10 Days Private Tour in Portugal from Lisbon

On the first day its time to visit Lisbon, we will start the visit at the part of Lisbon the “Park of Nations” place where in 1998, the city received the world fair that was inspired in the Portuguese golden age, period of the Portuguese maritime expansion.

A completely new architecture and functional, the great exemple the Oriente Station work of the Spanish architect Mr. Calatrava. A part of Lisbon that needed urgent rehabilitation, with destroyed factories and a lot of trash, became a new district, with new population mainly of the upper middle class, since the houses there are expensive.

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Them we will visit the oldest Lisbon, district, Alfama an ancient Arab Medina, with its narrow streets and alleys,.

In Alfama we will feel the Portuguese authenticity, where started to be sung Fado the typical melancholy music, singing about Saudade, this so Portuguese misture of feelings.

30 minutes•Entrée libre

Possible visit to Saint George Castle, the best example of the Arabic period in Portugal, not far from there the Lisbon Cathedral ( built in the 12th century ) a great example of the Romanesque architecture.

The Saint Anthony’s Church the place where the this Portuguese holy matchmaker was born. Since there is no parking on the Saint George Castle, on this visit the guide will not escort the customer.

1 h 30 min•Entrée non incluse

"Baixa de Lisboa", the Lisbon most destroyed with the earthquake in 1755 we will try to understand the importance of the Pombaline architecture during the reconstruction of Lisbon in a completely different way, a wider area with many streets and squares predicting another earthquake, using new anti-seismic architecture already at the 18th century.

The statesman responsible for the Lisbon reconstruction was Marquis de Pombal, made also the economic and social changes that were needed in such a troubled period.

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Uprise the Liberty Avenue we will reach the center of Lisbon, the Marquis de Pombal square, next by the Eduardo VII Park.

The park will revive us the memory about the different treaties between Portugal and England and how importance of this relationship in Brazil.

30 minutes•Entrée libre

Lisbon is known as the city of the seven hills, proof of this will be the other hill the Bairro Alto, along with Chiado.

Bairro Alto is the most bohemian district of Lisbon with numerous restaurants and bars, while in Chiado the culture prevails, since it is the district of Lisbon with more theaters as well as the oldest bookstores of the modern world.

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In Belem the region that personifies the epic of the Portuguese Discoveries with several monuments classified Cultural Patrimony of the Humanity by Unesco such as the Jerónimos Monastery and Torre de Belém of the Manueline style in an urban set unique in the world and also, more modern the Monument of the Discoveries and the Imperio square complete the sense of grandeur of the times of the Great Portuguese Empire.

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All this in a pleasant place next to the Tagus River with green spaces and unique atmosphere with marinas and sailing clubs and still a cycle path where the pure air of the sea competes with the beauty of the view. You will not want to miss the Pastels of Bethlehem, this secret and magical recipe that makes us smile and attracts millions of people every year.

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Sintra the Aristocracy paradise, we will discover the charm of the narrow alleys and the typical and regional products stores, letting yourself be taken to the Piriquita pastry where the famous sweets ” Queijadas de Sintra and “Travesseiros de Sintra” are waiting for you.

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The choice of which palace ( or palaces ) to visit its just yours, the guide will suggest that it is best for you to visit between

“Quinta da Regaleira”a palace from the XIX. although it seems to be older, with a decoration that impresses, rich in Masonic symbolism, Moorish Castle a testimony of the Islamic presence in the region, built between the 8th and 9th centuries and enlarged after the Reconquest or why not the Pena Palace, a fantastical and revivalist reconstruction, to the taste of nineteenth-century romanticism, which was owed to the passion and imagination of the artist D. Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, consort of D. Maria II.

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The geological formation of ”Cabo da Roca”is also known among the sites as “The Snout of the Rock”, others prefer to call it a poetic way “Promontory of the Moon,”, the beauty of this place is imaginable. With thousands of visitors every year, Roca Cape was mentioned by the Portuguese poet Camoes in “Os Lusíadas”, In his words this was the place “where the Earth ends and the sea begins”, part of the Natural Park of Sintra-Cascais and from there it is possible to put on the shoes and follow the ecological rails of the Serra de Sintra.

30 minutes•Entrée libre

The visit to “Boca do Inferno”, where we can easily understand the magnificence of this place, with the erosion exerted by the strong action of the rain containing dissolved carbon dioxide, causes the carbonate to dissolve and through this process, cavities and caves are formed inside the limestones, with a fall of the upper layers of the cave was destroyed, leaving a large cavity.

In days of agitated sea you can observe the waves crashing inside the rocks, a cave that combines its natural beauty with the rough sea, a very beautiful place, where you can enjoy a divine landscape and perhaps one of the best sunsets, being only overshadowed by infrequent suicides committed on its dangerous and unprotected cliff.

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With its beautiful bay, Cascais is a very pleasant place to live or even for short vacations, full of small fishing boats, free time to explore the village, so recognized that it attracts thousands every year.

Close to Sintra mountain range, Cascais was during the nineteenth century, the chosen spot by the Portuguese royal family for holidays that eventually dragged the nobility, in the historic center, will find many shops and restaurants

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Time to explore Cascais this ancient fisherman´s village turned into a beautiful and cosmopolitan beach resort, bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, next to it there´s Estoril, famous for its casino ( largest gambling room in Europe ) and by the fact of the Yan Fleming had lived there and wrote the first 007 nobel Casino Royale during the 2nd world war.

Time to get to Lisbon enjoying breathtaking ocean scenery along the coast.

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Visit to a Cork factory, Cork is the bark of the cork oak, a kind of oak, a bark with great characteristics, is light, elastic and resistant to fire among others, each year the bark grows, however, only after nine to nine years it must be removed from the tree, being able to reach 25 centimeters of thickness, defenitively an excellent protection for the tree against the heat, cold and fires, after removing the tree forms a new bark.

Portugal is responsible for 55% of world cork production, valued worldwide for decorative cork coatings on walls and floors, the manufacture of sporting goods being even the ideal material for the kernels of baseball or the cable of fishing rods. However, cork is best known for being the cork raw material, since it allows very small amounts of oxygen in contact with the wine, without spoiling the aging process.

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Time now to enjoy Evora, explore this beautiful medieval village that make fall in love thousands of people every year, being the ex-libris will be the Church of San Francisco, especially the Bones Chapel, clothed with skulls and bones of 500 monks, attracting thousands every year and proclaiming “We bones, here we are, for yours we will wait” at the entrance of the it.

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Now let's visit the city center, Giraldo Square, where you find traditional shops, handicraft shops, restaurants and more.

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A visit to the Temple of Diana its a must, which justifies the importance that Romans gave to Evora at the time, very close a beautiful viewpoint shows us the magnificent aqueduct, from the XVI outside the city walls and extending from the the city outskirts, some of its arches are still visible inside the city.

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Time visit and tasting to a local winery, to understand whole process from the vineyards, the vintage, the production of wine until bottling.

This region produces unique wines, its climate (hot and dry) makes it indispensable to use drip system in the vineyard, the sun with its soils and reliefs create a perfect maturation to the grapes.

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On our fourth day we leave Lisbon an have the first visit to Obidos (UNESCO’s world heritage site), Obidos inhabited since the Paleolithic mainly because its excellent location ( by the sea and a Lagoon ) the Phoenicians here were as well as the Romans.

The first Portuguese king, D. Afonso Henriques, conquered Obidos to the Moors, belonged to the defensive pentagon (of the five castles), from the center of the kingdom, idealized by the Templars. The huge earthquake of 1755 made the village feel strong, knocking down parts of the wall, as well as some temples and buildings, and altered unfortunately some aspects of the layout and the Arab and medieval. Here we will discovery of one of the most famous and appreciated Portuguese liqueurs, the Obidos “ginja”, prepared?

1 h 30 min•Entrée libre

Time to go to Sanctuary of Fatima, we will them find three places of interest where you can attend a mass ( optional ), the Chapel of the Apparitions, the first Chapel to be built immediately following the apparitions occupying a prominent place, not by size or grandeur, but yes by the location, practically in the center of the Sanctuary.

30 minutes•Entrée libre

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, built in 1928 in Neo Baroque style, it houses today the tombs of the children, but also the tomb of Sister Lucia who passed away in 2005, and the Basilica of Santissima Trindade, built in 2007 with more than 8000 seats and 40,000 m² of area was designed by the Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, a modern and quite imposing church.

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Coimbra´s downtown situated, between the Mondego river and the University, a lovely sidewalk street where you can relax and get lost in this charming city narrow streets and beautiful alleys, and squares, you will find countless cafes, pastry shops and restaurants. Rich in culture and with an unforgettable gastronomy, this area has been the commercial center of the city for hundreds if not thousands of years, maintaining its genuine atmosphere and unique personality.

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Visit by the Coimbra´s University ( oldest in Europe ) with it´s highlight the Joanine library, built in the XVIII century on the former prison of the University, simply one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, Its decoration was only finished, close to the XVIII century, the renovation it, on the ceiling the frescoes were executed by Mestre António Ribeiro and Vicente Nunes, and the portrait of Dom Joao V was done by the Italian Domenico Dupra.

After visit the library we will continue visiting Coimbra´s University and visit other interesting places like; Saint Michel Chapel, “sala dos Capelos”, the “cabra” tower between others.

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We leave Coimbra to Oporto, but on the way will visit Aveiro known as the Portuguese Venice, where we will suggest you a boat ride on a “Moliceiro”to get to know and understand the 3 kilometers of canals that made the support of the city itself, be it moliça (a seaweed used in agriculture and for pharmaceutical purposes), as well as Salt.

The market of Aveiro a construction in wrought iron and glass very to the type of Gustavo Eiffel and to the innumerable buildings Art New all cataloged what they reveal the importance and even the wealth of this city.

1 h 30 min•Entrée libre

In Costa Nova we will visit original haystacks constructed with local materials, rising on stakes set in the dry sand with the exterior plank arranged horizontally and painted bright red, saluting the sea with color and energy, helping fishermen to find their haystacks on very foggy days. The interior space was ample, without any division, fulfilling its function of being nothing more than a warehouse.

Over the years, some fishermen began to transform the haystacks by adapting them to accommodation spaces that began to accommodate families during the summer season.

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Boat ride in Aveiro Canals

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The fantastic Lello Bookstore (considered by CNN to be the most beautiful in the world) where JK Rowling who was married to a Portuguese and lived in the city, get inspiration to write Harry Potter nobel, being its staircase the main attraction, people from all over the world come to visit the bookstore searching for books, and also to understand the universe that inspired the creator of the history of the world’s best known magician, very close to Carmo Church and Carmelites and the Paris Galleries where the city comes alive every night.

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We will continue towards the center of the city, making a visit the Cordoaria Garden, the Victoria District (last Jewish quarter), the symbol of this city: the Clérigos Tower.

Built in 1754, the Tower is 75 meters high and at the time it was the tallest building in the city of Porto.

30 minutes•Entrée non incluse

Avenida dos Aliados (Avenue of the Allies), the city´s focal point, where everything happens, from manifestations to celebrations, famous and largest avenue in Oporto where we see dazzling architectural examples of granite buildings decorated with domes and sculptures that are the envy of other big European capitals.

This is the center of the city where Oporto’s imposing City Hall, built at the beginning of the 20th century, is located. Next, we will visit the city’s major market place “Bolhão market” known for the extravagant way that the vendors have of selling by crying out their daily fresh products: flowers, vegetables, fish, etc. From here we head on to “Rua de Santa Catarina”, the shopping district of the city, aligned with magnificent shops whose windows are more than appealing to the eye of the visitor. It is also here that we will find the famous Majestic Café, a meeting place for Porto’s high society, intellectuals and bohemian artists. The Majestic is considered the most beautiful coffee in Portugal and one of the most enchanting in the world, entrenched with the glamour of the “Belle Époque” time period.

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Visit the Sao Bento train station, where the 20 thousand tiles of the Portuguese artist Jorge Colaco will take us on a journey through Portuguese History and the Douro and Minho traditions, a true open book that awaits us to show us the true experiences of this beautiful city.

30 minutes•Entrée libre

Oporto Cathedral which began construction in the 12th century, one the city’s oldest monuments built in the Romanesque style architecture and its location, high above the city, is a perfect place to see the fantastic views of the Douro River and the bridges that join its margins

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The San Francisco Church built in the 12th century in a Romanesque architecture later transformed into Gothic and later Baroque, three naves full of golden carvings, in which is estimated to have been used over 300 kilos of gold.

The Jesse Tree is another of it´s great attractions, a polychrome wood sculpture considered one of the best in the world.

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In the Bolsa Palace, built in the 19th century in a neoclassical style and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the “Patio das Naçoes” or the Arab Hall is the main attraction, with decorative stucco with marquetry floors and inlaid coats and heraldic representations and lovely sculptures.

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Crossing D. Luiz I Bridge, we will arrive at Gaia, where a boat trip of approximately 50 minutes can be a great option, a different way of seeing Oporto.

Now the most awaited visit, the visit to a Wine Cellar, where the famous port wine is being aged, so that it can be taken and tasted all over the world.

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Then the best Oporto view through the Serra do Pilar Monastery, World Heritage by the Unesco, its construction started t in 1538, with an unusual shape, circular plant, a replica of the church of Santa Maria Redonda in Rome, 100 steps will take you to the dome, which surrounds the church.

30 minutes•Entrée non incluse

The historic city of Guimaraes the first capital of Portugal, It is also called the “cradle” of the Portuguese nationality.

It was here that in 1143, the first king of Portugal, Afonso I, started conquering the lands from the Moors and organized and formed the second oldest country in Europe.

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Its the medieval castle, the most important one in Portugal, very close by, the Bragança’s Ducal Palace, the royal family that governed Portugal from 1640 to 1910.

Leisure time to discover the historical center of this wonderful city which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, exploring there medieval streets and squares discovering the charm of its buildings carved in granite, the shops selling typical regional products and its cafés and restaurants serving local gastronomic specialities.

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Time to visit Braga, today a modern flourishing city, but where you can feel the ancient roman and medieval past, known as the city of bishops because of its strong religious roots, was once the headquarters of the most important diocese in the Iberia Peninsula.

Nowadays it is one of the wealthiest Portuguese cities with a solid base of local industries and a commercial center that rivals the two largest cities in Portugal, Lisbon and Oporto.

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The biggest attractions of the city, such as the Episcopal Palace with its gardens, the Largo and the Church of the Cross, and finally the Republic Square where you can feel the pulse of this vibrant city.

We will visit its Cathedral, where the cross used for the first mass in Brazil is kept, admire its magnificent tube organs, visit the upper choir and the mortuary chapels of some bracarense archbishops where we will find the tombs of the fathers of the first Portuguese king (D. Afonso Henriques).

30 minutes•Entrée non incluse

Now we drive uphill to visit the “jewel of the crown”, the Bom Jesus Sanctuary, the marvel of the baroque period.

Starting by climbing (or not) the 581 steps and to let ourselves get spiritually involved by its chapels that tell us the story of the Via Sacra (Stations of the Cross) and relax in its green gardens. Built in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with various architectural styles between the Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical, with several chapels of the Via Sacra and the Church, a monumental staircase punctuated by statues and symbolic sources, this model had wide repercussions in Portugal and Brazil.

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Today is time to leave Oporto, our first stop will be Amarante, Amarante, a small town where the splendor of its history will capture the imagination.

The Tamega River, a tributary of the Douro River, runs through the town and gives it a special attraction, there´s crystal waters mirror the lush vegetation of the two margins crossed by a large arched granite medieval bridge. We will visit the Church of Saint Gonçalo, built in the 16th century, where the Saint lived and is buried.

1 h 30 min•Entrée libre

The view of Casal de Loivos

The view of Casal de Loivos is unique, a place not to be missed when visiting the Douro Valley, a perfect combination between man and nature the Douro Valley.

30 minutes•Entrée libre

Next we visit the Pinhao train station where the 24 tile panels show us the old artisanal way of winemaking in this region World heritage Site by UNESCO since 2001.

The oldest demarcated wine region in the world, established in the 10th of September of 1756 by the Prime Minister of Portugal at the time, Marquis de Pombal.

30 minutes•Entrée libre

And now the reason that brought us to the Douro Valley, a visit and degustation in a Quinta ( a winemaker ), where we will make you understand whole process, from cultivation, pruning, harvesting, to the long-awaited final product of, the wine, surely at the end all will have the same opinion, how difficult it is to produce wine in this beautiful region.

1 h 30 min•Entrée non incluse

From Peso da Regua the “Rabelos”, name given to the boats that transported the Porto wine barrels from the vineyards, sailed to the docks of Gaia to be matured in the wine cellars there before being sold worldwide.

Nowadays it is major stop for Douro River cruises that visit the high Douro Valley and it is also a UNESCO world heritage site.

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We start our 9th day leaving the Douro Valley and visiting Serra da Estrela the highest point of Continental Portugal with 1993 meters high (65.387 feet). the most beautiful mountainous landscapes of the country.

Discover the immense beauty of the Portuguese mountains. In winter, enjoy skiing, snowboarding and sleighing, and in summer with the river beaches and the magnificent lagoons

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We find here the only ski resort in the country with the lowest temperatures in Portugal are usually recorded at the top of the Serra da Estrela.

Minimum temperatures occasionally reaching -20 °C (-04 farenheit) in winter. Here you can rent your equipment and try one of the different slopes.

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As such for this special day, if you so desire, we have for you a suggestion of a typical mountainside restaurant with a full course menu: Appetizers

Morcela, chorizo and cheese. 5 main dishes; wild rabbit, goat’s rice, lamb, suckling pig, veal and boar with beans. Desserts; Sweet rice, cream milk, curd with pumpkin jam and seasonal fruit. All you can drink beverages; house wine, water, sodas and juices. Coffee and digestives. All you can eat!!! All homemade style !!!

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Then arriving in Monsanto, known in Portugal as the most Portuguese village of whole Portugal.

We will spend the for overnight here, but before we will visit the castle and its historical center with a concentration of houses built inside the rocks, extremely fortified.

1 h 30 min•Entrée libre

On our 10th day of traveling allover Portugal we will leave Monsanto, having the first visit the base of the Order of the knights Templar in Portugal Tomar.

This Order gained fame in Portugal when the Knight Gualdim Pais was instructed by the founder of the Templars in Jerusalem, Hugo of Payens to establish the first Templar headquarters in Europe. Thus, the city of Tomar was born as a replica of the Holy City of Jerusalem and on its dominant hill, the Convent of Christ is built overlooking the city.

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Visiting the Templars Castle/ Convent of Christ is traveling into time and understand the strength and prestige of this military order in Portugal.

With the Order extinction in 1311 the Portuguese King Dinis delivered the castle and all there patrimony to the Order of Christ. Latter the earthquake of 1755 in Portugal, caused several damages in its structure and during the following century was altered, which adulterated the austerity of its initial.

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Another importance place to visit will be the church of Santa Maria do Olival, built in the 12th century and was the headquarter of the Order of the Templars, classified as National Monument in 1910 and is one of the most emblematic examples of Gothic art in Portugal. Here the city funder Gualdim Pais is buried as well as other Grand Masters of the Order, a Church that seems smaller than in reality is once buried two meters below the ground.

30 minutes•Entrée non incluse

Next we head in direction of Santarem, capital of Portuguese Gothic architecture, the city was founded by the Romans in the first century B.C., reaching its height of prosperity during the domain of the Moors.

Conquered by the first king of Portugal, Afonso I in 1147 and became the regional capital of the province of Ribatejo. We will visit the Church of Graça (13th century Gothic) where we can find the tomb of the great Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral, the discoverer of Brazil.

1 h 30 min•Entrée libre