Portugal Unearthed

Your fare excludes:

Day 1-2: Arrival in Porto

Fly to the vibrant and colourful city of Porto, on the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is at leisure to start soaking up the culture of Porto's picturesque city centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 3: Discover Porto

Porto is a city best explored on foot and today we discover its most famous monuments and some of its hidden secrets on a comprehensive walking tour. Along the way your guide will tell you about the politics, religion, local customs, traditions, gastronomy, wines, and everything else you need to know about Porto's local customs. After lunch in a traditional taverna, continue to one of Porto's oldest port cellars, where you will learn all about the wine after which the city is named, and sample three different vintages.

Day 4: Via Guimarães and Braga to Viana do Castelo

Head north to the historic town of Guimarães and enjoy a walking tour through its UNESCO listed medieval centre to the castle, known as the birthplace of the kingdom of Portugal, and to the colossal Palace of the Dukes. Pause for lunch in one of the city's medieval squares before continuing to Braga, the religious heart of Portugal, to visit the Bom Jesus do Monte complex. This neoclassical church sits at the top of a monumental 17-flight stairway. Continue to Viana do Castelo, often called the 'Jewel of the Costa Verde', to sample the fresh seafood for which the town is famous.

Day 5: Viana do Castelo to Gerês National Park

This morning, discover the fabulous Manueline, Renaissance, Baroque and Art Deco architecture of Viana do Costelo on a guided walking tour, then drive to the historic town of Ponte de Lima with its famous medieval bridge. Enjoy a traditional lunch in the town square and then continue to Quinta do Ameal, a wine estate dating back to 1710 in the heart of the Vinho Verde region. Here you can visit the cellar and learn about its fully organic wine production, with tastings of some of the estate wines. Finally drive to your hotel on the western edge of the Gerês National Park.

Day 6: Explore Gerês National Park and drive to Douro Valley

Today you will experience the wild natural beauty of Gerês National Park. Transfer to the park entrance and enjoy a relaxed and gentle-paced walk to see crystal-clear streams, hidden waterfalls and peaceful lakes. Take the opportunity to swim, if you like, in the refreshing waters after a picnic lunch at the water’s edge. Then continue to the attractive town of Vila Real, pausing to visit the baroque masterpiece Mateus Palace, and finally drive into the scenic Douro Valley region to our hotel overlooking the famous terraced hillsides.

Day 7: Douro Valley by water and rail

This morning, drive to the lovely town of Pinhão in the heart of the Douro Valley. Here, board a historic Rabelo boat for a relaxing cruise on the Douro River, flanked by wineries on both riverbanks. Next, step aboard a local train and enjoy a scenic rail trip along the Douro River to the town of Peso da Régua. Continue by coach to a local family-run winery in the Douro Valley. Here enjoy a leisurely tour of the vineyard and learn about the wine making process, while sampling some of the wines. Return later to your hotel for some time at leisure.

Day 8: Douro Valley to Coimbra

Today head south from the Douro Valley to the wildlife-rich hills of the Serra da Lousã. Here explore some of the region's characteristic schist villages, built almost entirely of schist and surrounded by wooded hills. Sample talasnico, a local pastry made with honey, chestnuts and almond, along with local cheeses, wines and other produce. Continue to beautiful Coimbra and take a guided walk through the university town, whose historic centre is a multi-coloured collage of buildings spanning nearly a millennium.

Day 9: Coimbra to Caldas da Rainha

First visit the small town of Tomar, the last Templar town to be commissioned and considered one of Portugal's finest historical jewels. Admire the UNESCO listed Convent of Christ while learning about the history and legends of the Templar Order and the Christ Order. Next visit two nearby monasteries, also UNESCO protected: first explore the 14th century Monastery of Batalha, with its spectacular flamboyant gothic architecture, then the earlier 12th century Alcobaça Monastery with its remarkable early Gothic façade. Enjoy lunch at the traditional fishing village of Nazare, famous for its big wave surfing, then head to the medieval, walled town of Obidos. Here, try some of the sweet cherry liqueur known as ginja and soak up the ambience 

Day 10: Caldas da Rainha to Évora

Head south to the Alentejo region. First visit a working cork farm, set in a rural paradise of rolling hills, cork forests, olive groves and vineyards, with the occasional medieval fortress or abandoned chapel. Learn about cork farming along with all the other farm activities, plus the local fauna and flora. At the farmhouse, enjoy a tasting of the delicious wines produced here. Later arrive at Évora and set out on a walking tour of the town. Explore the UNESCO listed city centre, which dates right back to Roman times, and climb to the roof of Évora Cathedral to admire the view of the city and its surroundings.

Day 11: Sintra and Old Lisbon

First drive to Sintra and visit the historic heart of this fabulously romantic 19th-century town, with its ornate and vividly painted villas and palaces, set in luxuriant parks and gardens. The whole area is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later in the evening, having checked in at your city centre hotel, set out on a walking tour to experience the emotion of Fado, the evocative, haunting and deeply traditional Portuguese music. Guided by your Fado singer, discover some of the traditional Fado haunts of Old Lisbon, and visit a Fado House, where you will enjoy an incredible live performance and be transported to another world.

Day 12: Lisbon and Belém

Set out on an action-packed final day with a guided walking tour of Lisbon's beautiful historical centre, then board your private 'No. 28 Tram'. These tiny, colourful trams date back to the 1930s and the No. 28 route takes you through the oldest and most picturesque districts of Lisbon. Next all aboard our fleet of electric tuk-tuks for an enjoyable ride from Lisbon to Belém, passing by the river and watching the bustling city life. Explore a host of Belém's famous monuments, legacies of Portugal's 'Golden Age of Exploration', before ending the day with a relaxing journey back to Lisbon along the Tagus River by sailing boat. Finally, enjoy a farewell dinner at a rooftop restaurant with views across the city and the river.

Day 13-14: Depart Lisbon

Transfer to Lisbon Airport for your onward flight.

Transfers: In the event that your flight departs outside of the majority group departure time, you will be transferred to the airport by a shared coach (not with other tour passengers). If you are on a shared coach transfer, you may have to walk for a few minutes to get to the coach.

**Please note the above itinerary is subject to change without notice.

Book by 15 August 2024 & save up to $4,000 per couple on selected departures*

• 2​0 September 2024
• f​rom $10990 $10,690 pp twin share / $12890 $12,590 pp sole use

O​ther departures

• 1​4 March, 10 October & 31 October 2025
• from $11,650 pp twin share /$13,700 pp sole use

Contact our experienced travel team on 1300 414 198 to find out more about this immersive tour of Portugal and check pricing for your preferred date of travel.

Please note prices are subject to availability at time of booking or until sold out and may change without notice. The prices above include flights departing Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth airline fuel surcharges and taxes which are subject to change.

Your accommodation has been selected for convenience of location, comfort or character, and can range from a business hotel in one city to a family-run guesthouse in a smaller town or a heritage-type hotel.

Passports: All Australian citizens require a full passport for all holidays with Wendy Wu Tours and this should be valid for at least six months after the date of your scheduled return home date with 2 x blank facing pages. If you are not an Australian citizen, other regulations may apply therefore its important you check with the nearest embassy of the country you intend to visit.

Please note that for we will require a clear, coloured scan of your passport information page. Furthermore, if you renew your passport after you have booked, it is important you advise us of the new details as soon as possible and you may be required to take your old passport with you to maintain the validity of the trip.

Visa Requirements: Where visas are required, the visa processing fee is included for Australian, Ordinary passport holders on all Classic and Go Beyond group tours.

Air: Internal flights are based on economy class, with reputable airlines. Pre-flight seat allocation is not available on international and internal flight sectors.

Fitness: This is rated as a physical level 1 tour and requires a reasonable level of fitness is required but it's more about spending time on your feet rather than covering large distances. You'll be getting on and off coaches and boats, walking around the sights and climbing some steps.