2027 Portugal Uncovered

The adventure begins the moment you touch down on São Miguel, the largest island of the Azores. After clearing customs, transfer to your hotel in Ponta Delgada. The remainder of the afternoon includes a relaxed walking introduction to the historic center. See the city’s basalt archways, traditional whitewashed buildings and waterfront streets that reflect the island’s volcanic heritage and Atlantic setting. This is Portugal, but wilder.
Dinner

Begin the morning with a visit to a traditional pineapple plantation, where fruit is grown in centuries-old greenhouses using techniques as patient and particular as the volcanic soil demands. Continue west to the Sete Cidades region, known for its twin crater lakes and sweeping volcanic scenery. Enjoy time at several viewpoints overlooking the caldera before returning to Ponta Delgada for the evening.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel across the island to Chá Gorreana, Europe’s only tea plantation, where the fields have been producing since the 1880s. Learn how the leaves are processed in the original Victorian machinery and have a cup at the source.

Continue to Ribeira Grande for a brief visit and lunch. In the afternoon, arrive in Furnas, a geothermal area known for its hot springs and botanical gardens. Check in and relax in the thermal baths before dinner.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Head to Nordeste, one of São Miguel’s most scenic regions. Viewpoints, coastal cliffs and quiet villages highlight this less visited corner of the island. Weather permitting, enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the Atlantic.

Return to Furnas for one of the most extraordinary dining experiences the Azores has to offer: Cozido das Furnas. This traditional meal of meats, sausages and vegetables is slow cooked in the ground using natural geothermal heat.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart Furnas this morning and transfer to the airport for your flight to Lisbon. Upon arrival, begin exploring Portugal’s capital with a walking tour through the historic districts of Alfama and Baixa. These neighborhoods reflect Lisbon’s oldest roots, with narrow streets, traditional tiled buildings and local shops that have served the community for generations.

This evening, enjoy a Fado dinner. The performance introduces Portugal’s traditional musical style, accompanied by a regional meal in an intimate setting.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend the morning in the district of Belém, home to several of Portugal’s most significant monuments. Visit the Jerónimos Monastery, Tower of Belém and the Monument to the Discoveries, each reflecting in its own way the country’s history.

This evening, take part in a hands on Portuguese cooking class featuring regional ingredients and traditional techniques. Enjoy the meal you help prepare.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart Lisbon for the Alentejo, a rural region known for cork forests, olive groves and open landscapes. Visit a working cork farm to learn about harvesting and production, followed by lunch and a wine tasting at a local vineyard.

Continue to Évora, a walled city where Romans, Moors and medieval kings all left their mark. Visit the Chapel of Bones in the Church of Saint Francis before checking in at your hotel.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a free morning to explore Évora at your own pace. Options include visiting the Roman Temple, browsing local shops or relaxing in the town square at a café table.

In the afternoon, participate in a cooking class focused on Alentejo cuisine, known for its hearty dishes and regional ingredients like slow-braised meats, hand-rolled breads and olive oil. Dinner is the feast you’ve created.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel north to Tomar for a guided visit of the Convento de Cristo, a historic complex linked to the Knights Templar and their lasting influence on Portuguese history.

After lunch, continue to Coimbra, home to one of the oldest universities in the western world. Explore the historic center and learn about the city’s academic traditions.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive into the Douro Valley, one of the world’s oldest wine producing regions and the birthplace of Port wine. Visit a celebrated estate for a wine tasting and lunch overlooking the valley.

In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic river cruise along the Douro, offering views of the landscape of terraced vineyards, painstakingly carved into near-vertical schist hillsides over two thousand years.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel west toward Porto, a deeply loveable city of bridges, azulejos and riverfront tascas. Before exploring, take part in a tile painting workshop to learn about the tradition of Portuguese azulejos, hand-painted ceramic tile ubiquitous to the country. Enjoy lunch afterward.

The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore Porto at your own pace. Follow your instincts down to the Ribeira, lose yourself in the backstreets of the Bonfim or simply find a café terrace and relax.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin the day with a guided walking tour of Porto, including the Sé Cathedral, Clérigos Tower and the Dom Luís I Bridge. Enjoy lunch along the Ribeira, Porto’s waterfront and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon, cross the river to Vila Nova de Gaia for a Port wine lodge tour and tasting.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel south along the dramatic Atlantic coast to Nazaré, known for its fishing traditions and dramatic shoreline. Continue to Óbidos, a walled medieval village with narrow streets and well preserved architecture and traditions. Arrive in Sintra later in the day and check in at your hotel.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

“Spend the day exploring Sintra, beginning with a guided visit to Quinta da Regaleira, a 19th-century estate known for its gardens, tunnels and architectural features like hidden grottos and initiation wells. Continue to the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, the former residence of Portuguese royalty.
This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with your fellow travelers.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, transfer to Lisbon Airport for your flight home.
Breakfast