DAY 1 / PORTO

Arrival in Porto – Transfer to Pestana Porto Hotel 
Dinner in hotel and accommodation. 
      
DAY 2 / PORTO

Breakfast in hotel
In the morning, visit Porto in a private Tram including

- Praça do Infante Henrique   : Here are raising several monuments which show of the architectural historyof Porto, around the massive statue of the prince, a big bronze column.

- Massarelos : Typical Portuguese parish.  The municipality includes parts of the city's old downtown, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

- Clerigos Tower :   a Baroque church in the city of Porto, in Portugal. Its tall bell tower, the Torre dos Clérigos, can be seen from various points of the city and is one of its most characteristic symbols.   The church was built for the Brotherhood of the Clérigos (Clergy) by Nicolau Nasoni, an Italian architect and painter who left an extense work in the north of Portugal during the 18th century.   Construction of the church began in 1732 and was finished around 1750, while the monumental divided stairway in front of the church was completed in the 1750s. The main façade of the church is heavily decorated with baroque motifs (such as garlands and shells) and an indented broken pediment.

-  Praça da Batalha : A place located in the center of the city with a huge history back to the Xth century.  It is said that this site was the scene of a bloody battle between the Moors Almançor and the inhabitants of Oporto which would eventually get defeated, resulting in the demolition of the city.

    
Then continue by bus to vist Casa da Musica / House of Music : The brash modernity of Porto's new Casa da Musica - House of Music - concert hall is outlandish, even bizarre, in a city that dates to pre-Roman times and cherishes its centuries-old monuments.  Designed by acclaimed Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, the recently opened Casa da Musica is public architecture at its most daring.

The visit will include Cathedral (Se do Porto) and Cloister :  Located in the historical centre of the city of Porto, Portugal, is one of the city's oldest monuments and one of the most important Romanesque monuments in Portugal.   The current Cathedral of Porto underwent construction around 1110 under the patronage of Bishop Hugo and was completed in the 13th century, but there is evidence that the city has been a bishopric seat since the Suevi domination in the 5th-6th centuries

The bus will then stop in Pont D. Luis / Gaia and you will walk to the Cellars.
Visit Calem Cellars and wine tasting   :  Cálem faces Vila Nova de Gaia's waterfront promenade on the south bank of the River Douro, across from the old town of Porto.

Lunch in Gaia in typical restaurant Taberninha do Manuel.

In the afternoon, you will board a boat at Pont 6 en Rebelo, very near from the restaurant, for a cruise bringing you on the waterfront side of Hotel Pestana.   You will then climb till the S. Francisco Church.  It  is the most prominent Gothic monument in Oporto, Portugal, being also noted for its outstanding Baroque inner decoration. It is located in the historic centre of the city, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO

Visit of the Church followed by the visit of Bolsa Palace (Stock exchange palace) : This pompous 19th-century building with a vast Neoclassical façade is the former stock exchange that was built to impress and earn the credibility of European investors

Again, you will climb to Santa Clara Church (if open) : A rococo and baroque masterpiece ;   or Batalha :  The Monastery of the Dominicans of Batalha was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. It was to be the Portuguese monarchy's main building project for the next two centuries. Here a highly original, national Gothic style evolved, profoundly influenced by Manueline art, as demonstrated by its masterpiece, the Royal Cloister   

You can take the funicular to Santa Catarina District where you can have a drink at Café Majestic.
     
Back in Pestana Porto Hotel  for dinner and overnight.

DAY 3 / CRUISE

Early breakfast and depart from hotel to embark for Douro Cruise on Cais do Freixo Quay.  The cruise will depart at 08.30 and will bring you back in Porto Station around 19.00.

Back in Pestana Porto for dinner and overnight

DAY 4  : VIANA DO CASTELO

Breakfast and check out of hotel

You will travel by bus to Viana do Castelo :  Between the sea and the river Lima and lying below the hill of Santa Luzia, the city of Viana do Castelo, with its beautiful houses of different styles and narrow, winding streets, is both a fishing port and a tourist site.

Visit the Sanctuary of Santa Luzia :   Up above and dominating the city is the sanctuary of Santa Luzia, featuring a fantastic view of the town, the river and the Atlantic ocean.

Visit the historical center.

Lunch will take place at Viana on the Marina. 

In the afternoon you will be brought to Guimaraes :  Portugal’s birthplace, with medieval castle and walls, houses a magnificently well-preserved historic centre

Visit the historical center, the Castle and Paco dos Duques : ( The Palace of the Dukes of Braganza)

The selected hotel for dinner and overnight is Pousada Sta marinha – Guimaraes.

DAY 5 / BRAGA  

Breakfast

Leave to Braga where you will doubtless find the most surprising catholic sanctuary of Portugal: Bom Jesus.  :    The visit begins at feet of the mountain with a masterful staircase of 600 steps.   Throughout this climb you can contemplate about twenty chapels redrawing the life of Jesus. The climb evokes the Stations of the Cross. 400 meters higher, the staircase gets organized and has the shape of a spectacular example of the baroque style quite as the church which dominates it.  Then come the last three chapels on an esplanade still a little higher.
Climb can also be done with a funicular.

You will visit the Cathedral and the historical center of Braga.

Lunch will be in a typical restaurant of the historical center.

In the afternoon, we will reach Barcelos and enjoy the renowned market.

Back to Guimaraes in the evening for dinner and overnight at hotel Pousada Sta marinha.

DAY 6 / AVEIRO

Breakfast and early check out
   
Travel to Aveiro -

You will then board a typical Moliceiro for a cruise

Back,  you will visit the Aveiro Museum of Sta Joana Princesa :  The museum is located in the ancient convent of Jesus to Aveiro, having approximately five centuries of history.  It gives emphasize to the baroque art, as can be seen in  Church of Jesus and the room where is  the grave of the Joan Saint princess. 

you will also visit the historical center of Braga  :  If it was necessary to define the city in some words, it would be no doubt those of " Braga the religious " that we would use! because of the so many churches per inhabitant. Braga is especially rich, in baroque style. It is even an exclusively baroque city.  The lovers of this style will thus be delighted to leisurely walk in the city to discover these multitudes baroque facades.

Lunch on the Fish market.  

In the afternoon, you will leave for Coimbra, with a stop at Parc de Bucaco.   We can also later stop at Vista Alegre to visit Museum and chapel or go directly to hotel

Dinner in hotel and accommodation.

DAY 7 /  COIMBRA

Breakfast

In the morning complete visit of the University (Chapel, Bibliotheque, Jail, Sciences Museum)  :  The university was founded, or ratified, in 1290 by King Dinis, having begun its existence in Lisbon with the name Studium Generale (Estudo Geral).. In accordance with the Papal Bull, all the "licit" Faculties, with the exception of that of Theology, could be established. Thus the Faculties of Arts, Law, Canon Law and Medicine were the first to be created.      It was, however, not to remain in Lisbon for long. In 1308, likely due to problems of emancipation from the Church (relations between the latter and the political power being somewhat strained at the time) and conflicts between the inhabitants of the city and the students, the University moved to Coimbra. This town already had old traditions in education, being home to the highly successful school of the Monastery of Santa Cruz. The university was then established on the site known as "Estudos Velhos", which corresponds roughly to the area where the Main Library now stands.

Then visit the historical center of the city and the Cathedral and cloister

Visit of the Sta Cruz Monastery   The Santa Cruz Monastery, (Monastery of the Holy Cross), is a National Monument in Coimbra. Because the first two kings of Portugal are bured in the church it was granted the status of National Pantheon. Founded in 1131 outside the protecting walls of Coimbra, the Santa Cruz Monastery was the most important monastic house during the first times of the Portuguese monarchy.

Lunch in the historical city of Coimbra

The afternoon, you will depart by bus to Conimbriga that you will have time to visit.    Conimbriga is one of the antique most important Roman cities  of Portugal. Classified national monument, it is situated 16 km from Coimbra and 2 km from Condeixa-a-Nova.   The site possesses a museum showing tiems found by the archaeologists during their excavations, specially surgical objects. The name of Conimbriga, also known as Coniumbriga on Antonin's route, would come from the name of the Celtic people, the Cunètes.     Although  it is not the biggest Roman cities of Portugal, it is the best protected: Walls are almost intact. We can admire the numerous mosaics, the foundations of houses and the public baths (in particular the systems of heating)

In the evening, dinner in hotel and accommodation.

DAY 8 – BATALHA

Early check out of hotel to board bus to Batalha.

Arrival in Batalha and visit Monastery :   The Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, a UNESCO world heritage site,  was built by order of King John I, in gratitude for his glorious victory over the Castilian army in the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385, which brought Portugal its independence from Spain. The construction would last for almost two centuries (1388-1533) and resulted in one of the most beautiful Gothic monuments we ever have seen.

End of morning – depart to Fatima and  visit of Fatima Sanctuary –  The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima (also known as the Fátima Shrine, the Sanctuary of Fátima or Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary) is a Roman Catholic Marian basilica in Fátima, Portugal. Its construction began in 1928 and it was consecrated in October 1953.

Lunch will take place in Fatima

In the afternoon, depart to visit Castle in Ourem  Built in the 13th century on the massive outer wall of the Castle of Ourém, Queen Saint Elizabeth of Portugal founded a hermitage to pray for the royal family and the Kingdom of Portugal.

Dinner and overnight at Pousada de Ourem

DAY 9 / OBIDOS – ALCOBACA – TOMAR

Breakfast and early check out of hotel to arrive in Obidos in the morning and visit citadel and walls :     Óbidos is a Portuguese city, one of the Meccas of the tourism because of the excellent preservation of its ramparts. The village indeed has little evolved since the beginning of Modern times.

Leaving Obidos to reach Nazare where you have lunch in Restaurant S. Miguel.

In the afternoon, reach Alcobaca to visit Monastery :   The monastery of Santa Maria of Alcobaça was founded in the XIIth century by king Alphonse Ier.    By the scale of its dimensions, the brightness of its architecture, the beauty of the material and the care brought to its perfect execution, it is considered as a masterpiece of the Cistercian Gothic art.   It is registered on the world heritage of the humanity of the UNESCO since 1989. It is declared in July, 2007 as one of seven marvels of Portugal.

Leave to Tomar :  The town of Tomar, set up on both sides by the Rio Nabão, owes its fame to two curiosities: on one hand, its fort of the order of the Knight Templars and, on the other hand, its Festa back Tabuleiros, which takes place every other year in July. The  old center, made of numerous picturesque, narrow alleys,  covered with pavements of various tints, possesses a lot of charm. The fact that some of them are abundantly decorated with flowers still increases the charm of the places. As for the peaceful Rio Nabão, in the middle of which is languishing an island converted in park, it  accompanies marvelously the landscape of this green valley. 

Dinner and overnight at hotel dos Templarios, Tomar

DAY 10 / TOMAR – TANCOS – LISBON

Breakfast and early check out of hotel

Departure to Tomar to visit Convento do Cristo :   Built by the Knights Templar in 1160 along a volatile Muslim-Christian border, the Convento da Ordem de Cristo (Convent of the Order of Christ) in Tomar, Portugal, is a fantastically unique monastic fortress. Construction continued for nearly five centuries, turning the Templar stronghold into a gallery of Portuguese architectural styles.

Then visit historial center and synagog

Lunch in Tomar and then going to Tancos
Take a boat to Almoural Castle – vist the castle  :   The Almourol Castle is situated in the small Almourol island, a rocky island, in the middle of the Tagus river (rio Tejo), in Praia do Ribatejo, a parish in Vila Nova de Barquinha, Central Portugal. The castle was a Knights Templar stronghold used during the Reconquista.

Back leave towards Lisbon

Arriving in Lisbon end of afternoon and stop in Nations Park where you can walk and go around till 18.30 – You can also visit Oceanario de Lisbon

Check in in hotel : Lisboa Plaza  -  Dinner and overnight

DAY 11 / LISBON

Breakfast

Visit :

-  Jeronimos Monastery :  This magnificent monastery can be considered one of the most prominent monuments in Lisbon and is certainly one of the most successful achievements of the Manueline style (Portuguese late-Gothic). In 1983, it was classified by the UNESCO, with nearby Belém Tower, as a World Heritage Site.

-  Belem Tower  : This is a fortified tower located in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal, and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site (along with the nearby Jerónimos Monastery) due to the significant role it played in the Portuguese maritime discoveries of the era of the Age of Discoveries. The tower was commissioned by King John II[ to be both part of a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus River and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon.
The tower was built in the early sixteenth century and is a prominent example of the Portuguese Manueline style, but it also incorporates hints of other architectural styles. The structure was built from lioz limestone and is composed of a bastion and the 30 meter (100 foot), four story tower. It has incorrectly been stated that the tower was built in the middle of the Tagus and now sits near the shore because the river was redirected after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. In fact, the tower was built on a small island in the Tagus River near the Lisbon shore.

-  Discovery Monument : This is a monument that celebrates the Portuguese who took part in the Age of Discovery, or the Age of Exploration, of the 15th and 16th centuries. It is located on the estuary of the Tagus river in the Belém parish of Lisbon, Portugal, where ships departed to their often unknown destinations.   
The monument consists of a 52 metre-high slab of concrete, carved into the shape of the prow of a ship. The side that faces away from the river features a carved sword stretching the full height of the monument. It was conceived by Portuguese artists, architect Cottinelli Telmo and sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida as a temporary beacon of the Portuguese World Fair in 1940. The Monument to the Discoveries represents a romantic idealisation of the Portuguese past that was typical during the regime of Salazar.

End of morning,  taste some sweets at Belem Pastry in a private room -   You can either have free time or enjoy the Carrosse Museum.

Lunch in Rossio Districut

Depart to Queluz to visit Palacio  : One of the last tremendous rococo buildings in Europe,  the palace was conceived as a summer holiday resort for Pierre III of Portugal, future husband and king consort of her niece queen Maria Ire

In the evening, cocktail in the Restaurant : Garden Cozinha Velha

Dinner at Cozinha Velha
Overnight in Lisbon Plaza Hotel.

DAY 12 / SINTRA  

After breakfast, reach the Sintra station.

Take public bus Scotturb Pena and Bus of Sintra park

Full visit of the Palacio da Pena  :  Created partly from a sixteenth-century monastery and a triumph of nineteenth-century Romanticism. Ferdinand II of Portugal began building this royal residence in the 1830s and concocted a unique castle-palace mixture of Portuguese, Moorish, Gothic, and Bavarian styles. -

Palacio da Vila .  It is the best preserved mediaeval Royal Palace in Portugal, having been inhabited more or less continuously at least from the early 15th up to the late 19th century. It is an important tourist attraction and is part of the Cultural landscape of Sintra, designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Lunch in Sintra

Going by foot to Quinta da Regaleira It is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO within the "Cultural Landscape of Sintra".  It consists of a romantic palace and chapel, and a luxurious park featuring lakes, grottoes, wells, benches, fountains, and a vast array of exquisite constructions. The palace is also known as "Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire", from the nickname of its first owner, António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro.

Departure to Cabo da Roca - Guincho, Cascais , Estoril

And back to Lisbon for dinner and overnight

DAY 13  / LISBON

Breakfast and check out of hotel.

Arrival early morning at Praça de Rossio,  and walk to Praça Figueira.

Board the yellow tram at Station Praça da Figueira to Portas do Sol

Continue by foo to discover famous districts of Lisbon  :  Se , Alfama, St George Castle, Baixa, Rossio,  etc

Lunch in Lisbon at restaurant Botequim do Rei

In the early afternoon, free time to visit park Eduardo VII

At 15.30 Take bus to Evora via Vasco da Gama Bridge

Arrival and check in at hotel M'ar de Ar Muralhas where you will have dinner  

DAY 14 -  EVORA / MONSARAZ

After breakfast, depart by bus to University of Evora for a visit  :  The University of Évora, the second oldest in Portugal, was founded in the 16th century (1559) by Cardinal Infante Dom Henrique (the future king of Portugal), and by the Pope Paul IV, and it was delivered to the Society of Jesus

and then continue by foot to Cathedral, Cloister, Treasure and Museum.    The Sé (Cathedral) of Évora, Portugal, is a Romanesque-Gothic cathedral with some unique architectural elements and many valuable treasures.

Later you will visit Chapel of Os (St Francisco Church)  and you will pass by Evora Museum and Diana Temple.

Lunch will be on Praça Giraldo.

In the afternoon, depart to Monsaraz -  Visit the Citadel and enjoy the panoramic view on the Alqueva barrage.

Dinner and overnight at hotel M'ar de Ar Muralhas, Evora 

DAY 15 / EVORA -  LISBON

Breakfast and check out of hotel

Transfer to Lisbon Airport via Pont 25-04

Contact : SAGA VIAGENS