Douro Valley wine region for a port wine-tasting, tour, and a regional lunch.

• GASTRONOMY: Portuguese food is one of the most pleasant surprises for tourists visiting Portugal. Due to the vast coastline, seafood plays a major part in the country’s cuisine. The quality of the seafood is beyond compare.
  • The Portuguese also love meat, and they cook it according to the most varied and flavorful recipes. Pork is especially popular. Cheeses of Portugal – The most popular Portuguese cheese, the “Queijo da Serra”, is made of sheep’s milk in the Serra da Estrela region, where the highest peak of Portugal is located. Its smooth consistency and delicate flavor are very much comparable to the best Bries.
  • Portuguese people are known for their sweet tooth, so their dessert specialties include at least two hundred different types of pastries. This national taste for sweets seems to come from the time of the Moorish occupation in the 15th century when sugar cane was planted in Madeira. Later on, in the 17th and 18th century, the convents became famous for their pastries, as can be told by the allusive names of their specialties: “toucinho do céu” – heaven’s lard, or “barriga de freiras” – nun’s belly.
• SECRET & UNDISCOVERED SPOTS: While it’s true that Portugal is no longer the Iberian Peninsula’s best-kept secret, it’s fairly easy to escape the crowds. Even at the busiest resorts in the Algarve, it only takes a short ride or a walk across the countryside to experience rarely visited places that still offer the feeling of discovery.
• SAFETY & SECURITY: Generally, safety is not a problem for travel in Portugal. It is considered the 7th most peaceful nation in the world according to the Global Peace Index, making its many marvelous sights safe to explore on your dream honeymoon.
• TIPPING: Typically, service is included on restaurant bills. However, you should consider leaving an additional tip of 5-10% of the total. Taxi drivers are usually given a 5-10% tip.
• SHOPPING: For those who love to stroll the streets to find their favorite brands, you will find in the cosmopolitan capital of Lisbon some of the best shopping in Europe. There you will find delightful boutiques and specialized “Lisboa” shops, with international and designer brands.
• VALUE FOR MONEY: In these uncertain times, American travelers are looking for two things–value for the dollar and the value of experience. Portugal is strong on both counts. Even with the exchange rate in Europe, Portugal is one of Europe’s best values.