Summary
Short description
Combine cities, countryside and coast with luxury stays, private tours and First Class travel
Highlights
- Luxuriate with First Class rail travel and the services of private drivers
- Stay in three palaces – some of Portugal’s most iconic
- Compare Lisbon and Porto on personalised private tours
- Taste your way through the Douro Valley’s award-winning vineyards
- Sip cocktails on a pool terrace that juts onto Madeira’s paradise coast
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
City | Food & wine | History & culture | Relaxation
Between historic cities, an island getaway, and the wines and castles of its spectacular countryside, this is your chance to showcase the best that Portugal has to offer. You’ll see it all in style, staying in some of Portugal’s finest hotels, enjoying private tours tailored around you and being treated to the services of private drivers and First Class rail travel. Compare the fascinating heritage of Porto and Lisbon to the fine wines of the Douro Valley, the sun of Madeira and the storybook palaces of mountainous Sintra.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
Lisbon
Begin your trip with complimentary airport lounge access before your flight to the Portuguese capital. On arrival, you’ll transfer to your home for the next three nights – the Palacio da Anunciada. You can expect the finest in spa treatments, gourmet dining and luxury rooms furnished in a historic, luxurious style. You’ll also enjoy a privileged location in the historic city centre, with Estoril’s beaches and Lisbon’s heritage delights both within easy reach.
Stay: The One, Palacio da Anunciada, Lisbon (Deluxe)
Day
2
Lisbon
Today, you’ll be met at your accommodation for a half-day city tour. Highlights include the 16th-century Belém Tower, built on a small island in the Tagus River, and the nearby Jerónimos Monastery. Another World Heritage Site, it's one of the most prominent examples of Portuguese Manueline extravagance. And, after sampling some of Lisbon's finest Portuguese tapas, you’ll work it all off with a climb up to one of the hills above the city to explore the historic neighbourhoods of Graça, Castel and Alfama.
Stay: The One, Palacio da Anunciada, Lisbon (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
3
Sintra & the Coast
After being met again by a private car, escape the hubbub of the city on a half-day excursion to Sintra – the favourite summer residence of the Portuguese kings for more than 500 years. It’s here that you’ll find exotic gardens, 1,000-year-old Moorish castles and a UNESCO-listed centre, replete with colourful manor houses and palaces. It’s all caught up in a world of rolling foothills and towering mountains. You’ll then travel along the coast to Cabo da Roca. As the westernmost point of mainland Europe, it’s home to such pretty coastal towns as Cascais and Estoril where white sands front rolling vineyards and idyllic promenade walks.
Stay: The One, Palacio da Anunciada, Lisbon (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
4-5
Porto
Travel First Class on a train to Porto and make your way to your luxury accommodation – The Yeatman. Found within historic Vila Nova de Gaia, a district that lines the south side of the Douro River. It’s here that port houses have aged their valuable wine for over three centuries. Rooms combine contemporary furnishings with pieces borrowed from various museums around the city. Facilities include indoor and outdoor infinity pools.
You'll be treated to the likes of Porto's grand Romanesque cathedral and its neoclassical Stock Exchange, and the giant views of the Eiffel-tower-inspiring iron bridge that will bring you to Gaia – a merchant’s district where cellars still host port tastings. To round things off, you'll join an hour-long boat trip on the Douro River taking in views of the city from the water and getting a close-up look at its six distinctive bridges.
Stay: The Yeatman, Porto (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
6
Douro Valley
Today you’ll dip into Porto’s prestigious surrounds – the Douro Valley. Wine has been produced here for some 2,000 years, with its famous fortified varietal rising to fame in the 18th century. These strong viticultural traditions have seen its rolling hills terraced into pretty vineyards, reflecting in the green-gold shimmer of the Douro River. It's the perfect setting for your full-day tour, which begins with a scenic train journey from Pinhão to Tua in the upper Douro. Then, having paused to take in the views, you'll return along the river by boat, passing through impossibly scenic landscapes on your way to a wine tasting at a 17th-century estate.
Stay: The Yeatman, Porto (Deluxe)
Meals: B L
Days
7-10
Madeira
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Madeira where you'll be met and taken to the legendary Quinta Jardins do Lago – a luxury classic hidden among clifftop tropical gardens. You'll also want to head out and explore, making the most of the island's year-round sun. Discover rolling vineyards, stunning snorkel spots, charming fishing villages and 600 miles of walking trails, many following the island's historic levada aqueducts.
Stay: Quinta Jardins do Lago, Madeira (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
11
Departure
Your last private transfer will see you to Funchal Airport in time for your onward flight.
Meals: B
Map
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
11-day tailor-made holiday
from £2,860 pp
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