Illuminating Tour of Portugal’s Historic & Cultural Roots

Riverside of Ponte de Lima village in Portugal.

What to expect on this itinerary

The history of Portugal fascinates the world, and this 10-day Portugal tour immerses you in the storied history of the country. Attend a private yoga session by the river, marvel at the archaeological wonders of Citania de Briteiros, follow in the footsteps of the Knights Templar, and witness the location where Portugal’s first king was born.

Countries Visited

Portugal

Places Visited

Porto, Ponte de Lima, Braga, Guimaraes, Chaves, Coimbra, Tomar, Sintra

Suggested Duration

10 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Porto – Walking Tour of the City

Your trip will begin in Porto, where a private driver will greet and escort you to the comfort of your accommodation. After having some time to relax after your flight, your guide will lead you on a walking tour of the city. You will begin in Porto’s city center before being led to the Church of Santa Clara, Liberdade Square, the monument to King Peter IV of Portugal, the Ponte de Dom Luis I bridge, and Ribeira Square. After your tour concludes, your guide can provide you with excelling dining recommendations.

What's Included:

Accommodation
Tour
Transfer
Day 2

Ponte De Lima – Citania De Briteiros

Day 3

Ponte De Lima - Riverside Yoga

Day 4

Braga – Portugal’s Oldest Cathedral

Day 5

Guimaraes – Portugal’s First King

Day 6

Chaves – Sip the Wine of the Dead

Day 7

Coimbra – Portugal’s Oldest University

Day 8

Tomar – The Past of the Knights Templar

Day 9

Sintra – Visit Sintra and Cascais

Day 10

Sintra – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Stroll through Porto on a walking tour that will introduce you to some of the city’s oldest sites
  • Take an evening stroll around Ponte de Lima and marvel at its iconic bridge
  • Indulge in a private yoga session by the river in Ponte de Lima before embarking on a tour centered around the region’s folklore
  • Visit the archaeological wonders of Citania de Briteiros
  • Witness the Bom Jesus sanctuary in Braga and visit the oldest cathedral in the country
  • Visit the location where Portugal’s first king was born before learning about the hamlet of Guimaraes
  • Be captivated by Coimbra’s ancient past and peruse the city’s oldest gems
  • Dive into the dramatic history of the Knights Templar on an interactive tour

Detailed Description

This 10-day Portugal tour has been catered to the history lover in you. This Portuguese escapade will begin in Porto, where you will have a private tour that will immerse you in the historical gems of the city. The following day, you will transfer to Ponte de Lima. En route, you will stop at Citania de Briteiros, which is a well-preserved Celto-Iberian village. Upon your arrival in Ponte de Lima, you will spend the afternoon and evening along the riverside and among the charming streets of the city.

After waking in Ponte de Lima, you will enjoy a private yoga session along the river before having a private tour of the city. The next day, you will venture to Braga, where you will witness the Bom Jesus. In Guimaraes, you will witness where Portugal’s first king was born.

Chaves will be your next destination. Here, you can indulge in the area’s natural springs before learning about and sampling the “wine of the dead.” The next day, you will transfer to Coimbra for a tour of the oldest university in Portugal, the Se Velha, and more. The Knights Templar and their storied past will present you with your next adventure.

Sintra and its architectural wonders will serve as your next point of interest before you transfer to Cascais. Here, the Pena Palace and the shoreline of Cascais are premier highlights.

Starting Price

$3,900 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 209 reviews

Portugal Travel Review: Lisbon, Sintra, Nazare, Coimbra, Douro Valley, Azores, Porto, 16-Day Tour
"We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Zicasso’s travel agency did a great job of arranging gorgeous hotels and top-notch tour guides."

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Portugal Family Tour Review: Lisbon, Sintra, Evora, Porto, Algarve, Madeira, Douro Valley, Cooking Class, Tile-Painting Workshop, 13 Nights

The travel agent from Zicasso's tour company planned for my family of four the most spectacular and luxurious two-week trip around Portugal. We traveled to and enjoyed the highlights of Lisbon, the romantic architecture in Sintra, the incredible history of Évora, the beautiful coastline of the Algarve, the laid-back atmosphere and gorgeous scenery of Madeira, the beautiful, historical, bustling city of Porto, and the stunning scenery of the Douro Valley. 

The travel agent's suggestions and bookings were all perfectly aligned with what we envisioned and the accommodations booked were all beautifully appointed and family-oriented – five-star hotels that catered to the entire family, with indoor pools and kids greeted with backpacks and toys at the door, and nightly treats on pillows.

The tour guides booked were all very knowledgeable and kind. They were patient with my two- and four-year-olds, and taught us all so many new, amazing things.

Every day was a highlight, but I would say my girls really enjoyed the tile painting as well as the pastel de nata-making workshops.

My husband and I really enjoyed Évora and Sintra, and truly seeing the beauty and history of it all.

We absolutely fell in love with Portugal, the culture, and the food. My only regret is not having more time so we could’ve seen the Azores as well and stayed even longer. 

We so look forward to this travel agent planning us another perfect vacation in the near future!

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Portugal Trip Review: Lisbon, Évora, the Dao Valley, the Douro Valley, Porto, Sunset Sail, Fado, Cathedral, Cork Trek, Wine Tasting, Monastery, Hiking, Port Tasting, 16 Nights

Our Zicasso travel agent curated a private tour for the six of us, including the perfect mix of historical, gastronomical, wine, and cultural experiences. 

We stayed in Lisbon, Évora, the Dao Valley, the Douro Valley, and Porto. We traveled in a comfortable Mercedes van and, to break up our trips, we stopped at amazing sites along the way as we traveled from city to city. 

Some of our favorite things were a private sunset sail in Lisbon, a fado dinner, the Évora Cathedral, a cork trek and wine tasting in Alentejo, the monastery at Batalha, wine tastings in Santar (Dao Valley), a boat ride on the Douro, wine tastings and hiking in the Douro Valley, the Bom Jesus shrine in Braga, the Port tasting and dinner in Porto, and multiple pastry tastings along the way. 

Our guides were fantastic. They were attentive, on time, and very knowledgeable about the history and culture of each place we visited. 

There were very few issues on our 17-day tour, which was literally one of the smoothest and best-curated trips we have ever had. We will use our travel company and agent again as we intend to go back to Porto and the Douro Valley.

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Portugal Tour Review: Lisbon, Porto, Douro Valley, Braga, Fátima, Guimaraes, 12 Nights
"Zicasso’s travel company and agents were by far the best we have ever dealt with. They made sure the itinerary matched our interests and wishes."

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Portugal, Spain Vacation Review: Barcelona, Porto, Lisbon, Architecture, Culture, Museums, 13 Nights

We enjoyed the trip. The guides were good, although our guide in Lisbon provided a little bit too much history. But he was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed his tours. The communication with the Zicasso company through WhatsApp was very good and they were very accommodating to upgrading our transport vehicle because our luggage was large. The food tours were good. We enjoyed all the sites that we saw. Barcelona, especially, was great.

We stayed at four hotels. Only the hotel in Porto was a disappointment. The other hotels were good and we were very comfortable. The breakfast that was served at the various accommodations varied in quality, but the breakfast buffet in Lisbon was extremely good. The hotel in Porto was definitely not a four-star facility. The local airline definitely does not have its act together. When we left Barcelona to come home, the line for the airline was about five or six times the length of every other line. I would have definitely been willing to pay a higher amount for a business class seat in order to use the very short line in the Porto airport.

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Portugal Tour Review: Fatima, Algarve, Porto, Douro Valley, Quintas, Wine, Local Cuisine, Fado, 2-Week Trip

Overall, our itinerary, meals, excursions, drivers, and tour guides in Portugal were top-notch. Our first two hotel accommodations in Porto and the Douro Valley did not meet our expectations. The first one was extremely small and poorly lit; the second one was very isolated and difficult to get around. After that, the hotels improved substantially.

All communication with our Zicasso travel agent was done by text or phone.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

30,000+ Verified Traveler Reviews