Best of Portugal

Portugal, the starting point of countless expeditions of discovery, is full of treasures and wonderful sights. Cathedrals neighbor cork forests, blue Azulejo tiles adorn buildings and terraced vineyards dot river valleys. You’re sure to fall in love with this fascinating country!

Add-Ons

Folkloric Fado Show with Dinner

Enjoy an evening of Fado music and dinner

Best of Portugal

Tour Starts:

Lisbon, Portugal

Tour Ends:

Lisbon, Portugal

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Day 1

Depart for Lisbon

Set off on your European adventure with an overnight transatlantic flight to Portugal.

Day 2

Arrive in Lisbon

Welcome to Lisbon, where your journey begins! If you purchased airline tickets through YMT Vacations, a friendly representative will welcome you at the airport

and transport you to the hotel. Enjoy the evening at your leisure. Join us for a delicious welcome dinner at the hotel, later. Get acquainted with your

fellow travelers and learn about the exciting days ahead. (D)

Radisson Blu Lisbon or similar

Day 3

Lisbon to Fatima

After breakfast, set off for Sintra. Enjoy a guided city tour of this charming town, located in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains. The town is well known for its pastel buildings and lush terrain. Next, continue to Óbidos for a short walking tour, where guests can explore Óbidos Castle on their own. You’ll have some free time for lunch and lots of photo opportunities. Then, you’ll head to Fátima for a self-guided tour of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, the location of a 1917 miracle. (B)

Hotel Estrela de Fatima or similar

Day 4

Batalha and Coimbra

You’ll enjoy a self-guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Batalha. One of Portugal’s most beloved historic monuments, it was commissioned in the 14th century by King John I. Continue to Coimbra, one of the country’s loveliest college

towns, where you will enjoy a guided tour with outside views of Machado de Castro Museum, Museum of Natural History, Botanical Garden and Santa Cruz Park and the University of Coimbra Library. Enjoy lunch on your own and if you have more time, visit the Universidad de Coimbra, originally founded in 1290. The university is dazzling, and you can visit many of its most impressive sites, including the Great Hall, Baroque Library, and Natural History Collection. (B)

Eurostars Das Artes or similar

Day 5

Porto with Wine Tasting

Porto is one of Portugal’s oldest cities, and is a spectacular place to spend the day. With a history dating back to around 300 BC, it has since been captured by the Romans, the Moors, and even Napoleon; its historic center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a city tour with included admission to the 19th century Stock Exchange Palace and an included port wine tasting at Sandeman Cellars. After free time and lunch on your own, take a self-guided tour of Guimarães, whose medieval city center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend the evening relaxing in Porto. (B)

Eurostars Das Artes or similar

Day 6

Viseu, Belmonte, and Evora

Start your active day in Viseu, where during free time you will have the opportunity to walk around the birthplace of Alfonso I The Conqueror, Portugal’s first king. Next, enjoy lunch on your own in Belmonte, plus an included olive oil tasting and admission to the Belmonte Jewish Museum. Dinner is included at your hotel in Evora. (B, D)

Evora Hotel or similar

Day 7

Evora

After breakfast, take a guided tour of the Cortiçarte factory. It’s a fascinating facility where cork is produced using traditional methods for hundreds of years. See the trees whose bark is sustainably harvested every nine years, the boiling vats where the cork is sterilized, and the gift shop with a wide variety of gorgeous products. Next, travel back to Evora, one of Europe’s finest medieval towns. See the 14 surviving columns of the Roman Temple of Diana, built around the first century A.D. Enjoy free time for lunch and shopping, then taste some local wines on a winery tour (included). (B)

Evora Hotel or similar

Day 8

Evora to Lisbon

Start the day with an enjoyable tour of the Leiveira-Azulejos de Azeitão ceramic factory. Portugal’s Azulejo tiles –tiny, often remarkably detailed pieces of art glazed in a striking blue –are one of the country’s most beloved cultural signatures. Dating back to the 13th century, Azulejos are the result of all of Portugal’s influences: the Moorish invasion, the Roman Catholic church, the Age of Discovery, all the way up to the bustling country’s modern needs and trends. After a stunning photo stop at Serra de Arrabida, relax on your own in Lisbon. (B)

Radisson Blu Lisbon or similar

Add-On: Folkloric Fado Show With Dinner

 

Day 9

Lisbon

Portugal’s hilly coastal capital watched over by seven picturesque hills. Take in Lisbon’s historic cobblestoned streets and stately ruins. Take a guided tour of the city’s highlights, including admission to the Jerónimos Monastery, a dazzling monument built in the 1500s as a potent symbol of Portugal’s immense wealth and power at the peak of their global navigation period. Enjoy lunch on your own and an afternoon at your leisure before ending your tour with a delicious farewell feast. (B, D)

Radisson Blu Lisbon or similar

Day 10

Depart for Home (B)

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Hotels may differ depending on date. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tour vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights. Please ask your Travel Consultant for more information.

YMT Vacations itineraries may contain suggestions for activities for your leisure time; these suggestions do not constitute a recommendation nor an endorsement of any specific service provider and the decision to participate in any such activities should be made independently.

FAQs

Add-Ons

Make your vacation extra special by adding optional excursions to your tour. It’s a great opportunity to enhance your trip, these experiences slot seamlessly into your package, and we’ll take care of all the logistics for you. Remember that adding an optional experience might increase the overall activity level of the tour, so always keep that in mind when planning your trip.

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Folkloric Fado Show with Dinner

Enjoy an evening of traditional Portuguese cuisine accompanied by the soulful and nostalgic music that defines Fado. Fado comes from the latin word fatum, which means fate. Fado-style music focuses on topics such as love, pain, loss, and injustice in society. The slightly somber melody marches perfectly with the deep and romantic personality of the Portuguese people. Fado started in Lisbon in the early 19th century and quickly emerged as a popular form of entertainment in Coimbra and Porto as well. Your tour will begin in your hotel, where your tour manager and coach driver will accompany you for the evening. From there, you will be accompanied to a local restaurant to enjoy Fado music accompanied by a 3-course traditional meal.

Inclusions

• 3 course dinner with drinks
• Folkloric Fado music show (guitar and vocals)
• Roundtrip transfers

Note: Guests will return to the hotel at approximately 11pm.

Duration: Approx. 5 Hours (Evening)

Activity Level: Easy

Price: $119 USD