A Luxury Private Journey
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Storied cities, sun-drenched scenes and friendly locals are just part of the reason Portugal is one of Europe’s hottest destinations right now. Amongst its vibrant cities, whitewashed villages and Moorish walled towns, admire architectural tributes to the country’s most celebrated navigators, savour hearty Portuguese cuisine and see what makes the perfect port.
This is an Abercrombie & Kent private journey and can be tailor-made to fit with your travel dates and built around your desires.
Highlights
- Gaze upon white-domed cathedrals and meander through grand plazas and narrow cobblestone lanes in some of Europe's oldest and most beautiful cities.
- Savour the best of Lisbon's culinary delights on an evening foodie tour
- Explore quaint hilltop towns overflowing with World Heritage sites
- Visit leading wineries in the Douro Valley, one of the oldest wine regions in the world
- Wander through Porto's atmospheric Ribeira neighbourhood
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Lisbon
Welcome to the Portuguese capital and transfer to your hotel in the bohemian Bairro Alto neighbourhood.
Accommodation: Bairro Alto Hotel (Classic Tejo)
Day 2
Lisbon
Explore the Belém district crowned by the magnificent World Heritage listed Jerónimos Monastery, commissioned to celebrate Vasco da Gama’s discovery of a sea route to India in 1498. Visit the iconic Belém Tower and pause to sample the country’s famous custard tarts. Afterwards, visit the National Coach Museum. An evening of culinary indulgence starting with a Portuguese apéritif before stopping at Mercado da Ribeira to sample traditional hams, cheeses and petiscos – small portions! Finish with port and sweet treats at the beautiful Opera House.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Bairro Alto Hotel (Classic Tejo)
Day 3
Lisbon – Monserrate & Sintra – Lisbon
Head out the city today. In Monserrate, tour the wonderful gardens of the palace then continue to Sintra, a World Heritage site, to visit the National Palace, a former royal residence.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Bairro Alto Hotel (Classic Tejo)
Day 4
Lisbon – Arrabida National Park – Évora
After a leisurely morning, make your way to Sesimbra, a pretty fishing town set in a protected bay. It is dominated by the Moorish castle that the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques, took in 1165. After lunch at leisure take a short walk in the Arrábida Nature Park known for its scenic beauty, the blue of the sea, the green of the mountains and the white chalky cliffs. Stop near Vila Fresca de Azeitão, an area known for its Moscatel wines and sheep´s cheese before continuing to Évora.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: M’Ar De AR Aqueduto (Classic Room)
Day 5
Évora
Travel to World Heritage listed Évora to explore this museum city whose roots date back to Roman times. Visit the Pousada de Loios and admire the spectacular glazed tiles before wandering past the Roman Temple of Diana, the Municipal Museum and the 12th century cathedral. Continue to the ‘Chapel of Bones’ in the 16th century Royal Church of St. Francis.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: M’Ar De AR Aqueduto (Classic Room)
Day 6
Évora – Coimbra
Make your way towards Tomar whose historic centre is best experienced on foot. Explore the 12th century Castle-Convent of Christ and stroll through the Renaissance town to Portugal’s oldest working synagogue. Arrive at your palace hotel in the whitewashed medieval town of Coimbra later today.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Quinta das Lágrimas Hotel (Deluxe Room)
Day 7
Coimbra
Once Portugal’s capital, the city of Coimbra has a rich past which reveals itself on a visit to the iconic Old University, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Founded in 1290, it is one of Europe’s oldest, featuring the superb Joanina Library, with its grand Rococo design, the Manueline chapel and a beautiful ceremonial hall. Afterwards stroll down the narrow medieval streets lined with shops and cafés, past a Roman crypto-portico below the Bishop’s Palace, to Se Velha, the Romanesque Cathedral and ancient city centre. Here, wander through a warren of enclosed streets and squares to the River Mondego.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Quinta das Lágrimas Hotel (Deluxe Room)
Day 8
Coimbra – Viseu – Douro Valley
Leave Coimbra behind and head to the breathtaking Douro Valley. En route make a stop in Viseu, a bustling town with historical buildings set high on a plateau near the famous Dao vineyards. Explore the city at your own pace and have lunch at leisure.
Arrive at the Six Senses mid-afternoon.
With three World Heritage Sites recognised by UNESCO, there is no shortage of reasons to visit the Douro Valley, one of the most stunning landscapes in all of Portugal. Medieval relics, soaring bell towers, extravagant Baroque churches and stately Beaux-Arts buildings piled on top of each other line the riverbanks of the valley’s major city, Porto – and, just across the river, Vila Nova de Gaia is a hub of commercial activity. Head upstream along the Douro River to the Alto Douro wine region, boasting stunning landscapes, excellent cuisine and vast vineyards. Here there has been evidence of wine production for more than two thousand years, but it was only in 1756 that the demarcated Douro Region was created and local wine production became internationally recognised. Nowadays, modernity and folklore go hand in hand, as the old traditions of squashing the grapes by foot are juxtaposed with the chic hotels that are sprinkled throughout the region.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Six Senses Resort Douro Valley (Superior Room)
Day 9
Douro Valley
Soak up the stunning valley surrounds and explore the terraced vine-clad landscape stopping at a hand-picked winery for tasting of port and local table wines. Visit Pinhão, a picture-perfect town, to admire the historical glazed tiles of the railway station. Take a private boat this afternoon along the Douro River admiring the enchanting scenery as you pass.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Six Senses Resort Douro Valley (Superior Room)
Day 10
Douro Valley – Porto
Transfer to Porto, Portugal’s vibrant and colourful second city teeming with medieval relics, soaring bell towers, extravagant Baroque churches and stately Beaux-Arts buildings. Some of Europe’s most graceful arched bridges span the gorge cut by the Douro River above. Porto’s fame, however, springs not from the beauty of its buildings but from the taste of its port wine. First extensively developed by English merchants in the early 18th century, the port industry still plays a major role in the city’s economy.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Intercontinental Porto – Palacio das Cardosas (Executive Room)
Day 12
Depart Porto
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Departures & Rates
Twin Share Per Person: from $11,470
Solo Traveller: on request
Depending on your preferred dates and arrangements, final pricing will vary from low season to peak season travel.
This is an Abercrombie & Kent private journey and can be tailor-made to fit with your travel dates and built around your desires.
Ask one of our Travel Specialists about Packaging Flights with your Tour and Save
*Rates are subject to availability and seasonality and may change without notice. Rates are based on two adults sharing. For solo travellers or single person occupancy rates or further information on terms and conditions, please contact our Travel Specialists at time of booking.
Accommodation
Barrio Alto Hotel, Lisbon
There’s no doubt that Bairro Alto is one of Lisbon’s most luxurious hotels. Named after the lively and fashionable Barrio Alto district in the heart of downtown, the boutique hotel is overlooks Luis de Camões – Lisbon’s main square – in a restored 19th century building resplendent in primrose yellow, with wrought iron balconies and stunning views of the Rio Tejo. The location is ideal for exploring Lisbon’s creative district; nestled in a central spot, it’s the perfect place from which to discover the rest of the city. The arty neighborhood of Bairro Alto is a pretty jumble of cobbled alleyways, home to countless galleries, trendy restaurants and live music spots.
Inside, the hotel’s décor is a juxtaposition of glamorous urban style with traditional architecture and furnishings from Portugal. The spacious rooms and suites are full of light and colour; our favourite rooms are the Mansard rooms in the fifth floor, making use of the unique attic space with slanted ceilings and wooden beams: perfect for a romantic getaway. Beautifully outfitted in Ralph Lauren wallpapers, the Mansard rooms have Virginia Mota watercolours and Nuno Cera photographs adorning the walls. In total there are 55 spacious guestrooms, including four suites. For the ultimate peace and quiet, we recommend the rooms that face onto sleepy Flores Street.
On the top floor a breezy terrace peers down over the city with fantastic views across the red rooftops. It’s the perfect place to relax with pre-dinner cocktails. The sophisticated atmosphere of Café Bar has become a hot spot for locals with live music and DJ sets at the weekends; each of the bar’s three floors has a different personality, from cosy and intimate Mezzanine, to the cosmopolitan ground floor and the relaxing Igloo Lounge. Located on the ground floor is the highly acclaimed Flores Restaurant, a typical bairro kitchen specialising in traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Light lunches, sandwiches and snacks, including the famous Caesar Salad, can also be enjoyed at the terrace.
Six Senses Douro River Valley
Set high upon a sun-kissed hillside in Northern Portugal, Six Senses Douro Valley is a romantic 19th-century manor house which has been lovingly restored to its former glory. The valley is renowned as the oldest wine region in the world, where the tumbling vine-covered hillsides are scattered with quintas producing Portugal’s finest table wines and ports. The 57 rooms range from Superior, Deluxe and Quinta rooms to one, two or three-bedroom suites and spacious villas, some with their own private pool. The interiors reflect the typical Six Senses elegant style, combining modern luxury with highlights from a past era. Nestled among over eight hectares of cultural landscape, many of the rooms afford stunning views across the winding River Douro as it cuts through the emerald valley below.
Outside, verdant gardens surround a tennis court and an outdoor swimming pool where you can kick back on comfy sun loungers with a cocktail in hand while grazing on delicious tapas from the pool bar. The Wine Library & Terrace is also a blissful spot to soak up an authentic Douro Valley experience while sipping on a delicious glass of wine, or alternatively, head to the Six Senses Spa for a treatment in one of the 20 private rooms. A true highlight to any stay, the signature spa offers a range with locally-inspired therapies, heated indoor pool and outdoor pools and a gym. The resort also offers the Six Senses Visiting Practitioner Program featuring over 100 of the world’s most reputed health and wellness healers, practitioners and experts.
Dining here is a true a celebration of the region with much of the produce coming from the verdant valley and surrounding countryside, including an organic vegetable and herb garden on site. The Restaurant, open throughout the day, showcases a seasonal menu and offers daily cooking classes to learn to finer points of preparing Portuguese cuisine, whereas the Dining Room affords an intimate atmosphere and offers the best in regional cuisine. We love the pop-up destination dining where you can enjoy a meal beside the river or tucked into the woods – the location and menu are kept secret until the last minute which makes for a delightful surprise.
InterContinental Porto, Palacio das Cardosas
Set in an 18th-century former palace overlooking the bustling Avenida dos Aliados, this upscale hotel is ideally located, close to many of of the city’s main attractions, including the Clérigos Tower and Sé do Porto cathedral.
Featuring high ceilings and marble bathrooms, the elegant rooms boast beautifully restored interiors. For those looking for extra space, suites add sitting areas with pull-out sofas, and some have separate living rooms and split-level layouts.
For the gourmets, the on-site Astoria Restaurant presents traditional Mediterranean and Portuguese cuisine with international flair using local, seasonal ingredients. On summer days, you can dine alfresco on the terrace, savouring a delicious meal as the sun shines on the breathtaking surrounds.
The elegant Cardosas Bar showcases superb cocktails and fabulous port wines in refined surrounds. Decorated is in the grand style of a traditional British library, arrive for afternoon tea and you can sample a selection of pastries as you take in the magnificent view over the city centre. With a fully equipped spa, indulge in a relaxing massage, or beauty treatment, leaving you refreshed and ready to explore the best that Porto has to offer.
M’AR De AR Aqueduto
M’AR de AR Aqueduto is a 5-star hotel in the centre of UNESCO heritage -listed Évora, an adaptation of the 15th century Sepulveda family palace, whose splendid chapel and vaulted ceilings were preserved in this magnificent hotel.
64 elegantly appointed rooms offer views of the monumental Agua de Prata Aqueduct (silver water aqueduct), or gorgeous hotel gardens. Some offer terraces, to relax after a long day exploring, and the decadent spa rooms are equipped with hydro-massage tubs and ample terraces opening to the on-site orange orchard.
Savour flavourful Portuguese and Mediterranean cuisine at the Restaurant Degust’AR, or the more relaxed Degust’AR Bistro, led by renowned chef António Nobre. Visit the on-site Bar Aqueduto to sample a selection of Portuguese wines and drops from abroad, while drinking in spectacular views of the iconic aqueduct.
