Food and Wine of Portugal

Tour highlights

Experience the wonders of Portugal, from the historic city of Lisbon to the rustic Douro Valley. Spend 11 days uncovering new experiences. Begin your journey in Porto, where you can take a food tour and learn about port wine with visits to port caves and private dinners. You’ll then spend four nights in the Douro Valley, touring with a local family that has been part of the wine industry for generations – allowing you to explore wineries that are not open to public visitors. To experience life on this river valley fully, sail down the Douro River on an exclusive boat cruise. Afterward, make your way to Lisbon where you can attend a cooking school and enjoy Fado music at one of their established houses. During this once-in-a-lifetime trip, acquire an understanding of life as a Portuguese resident while making lasting friendships along the way.

Tour itinerary

Day 1 Overnight MO House, Porto, Portugal
We’ve arrived in Portugal! After touching down at Porto Airport, our driver will pick us up and whisk us off to MO House – an accommodation that has just gone through a renovation and is situated right in the middle of town. We’ll be staying there exclusively for the next three nights. To kick-start our journey in this wonderful country, we’ll have dinner at a nearby restaurant where we can indulge in Portuguese cuisine accompanied by equally delicious wine from the region.

Day 2 Overnight MO House, Porto, Portugal
On the first full day of exploring Portugal, we will be immersed in the history, culture, flavors and wines of Porto. A walking tour through this city’s sights will give us a look into the distinctiveness of its gastronomy. Here we’ll make stops at some charmingly unique locally-owned stores to chat with their owners about why they contribute so much to the food culture. As we savor these specialties, we are sure to uncover how exactly port wine acquired its name and everything else it brings to local cuisine. After getting acquainted with all that Porto has to offer in regards to food and wine, time can also be taken for visitors to discover more off the beaten track highlights as desired!  A few of the must sees are the Lello Bookstore, consistently named one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores in the world, the Sé Cathedral with its beautiful stained-glass rose window and the São Bento Railway Station with its 20,000+ painted blue and white tile panels (known as azulejos) that highlight the history of Portugal. After seeing the sites, you’ll have the remainder of the day to enjoy Porto as you’d like.

Day 3 Overnight MO House, Porto, Portugal
An unforgettable experience awaits us this morning- a journey south across the spectacular Dom Luís I Bridge! This bridge, created by a student of Gustave Eiffel, the mastermind behind the famous Parisian landmark-the Eiffel Tower- is sure to leave you impressed. Our day begins with sailing aboard a typical Rabelo boat between the riverbanks of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia and enjoying a relaxing cruise on the Douro River. We’ll also take time out for private visits to two port caves in Vila Nova de Gaia, where we’ll get exclusive tours and tastings. We’ll begin to better understand the different between a regular wine and a port wine, we’ll learn the history of Porto and why for centuries they have brought the barrels of port down the Douro river to be stored and aged here. After our second tasting it will be time for dinner, where we’ll enjoy a private meal at one of the port caves, learning more about this unique wine and enjoying the Portuguese cuisine.

Day 4 Overnight at Casa Cimeira, Douro Valley, Portugal
Following a relaxed morning and breakfast, we will bid farewell to the hotel and head off to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Douro Valley. Upon arriving at Casa Cimeira – a charming guest house encircled by the picturesque scenery and vineyards – you’ll have some free time before setting off for Quinta do Bom Retire, Ramos Pinto. Founded in 1919 by Ramos Pinto, this quinta is one of the oldest places in the area; it’s located in the middle of Cima Corgo, on river Torto valley. Here you can appreciate the stunning views of Douro River and Valley. Here is produced one of the most acclaimed Tawny Port Wines, the 20 Years Old Quinta do Bom Retiro. As this winery is not normally open for visitors, we will enjoy an exclusive private visit to the estate and introductory tasting of Port and Douro wines, followed by a private dinner, accompanied by premium port and wines, prepared just for our group. What a perfect introduction to the Douro Valley.

Day 5 Overnight at Casa Cimeira, Douro Valley, Portugal
Following breakfast, we will make our way to Mateus Nicolau de Almeida by train and experience a tour and tasting. For lunch with stunning views, we shall visit the family project of João Nicolau de Almeida & Filhos at Quinta do Monte Xisto in Vila Nova de Foz Côa. When the patriarch discovered this remarkable xisto outcrop overlooking both the Douro and Côa rivers, he knew it was an ideal location for wine production – prompting him and his sons, Mateus and João, to plant 10 hectares of organic vineyards. The special tour of the Douro Valley holds a unique experience in store as two generations of winemakers unify to create an amazing project. As part of our exclusive program, Quinta do Monte Xisto is not typically accessible to visitors, so lunch will be just for us. We look forward to discovering more about the family’s legacy in the winemaking world during our visit with them. Afterwards, we’ll make our way back to the hotel where you’ll have some free time for evening activities.

Day 6 Overnight at Casa Cimeira, Douro Valley, Portugal
Following breakfast we will board a coach to the 155 hectare Quinta dos Murças. Here we’ll first embark on a stroll through their vineyards, gaining insight into how the local terroir influences their various grape varietals and wines. Afterwards, we’ll receive a tour of the grounds and be able to partake in tastings of some of their products. Noted since 1770 for its verticality, this area is made up of winding hillsides, terraces, streams, olive groves as well as acres upon acres of vines. Finally, lunch will be served at the winery.In 1943, Manuel Pinto de Azevedo took control of Quinta, a property that had been sold amongst family and companies. This went on until 2008 when Esporão group purchased it from his great-grandchildren. Now, after settling in and marvelling at nature’s beauty, we will board our private boat to take us downriver for a tour of amazing Quinta do Noval. Documented since 1715, António José da Silva purchased this property in1894 and it wasn’t until 1993 that AXA Millésimes bought it from Silva’s descendants. Situated in Cima Corgo, Pinhão, Quinta do Noval is famed as one of leading Port Wine exporters with its vineyard name. Here it produces some of best wines in Europe, most notably that of its celebrated Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage which was recently selected by Wine Spectator as one of 12 greatest wines of XXth century. We will have a privilege to visit and witness this historic winery before indulging in dinner accompanied by selected wines from Quinta’s range. Remarkably enough, its grapes have remained unaffected by plague of phylloxera – an uncommon case for all European regions.

Day 7 Overnight at Casa Cimeira, Douro Valley, Portugal
Finally, the time has come to take a break from our busy schedule. The guesthouse provides us with ample opportunity to relax and admire the spectacular scenery that surrounds it. Lounging by the pool is one of many ideas we can pursue for our free time. Later in the day, we have a tour planned through the family’s vineyards and winery, which have become like home these past few days. We will conclude with dinner at the guesthouse, dining among other guests and family members while sampling their port and wine. Let us relish this unique experience as locals do!

Day 8 Overnight My Story Tejo Hotel, Lisbon
Having bid farewell to our Douro Valley hotel, we’ll continue on to Lisbon. However, first we’ll make a stop in Coimbra, the former capital of Portugal and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This picturesque medieval town contains the University of Coimbra, where many students still dress in traditional black capes and cassocks. To take us around this historic city, we will be embarking on electric tuk tuk tour! During the course of this excursion, some of the sites we will visit include the 1139 Coimbra Cathedral, Santa Clara Monastery and other parts of old-world Coimbra City. Afterwards we’ll break for lunch at a local restaurant before driving off to Lisbon. Finally upon arrival in Lisbon you can begin exploring at your own pace with whatever you wish for the remainder of the evening.

Day 9 Overnight My Story Tejo Hotel, Lisbon
This morning, why not explore the enchanting city of Lisbon to your heart’s content? Check out some of Lisbon’s main attractions such as São Jorge Castle and the National Azulejo Museum or do a spot of shopping by strolling along its riverside. Later on in the day, we’ll move onto experiencing an iconic part of Lisbon – Fado! We’ll head to Barrio Alto’s famous Adega Machado Fado House founded back in 1937, where we will spend an hour soaking up the melancholic traditional Portuguese tunes and sipping vinho (wine) as well. To top off this lovely evening, we’ll make our way to a cooking school where we can learn how to cook like a local for an enjoyable night learning about Portugal and feasting on delicious home-cooked food.

Day 10 Overnight My Story Tejo Hotel, Lisbon
Let’s embark on an adventure outside of the city and head to the picturesque town of Sintra, situated in the Serra de Sintra hills blanketed with pine trees. Portugal’s aristocracy recognized this region for its cooler climate and built extravagant manors and gardens that are now considered some of Europe’s most opulent samples of Romanticism architecture. We’ll traverse this area in 4WD jeeps, affording us a chance to marvel at the natural beauty of the park. Our journey will commence with a look at the renowned fairy-tale Pena Palace before venturing through the forest towards the coast. Before continuing our journey, we’re going to take a break by the sea for lunch. Depending on the weather, you may opt to explore the area on foot and witness its majestic beauty from up close. After spending an enjoyable day in Sintra, we’ll drive back to Lisbon where you can do some sightseeing before meeting as a group later in the evening. To make our experience even more memorable, we’ll be setting sail onboard a private boat for an exclusive dinner cruise! As we enjoy delightful drinks and Portuguese delicacies while watching Lisbon pass us by as the sun sets, let’s lift our glasses to toast this beautiful country and all that it has meant to us – friends made and memories created during this wonderful adventure.

Day 11 Overnight My Story Tejo Hotel, Lisbon
As sad as it is, the time has come to depart this gorgeous nation. According to your flight plans, you will be transported to the airport after breakfast. For those who enrolled for the additional Algarve package, a transfer to our exclusive villa at the Algarve shoreline will be granted.

What’s included

Accommodation

Guide
Local English-speaking guides at sites and wineries.

Meals
10 breakfasts, 4 lunches (wine included), 8 dinners (wine included)

Transport