Summary
Short description
This luxury break showcases the best of Portugal’s greatest cities with stays in historic, world-class accommodation
Highlights
- Compare Lisbon's tram-rattled streets with Porto’s medieval maze
- Make use of your hire car to explore the villages and vineyards of the Douro Valley
- Enjoy michelin-starred dining at one of the world's finest wine hotels
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
City | Food & wine | History & culture | Self-drive | Spa
This twin-centre break combines Portugal’s pair of city greats. You’ll compare Lisbon’s architectural wonders and medieval grandeur to the quieter charms of Porto, where evenings are whiled away with historic wine cellars and a riverside café culture. Link the two with a scenic drive, affording you the chance to explore the storybook castles of Sintra and the wines of the picturesque Douro Valley. You’ll also stay in some of the country’s finest accommodation, bedding down in a neoclassical palace in Lisbon and spending your nights in Porto’s most famous hotel and its Michelin-starred accompaniment.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
Arrive in Lisbon
Begin your trip by relaxing with your complimentary airport lounge access before your flight to Lisbon. On arrival, you’ll make your way to your luxurious accommodation – the only palace in central Lisbon. Here, opulent lounges host piano recitals and glass chandeliers illuminate stunning neoclassical architecture. And, centrally located, it’s ideal for exploring the city. Watch as Lisbon’s terracotta-roofed drama unfolds over seven hills, summiting terraces for views of the entire city and dipping into secluded courtyards that overlook medieval quarters.
Stay: The One, Palacio da Anunciada, Lisbon (Deluxe)
Days
2-3
Lisbon
With two full days in the city, you’ll have time to explore Lisbon’s collection of rich heritage, artistic beauty and gourmet indulgences. Perhaps make like a local and tuck into those oh-so-gooey custard tarts and take the historic Elevador de Santa Justa up to citywide views from the Barrio Alto old town. Or, take in its highlights with the stunningly Gothic Jerónimos Monastery or the ‘floating’ fortifications of Belém Tower. You might also want to turn out into Lisbon’s charming surrounds. Next-door Estoril welcomes with white-sand beaches while Sintra – just a short train hop away – delights with fairytale palaces and ancient castles.
Stay: The One, Palacio da Anunciada, Lisbon (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
4
Lisbon to Porto
Collect your hire car and drive north to Porto, perhaps taking the scenic route via the coast and stopping at off-the-beaten-track monasteries. On arrival, you’ll check into the Yeatman. Furnished with Porto’s only restaurant with two Michelin stars and one of the best wine cellars in the country, it’s not hard to see why this Relais & Châteaux gem is considered to be the city’s best-loved getaway. The superb spa and infinity pool even offer spectacular views over the city. And, it’s in good company, too. Set on the south bank of the Douro River, the Yeatman counts the historic lodges of the city’s Gaia district as its neighbours. Here, that famous fortified wine, port, is showcased in cellar tasting sessions.
Stay: The Yeatman, Porto (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
5-7
Porto
You’ll have three full days to explore the charms of Portugal’s second city. In its medieval Ribeira district narrow cobbled streets wind past merchants’ houses and riverside cafés; watch as locals gather in tabernas and seafood restaurants that spill out from street-level arcades. But, that’s not to say that Porto’s without its headline-grabbing sights. São Francisco Church is known for its lavish Baroque interior gilded with ornate carvings while the 19th-century Palácio de Bolsa, formerly a stock market, was first built to impress potential European investors. Alternatively, make use of your hire car to explore further afield. Perhaps travel upstream to the Douro Valley where rolling hills are terraced into pretty vineyards, themselves dotted with quiet villages and spectacular medieval towns.
Stay: The Yeatman, Porto (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
8
Departure
Return your car to Porto Airport in time for your flight home.
Meals: B
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
8-day tailor-made self-drive
from £1,760 pp incl. flights
Deluxe
Mar / Nov 2024
from £1,760 pp. incl. flights
Apr / Oct 2024
from £2,075 pp. incl. flights
May - Sep 2024
from £2,315 pp. incl. flights
- Complimentary UK Departure lounge access
- Return flights from UK
- 5 days car hire (collection on day 4 when leaving Lisbon)
- 3 nights stay at the historic Palacio da Anunciada in Lisbon on BB
- 4 nights stay The Yeatman in Porto (famous for its wine and port cellars) on BB
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
Meet our experts
Speak to a tailor-made specialist on