Discounted

Highlights of Portugal

Portugal - Trip code HOP Discovery
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173Kg of CO²e
Average carbon footprint per person
Carbon Footprint
You deserve to know everything about your holiday, from what is included, what to expect and every kilogram of CO2 emitted on average per person along the way.

We've partnered with ecollective to measure the carbon footprint of this tour based on an average group size. Find out more about how we calculate this and why we think it's important here.

 

Travel from Lisbon to Porto on our fast-paced trip through Portugal. Explore the country's famous tiled cities, as well as discovering some of Portugal's lesser-known UNESCO sites in the medieval towns of Alcobaça, Batalha and Coimbra. With included wine tastings in the Douro Valley, and a visit to a port lodge in Porto, this itinerary delves into Portugal's rich gastronomic and cultural heritage, with plenty of pasteis de nata along the way.

Why we love this trip
  • Lisbon - Try the local sour cherry liqueur, and enjoy the lively bars and restaurants of the Alfama neighbourhood.
  • Porto - Wander down the charming, cobbled streets to Cais da Ribeira and along the scenic quayside.
  • Douro Valley - Enjoy a wine tasting in Peso da Régua and explore the Baroque city of Lamego.
  • Included meals

    Breakfast: 7

  • Trip staff

    Explore Tour Leader

    Driver(s)

  • Transport

    Bus

    Public Bus

    Taxi

    Train

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    Accommodation

    7 nights comfortable hotel

  • i

    Trip pace:

    Full on

  • i

    Group Size:

    Trip maximum 16
    Explore Average 11

Itinerary

Day 1 - Join the trip in Lisbon; evening orientation walk

Our trip begins in Lisbon, a city built on seven hills overlooking the estuary of the River Tagus. After its conquest from the Moors in 1147, Lisbon became the capital of Portugal. As Portugal built its global empire from the 15th century onwards, Lisbon became the hub of international trade, marking the heart of the maritime Golden Age of discovery - a legacy reflected in the city's monumental architecture. A devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami almost completely destroyed the capital in 1755, and so Lisbon appears as a carefully planned 18th-century city today.

The Leader will meet you at the hotel reception at 6.30pm for a welcome meeting and take us on a short walk to get acquainted with Lisbon.

If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive at Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS), which is a 15-minute drive from the city centre. Please note that to join the city walk today, you must arrive at the hotel by 7 pm. If you're booking your own flights, we recommend allowing at least one hour to clear the airport. The journey from the airport to the hotel takes 15 minutes, so the latest your flight can arrive is 5.45 pm.

If you miss the welcome meeting, the tour leader will fill you in on any essential details as soon as you catch up.

Accommodation:

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Meals Provided: None

Day 2 - Explore Lisbon's Bairro Alto neighbourhood on foot. Optional afternoon visit to Sintra

Our morning walking tour introduces us to some of Lisbon's distinct bairros (neighbourhoods) (approx. four hours). Built on seven hills, the city's iconic trams navigate the undulating cobbled streets, with fascinating buildings at every turn. During the morning, your tour Leader will also find a spot for you to try Ginjinha, a local sour cherry liqueur, which is definitely an acquired taste.

If you fancy a trip outside the city, you can hop on the metro to Lisbon's Rossio Station for a 40-minute train ride to Sintra's stunning hills and palaces. Originally built as a summer retreat from the heat of Lisbon, Sintra is home to royal palaces and lush gardens. Highlights include King Ferdinand II's Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira with its elaborate Gothic façade and magical gardens. If you'd like to take your time, you might want to spend the whole day here (Day 3) to explore the hills of Montserrate and visit Castelo dos Mouros.

If you're staying in Lisbon, the afternoon is free for further exploration. Your Tour Leader will be happy to suggest activities, such as visiting the fascinating MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) or the Museo de Azulejos, the National Tile Museum housed in a 16th-century monastery. Alternatively, a local ferry across the Tagus River takes you to Cacilhas, which has a working port atmosphere, great fish and seafood restaurants, and stunning views of Lisbon.

Accommodation:

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 3 - Explore the west of Lisbon with a walk to Belem Tower. Afternoon free in Lisbon

This morning, we'll explore the Alfama district on foot, meeting locals in their neighbourhood shops and taking in views of the River Tagus from the Miradouro Santa Lucia viewpoint. We'll then drive (20-30 minutes) to Belem, where we'll spend around two hours exploring the Jerónimos Monastery (optional visit) before walking to Belem Tower. The afternoon is free for you to wander around this area, visit the monastery or the Gulbenkian Museum, or take the ferry to Cacilhas (for views) or see the Christ the King statue on the south side of the river.

Accommodation:

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 4 - Visit Alcobaça and Batalha Monasteries; arrive in Coimbra

This morning, we leave Lisbon and drive an hour and a half to Alcobaça, a small medieval town in the heart of the country. Alcobaça is home to one of Iberia's most impressive monasteries, with a striking 12th-century Gothic structure. Don't miss the atmospheric refectory, vast dormitories, and other spaces that once housed the Cistercian monks, whose lifestyle here wasn't quite as austere as history might suggest. After some free time to stroll around, we'll continue to Batalha to visit its magnificent Gothic monastery, Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória, built to commemorate the Battle of Aljubarrota.

In the late afternoon, we arrive in Coimbra, an old university town with a mix of historic charm and modern vitality. After checking in, your Leader will take you on a walk through the town's charming backstreets, up to the famous university.

Accommodation:

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 5 - Wine tasting and spend the night in the Douro Valley

This morning, we have a couple of hours free in Coimbra, a city that was once Portugal's medieval capital. You might want to visit the university with its centuries-old buildings, including its famous library.

Later this morning, we'll drive two hours to Lamego, a picturesque Baroque city nestled in the Douro Valley, Portugal's renowned wine-growing region. After some free time for lunch, we'll head to Peso da Régua for a visit to a local wine estate, where we'll learn about the history and production of Portugal's famous wines - and of course, sample some of the produce.

Accommodation:

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 6 - Train to Porto for a walking tour; free afternoon

This morning, we take a scenic two-hour train journey to Porto. From the train station, we'll walk 400 metres to our hotel (please mention to the Tour Leader if you think you'll need assistance).

Our tour leader will take us on an orientation walk, strolling through Porto's charming streets down to the Cais da Ribeira - undoubtedly the most picturesque area of the city. The quayside is dominated by the Dom Luis I Bridge, built in 1886 by an assistant to Gustave Eiffel. Here, you'll find old houses with balconies draped in laundry, overlooking the river where historic boats still line the water's edge. Despite the decline of the port trade, this bustling area still retains its character and charm. We'll also enjoy a port tasting at one of Porto's famous port lodges.

The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the city further, with its striking churches adorned in blue-and-white azulejos, bustling food markets, and peaceful squares where you can relax and watch the world go by.

Accommodation:

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 7 - Free day in Porto

Today is free for you to continue exploring Porto. The city offers a wealth of architectural and cultural attractions, such as the Palacio da Bolsa with its stunning Alhambra-like interior, a medieval quarter full of character, and the grand Avenida dos Aliados.

Other popular options include the Serralves Museum of Modern Art, or you might want to take the 6 Bridges boat trip. If you'd like to venture a little further, consider taking a one-hour train ride to the attractive towns of Guimaraes or Braga.

Accommodation:

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 8 - Trip ends in Porto

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Porto.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is later in the day, luggage storage is available at the hotel.

If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Porto Airport (OPO), which is about 30 minutes' drive from the hotel.

Meals Provided: Breakfast

Trip information

Climate and country information

Portugal

Climate

Overall, spring, early summer and autumn are ideal times for a trip to Portugal - though the weather varies enormously from region to region. The northern high plains has both extremes, stiflingly hot in summer, bitterly cold and swept by freezing winds in winter. The Atlantic coast, in contrast, has a tendency to damp and mist, and a relatively brief, humid summer. The Mediterranean south is warm virtually all year round. The islands have very different weather patterns due to their positioning and can have sudden rain falls throughout the year so waterproofs are recommended even in the summer.

Time difference to GMT

0

Plugs

2 Pin Round

Religion

Roman Catholic

Language

Portuguese

Budgeting and packing

Optional activities

The following excursions and/or activities are usually available and may be arranged locally. Estimated costs are provided below for guidance only, are on a per person basis unless shown otherwise, and may depend on the number of participants. Prices quoted are correct as of the date these tour notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations. Please note: These activities are booked and paid for locally and do not form part of your Explore holiday contract.


Lisbon:
Fado concert in the Baixa District €45.00. with dinner
Visit to Belem by tram €2 per way; Jeronimos Monastery and the Tower of Belem combined ticket €12.00
Sintra:
Return train €10
Pena Palace entrance €120 or gardens only €10
Castelo dos Mouros €12
Quinta Regaleira entrance €7.50.
Porto:
Guimaraes by train €14.00 (journey time is approximately 1 hour 15) or Braga by train €11.00 (journey time is approximately 1 hour).
Six bridges boat trip (Porto) €18
Serralves Museum (Porto) €24
Gulbenkian Museum (Lison) €11

Clothing

Lightweight cotton clothing is best from June to September, light rainwear may be needed at any time of year, but especially after the start of September, and a warm fleece/light jacket is recommended for cooler evenings.

Footwear

Walking shoes or boots are strongly recommended for the walks in the countryside and in the towns, ideally waterproof just in case.

Luggage

20kg

Luggage: On tour

One main piece of luggage and a daypack. We recommend a bag you are happy to wheel and lift as we use a variety of public transport and taxis on this tour. A daypack is essential for the walks in the towns and countryside. Remember you are expected to carry your own baggage - so don't overload yourself.

Equipment

During the summer months we recommend you bring a sunhat, sunglasses and sunscreen. A water bottle is recommended. The terrain in Portugal is hilly so you may also find walking poles useful.

Tipping

Explore leader
Tipping isn't compulsory, and we work hard to ensure that our leaders all receive a fair wage. You may however, want to recognise a leader that has done a great job or really added to your trip by giving them a tip. We're often asked about the recommended amount. It is a tricky one, and down to personal preference, but we would recommend £20 to £25 per person per week as a guideline.

Local crew
Although voluntary, tipping is a recognised part of life in this region of the world. Some local staff will look to members of the group for personal recognition of particular services provided. Accordingly, you should allow approximately £25 of local currency for tipping. In order to make things easier for you, the Explore Leader may organise a group's tips kitty and if this is the case, they will account for it throughout the trip.

Portugal

Food and drink

The costs for meals may vary depending upon location, type of restaurant and number of courses eaten and so the prices given are an average guide. Local restaurants located off the beaten track may be less expensive, whereas an upmarket restaurant located in the centre of a major city may charge more.


Lunch price
£15.00 - 20.00
Dinner price
£25.00 - 30.00
Beer price
£3.00 - 4.00 depending on your location, well touristed areas are usually slightly more expensive.
Water price
£2.00
Foreign Exchange
Local currency
Euro.
Recommended Currency For Exchange
Take the majority of your spending money in Euros cash.
Where To Exchange
We recommend that you change any currency into Euros prior to arrival. Bureau de Change are generally only found in major cities and large airports.
ATM Availability
Cash-point machines are available in all major towns. Bankcards with the Cirrus logo are accepted.
Credit Card Acceptance
Visa and Mastercard are generally accepted in larger restaurants and some shops.
Transport, Accommodation, Food & Drink

Transport Information

Bus, Public Bus, Taxi, Train

Accommodation notes

During our tour of Portugal, we stay in comfortable-grade accommodation. We choose our accommodation based on location, authenticity and comfort to bring us closer to our destination.
In general, comfortable-grade accommodation is three-star equivalent with good amenities such as en-suite bathrooms, WiFi and air-conditioning. Hotels will usually have extra facilities such as a swimming pool or restaurant. For the confirmed accommodation for your departure, please refer to your final documents.

Portugal

Food and drink

Can you drink the water? 
It is generally possible to drink the local tap water, therefore to reduce the need for single-use plastic bottles we recommend you bring a refillable water bottle with you. Your leader will advise you on refill points each day. 

Essential Information

Government Travel Safety Advice

We strongly recommend that you check your government's travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination's safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs. Relevant government website links for UK, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens are available on our Travel Safety page.

If you'd like some inital information on country-specific entry requirements, such as visas or any health declaration forms, please refer to our Entry Requirements page.  The services and information on this page are provided by a third party, and so we will still recommend that you cross check this against your government website for the latest advice.
 

Under 18 immigration guidance

Please note that some countries require proof of parental consent when travelling overseas with under 18s. Please check requirements with the relevant embassy or consular office well in advance of travel if this applies to your party.

Price Guarantee

Once your booking has been confirmed we guarantee the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. However, please note that if you voluntarily make any changes to your booking including changing your trip or departure date, any additional costs or charges incurred will not be covered. Before booking please ensure you have read our important tour pricing information.Booking Conditions
 

Visa and Passport Information

Portugal: Visas are not required by UK, Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian citizens.

Other nationalities should consult their local embassy or consular office.


If you do require assistance in obtaining a visa then you may be able to apply through Explore's recommended visa service in the UK, Travcour. See www.travcour.com to download the relevant visa application for your trip, if applicable (UK citizens only), along with details of how to apply for your visa through Travcour. The Team at Travcour will be happy to answer specific questions relating to visa applications, please call them directly on 0208 5431846.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, with the correct validity for your chosen destination.
 

Booking conditions

Before booking your Explore trip, please ensure that you read both our Essential Information and Booking Conditions.
 

Minimum age restrictions

For our group tours, the minimum age is 16. The minimum age on Family trips varies between 7 and 11 - please check the 'Family information' section of the trip page for more information. 


Your safety and enjoyment on tour

We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable holiday, so we ask you to confirm when booking this trip that you are fit and able to fully participate in all elements of the itinerary. If you have any concerns about your fitness or ability to complete any of the activities, please get in touch with our Customer Relations team at cr@explore.co.uk as soon as possible. Our tour leaders are trained and experienced in managing differing abilities within a group, but if they have concerns about a group member’s ability to safely participate in any element of the itinerary or believe someone’s presence could affect the safety or enjoyment of the holiday for others, in accordance with our Booking Conditions our tour leaders have the authority to ask an individual to miss an activity or activities. This decision would never be taken lightly, but on the rare occasions our tour leaders ask someone to sit out part of the tour, refunds will not be offered and individuals may be liable for additional costs incurred. 
 

Your Tour Leader

All tours aside from extensions, Galapagos cruises and polar expeditions will be led by one of our experienced Tour Leaders. We believe that our Tour Leaders are the key to the success of our tours; they are local experts who are bursting with first-hand knowledge which they love to share, and their unique insights will bring the destination to life. Your Tour Leader will be on hand throughout your tour to make sure arrangements run smoothly, to organise all the local logistics and to keep you safe. Your Tour Leader should be your first point of contact if you encounter any difficulties or disappointments in country – please raise any concerns, however small, with your Tour Leader as they are best placed to assist you.

Transfers

Find out more about Trip Transfer Terms and Conditions before you book.

Booking a land only package with Explore

Customers who have chosen to book on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements of our tour, please ensure that you have checked your tour specific ‘Joining Instructions’ prior to booking your own travel arrangements. Your joining instructions can be found below in the dates and prices information. 

You may also be eligible for the Free Explore Transfer.


Joining Tour Abroad

Customers booked on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements will receive a Free Transfer, provided you arrive and depart on the tour only itinerary start and end dates. The complimentary transfers will be arranged from the Explore designated airport or train station to your trips joining point, and then back from the ending point to the designated airport or train station. Generally the airport or station that Explore have selected will be the one that is closest to the town or city where the trip starts, or the one nearest to the joining point. It will be either an airport or train station but not both.

The exception to this rule is customers who are booked on a tour where the joining and ending point is at the designated airport or train station.  

Free transfers are not available for Polar customers.

If you are not eligible for the Free Transfer then you will need to make your own way through to the joining and ending point. On a majority of our tours Explore will be able to provide a private transfer at an additional cost. Please ask for a quote at the time of booking.  

For more information regarding the Explore Free Transfer click here

Insurance

It is a condition of booking with Explore that you have adequate valid travel insurance. It is your responsibility to arrange appropriate travel insurance and ensure you have read and understood the full terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered for all activities you intend to undertake whilst on the tour, including all optional activities. Your Insurance Policy must fully cover you for medical expenses and emergency repatriation to your home country. Please ensure your policy includes medical emergency helicopter evacuation in the event of illness or injury and covers the entire duration of your holiday. If you are trekking at altitude please ensure that there is no upper altitude limit which may limit or exclude cover for your trip. The cost of many of our Polar Voyages will exceed the capped amount covered by standard insurance premiums and you will be required to pay an additional premium to cover the full value of your trip. Please ensure that you are covered for the full amount of your holiday cost, as insufficient cover could invalidate a claim under the policy. Medical and repatriation insurance cover is not mandatory for UK residents who are travelling on trips within the United Kingdom.
Read more information about what travel insurance is required.

Flight information

Explore can arrange your flights for you, to make joining and leaving our trips easy. Read more about them here.


Flight Information

You are able to book this tour on a 'land only' basis or as a ‘flight inclusive’ package. Your flight inclusive package will be fully protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ATOL protection scheme.

 

Booking a flight inclusive package with Explore

We have a good selection of flights not only from London but from many regional airports around the UK allowing us to compare fares between scheduled carriers as well as low cost and charter airlines. Our dedicated flights team will match the best flight options to your arrival and departure airport.

On our website we display the price of the tour only. Please call us or select the flight option during the online checkout to receive a quote for a flight inclusive package. To avoid paying supplements or to secure your preferred flight option, we recommend booking as early as possible, especially for peak travel dates.

Included activities

This trip is designed to acquaint you with the highlights of Portugal in just 8 days. We make the most of our time by using a mix of public transport and charter buses to travel between the cities and in order for you to experience the journey like the locals do. Once we're in the cities our explorations are mostly done on foot, the terrain can be hilly and uneven so please bring sensible footwear and be prepared for the busy nature of this enthralling holiday.

Ability to swim

No

Portugal

Vaccinations

Nothing compulsory but Tetanus is usually recommended as a precaution. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by on the NaTHNaC website and from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.

Discovery information
Award Winning Explore Leaders
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Price Guarantee Promise
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Airport Transfers
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