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Villages and Towns of Portugal Self-Drive Tour
with Lisbon and Porto
8 nights. Begin any day. Itinerary can be
customized.
A self-drive tour through the sunny plains of the
Alentejo, the mountains of the Beiras, the
vineyard-terraced slopes of the Douro River Valley
and the historic and tradition rich Minho. Visit the
small villages and towns to experience the soul of
Portugal. The accommodations are chosen to reflect
the local character and offer a choice of package
prices.
Day 1 - Lisbon
Overnight in Lisbon this evening to rest before
beginning your self-drive tour.
Day 2 -
Lisbon-Evora-Estremoz-Marvao
Pick up your car rental this morning and, proceeding
east, cross the Vasco de Gama Bridge to the Alentejo
region of Portugal. The Alentejo, almost 1/3 of
Portugal yet only home to 10% of the population, is
a vast area of wheat fields, olive groves, orchards,
vineyards and cork oaks. Whitewashed towns of the
southern plains give way to walled hilltop villages
among the rocky terrain of the north and east.
Neolithic sites including dolmens, stone circles and
menhirs are very common in this area.
The walled city of Evora, UNESCO World Heritage
Site, is your first destination. Within the old
walls lies a city of historic importance. Roman
occupation is evident in the ruins of Diana’s
Temple. As you walk Evora’s narrow streets, Moorish,
Medieval and Renaissance architecture are testament
to the city’s long history. There are many local
craft shops and restaurants to enjoy.
Continue to Estremoz, a hilltop town overlooking
groves of olive trees. This area is famous for its
fine marble quarries, second only to Italy in
exports. On to Marvao, perched on a ledge
overlooking the border with Spain, one of Portugal’s
most charming villages and your home for the night.
From its ramparts, enjoy the heady view of the
countryside. Overnight in Marvao.
Day 3 - Marvao-Castelo
de Vide-Sortelha- Belmonte
An entire day to explore the charming villages along
your route as you head north. Be sure to stop in
Castelo de Vide, a spa town enjoyed by the Romans,
to visit the mazelike old Jewish Quarter with its
whitewashed houses and pots of bright flowers. En
route to Belmonte is the gem-like 12th century
village of Sortelha. Its fortifications offer
panoramic views of the wild countryside. Belmonte is
the ancestral home of the Cabral family whose famous
son, Pedro Alvares Cabral, discovered Brazil in
1500. Much of this charming town displays their
family crest: Goats. Overnight in Belmonte or
continue to Guarda (26 km).
Day 4 -
Belmonte to Guarda, Viseu, Lamego and Amarante
The ancient city of Guarda (meaning “protector”) is
situated in the Serra Estrela (Star Mountains). This
area is the Beira Alta, home to many castles and
walled cities crowning the hills overlooking the
border with Spain. Continue to Viseu, a crossroads
since the Roman occupation of the Iberian Peninsula,
and home to the Dao wine growing region. Drive to
the pretty town of Lamego to see Nossa Senhora dos
Remedios, a popular pilgrimage destination. Cross
the Douro River at Peso da Regua to Villa Real for a
visit to Casa de Mateus, an exquisite 18th century
manor house in the Portuguese Baroque style. It’s
immediately recognizable as the label on Mateus wine
bottles. Head west to the postcard pretty town of
Amarante. Overnight in Amarante or continue to
Guimaraes.
Day 5 - Guimaraes,
Braga, Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo
Historic Guimaraes is the birthplace of Portugal’s
first proclaimed king in 1139.
In the city’s center is Castelo de Sao Miguel (St
Michael’s Castle). It appears on the Portuguese coat
of arms. The castle’s huge keep and crenellated
walls are worth exploring for the fine views they
afford. Drive to Braga, a town with a long history
as a religious center. Just to the east of Braga, is
Bom Jesus do Monte, the country’s most spectacular
religious sanctuary. Its extraordinary Baroque
staircase cascades 381 feet down a hill. Continue to
the scenic town of Ponte de Lima before arriving in
Viana do Castelo. The best way to explore the
winding streets of its historical center is by foot.
Overnight in Viana do Castelo.
Day 6 - Viana do
Castelo to Porto
Take the highway to Portugal’s “second city”, Porto
(sometimes Oporto). This colorful city, on the north
bank of the Douro River, and close to the ocean, has
a long history influenced by Romans, Moors,
crusaders, Portugal’s overseas colonies and Port
wine. On the south bank of the river is Vila Nova de
Gaia, home to the Port Wine Lodges where the wines
are aged and bottled. Many of them are open for
touring and tasting.
Overnight in Porto.
Day 7 - Porto-Aveiro
and Coimbra
Drive south today with a stop in Aveiro, a city of
canals, colorful, seaweed collecting boats and home
to the famous Vista Alegre china factory. Then visit
the Forest of Bussaco (Bucaco) for a walk among its
trails laid out by monks centuries ago. In the
middle of the forest stands a unique hotel, The
Bussaco Palace, once a royal hunting lodge. Continue
to Coimbra, site of one of Europe’s oldest
universities founded in 1290. Its historic buildings
dominate the hilltop. The ancient city center is
home to Roman ruins, Romanesque cathedrals and the
old maze-like streets of the Moorish quarter.
Overnight in Coimbra.
Day 8 -
Coimbra-Fatima-Batalha-Alcobaca-Nazare-Obidos-Lisbon
From Coimbra head south on the A1 motorway. Allow
for a stop at the Roman ruins of Conimbriga where
evidence of a large and prosperous Roman town is
being excavated.
Continue to Fatima, one of the Catholic world’s
greatest pilgrimage sites, drawing hundreds of
thousands each year. Nearby is the exquisite 15th
century and UNESCO World Heritage Monastery of
Batalha. It’s a masterpiece of Portuguese Gothic
known as “Manueline”. Then to the Monastery of
Alcobaca (also UNESCO World Heritage), Portugal’s
largest and of a completely different architectural
style from the monastery at Batalha. Continue to
Nazare, a fisherman’s town with many wonderful
seafood restaurants. Then to Obidos, the charming
walled village encompassing whitewashed houses
decorated with colorful flowers. It’s about an
hour’s drive on the A8 motorway from Obidos to
Lisbon. Return car rental at your hotel or at the
airport.
Overnight in Lisbon.
Day 9
Program ends at check out this morning. Let us know
if you wish to extend your stay in Lisbon or
continue your Portugal visit to the Algarve region.
2008 Prices - Please contact us for a quote
Prices valid through Oct 31, 2007
Low season: Nov 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008
High season: April 1, 2008 through October 31,
2008
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Total Adults and Car
Group
Prices are per person |
Season |
Hotels Level A
See list below |
Hotels Level B
See list below |
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2 adults in 1 double or
twin room
Group C car (see below) |
Low
High |
$1189.00
$1479.00 |
$769.00
$929.00 |
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3 adults in 1 double
and 1 single room
Group C car (see below) |
Low
High |
$1349.00
$1599.00 |
$839.00
$969.00 |
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4 adults in 2 double or
twin rooms
Group F car (see below) |
Low
High |
$1139.00
$1359.00 |
$699.00
$849.00 |
For triple rooms please contact
us
Prices subject to change due to currency exchange
rates Includes:
* 8 nights accommodations in selected hotel groups
(A or B, see below)
* 8 full buffet breakfasts
* Hotel tax and hotel service charge
* 7 days car rental with basic Collision Damage
Waiver (CDW), Theft Protection (TP) and unlimited
kilometers
* Maps to hotels
Hotels Level A
Lisbon: Pestana Palace (5 star)
Marvao: Pousada de Santa Maria
Belmonte: Pousada do Convento de Belmonte
Amarante: Casa da Calcada (Relais & Chateaux 4
stars)
Viana do Castelo: Estalagem Melo Alvin (Relais &
Chateux 4 star)
Porto: Pestana Porto (4 stars)
Coimbra: Quinta das Lagrimas (Relais & Chateaux 4
stars)
Hotels level B
Lisbon: Acores Lisboa (4 star)
Marvao: Albergaria El-Rei Dom Manuel (3 stars)
Guarda: Hotel Lusitania Parque (4 stars)
Guimaraes: Villa Hotel Guimaraes (4 stars)
Viana do Castelo: Quinta de Sao Sebastiao
Porto: Vila Gale Porto (4 stars)
Coimbra: Hotel Tivoli Coimbra (4 stars)
Note: Hotels of similar quality will be
substituted if hotels in programs are sold out.
Car rental Groups:
Group C: Fiat Grande Punto or similar. Manual
transmission with AC
Group F: Opel Astra 1.4 station wagon or similar.
Manual transmission with AC
Upgrades available including automatic
transmissions.
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