Hidden Treasures of Portugal Tour for Elderly Travelers

AerialView of Peneda Gerês National Park in Portugal

What to expect on this itinerary

For years, travelers have come from all corners of the globe to witness the wonders of Portugal, such as its storied history and well-known palaces. This customizable 10-day Portugal tour leads you to off-the-beaten-path gems of Portugal that are often overlooked. Indulge in a boat tour down the Douro River, visit the archaeological wonders of Citania de Briteiros, go on a kayaking adventure, and spend an evening on a farmstead.

Countries Visited

Portugal

Places Visited

Porto, Ponte de Lima, Serra de Peneda, Miranda do Douro, Serpa, Piodao, Sao Domingos, Alcoutim

Suggested Duration

10 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Porto – Sail down the Douro River

When you land in Porto, your private driver will greet and transfer you to your accommodation in the city. After having some time to relax and settle in, you will sail down the Douro River. For your tour, you will be guided by a local fisherman on their actual boat. After enjoying the gorgeous views during your sail, you will return to your accommodation for the evening. You will have the remainder of the evening to spend at your leisure.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Tour
Day 2

Ponte De Lima – Archaeological Wonders

Day 3

Ponte De Lima – Kayaking and Touring

Day 4

Serra da Penada – Hiking and Glamping

Day 5

Miranda do Douro – Informal Cooking Course

Day 6

Piodao – Peruse Piodao Village

Day 7

Serpa – Portugal’s Finest Fare

Day 8

Sao Domingos – A Former Mining Town

Day 9

Alcoutim – Algarve’s Most Peaceful Town

Day 10

Alcoutim – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Savor the flavors of Serpa, which is an idyllic village in Southern Portugal that is known for its amazing sheep’s milk cheese and Alentejo fare
  • Escape for a day in the most peaceful town in the Algarve and explore an ancient castle
  • Go on a hiking and glamping adventure in the protected area of Serra de Peneda, which will give you the chance to reconnect with nature
  • Visit the archaeological wonders of Citania de Briteiros and be amazed as you step into this ancient site
  • Indulge in an intriguing and intimate private tour down Porto’s Douro River, which will allow you to see the sights with a local fisherman
  • Spend a morning kayaking along a river in Ponte de Lima before touring the historical gems of the iconic town
  • Tour of the former mining settlement of Sao Domingos before spending the evening on a working farmstead

Detailed Description

Designed specifically with seniors in mind, this exciting 10-day Portugal tour offers intrepid travelers an authentic and off-the-beaten-path experience. From sailing down the Douro River with a local fisherman to hiking in the pristine wilderness of Serra de Peneda, this curated journey will lead you on an exhilarating and enlightening adventure.

Your journey will begin in Porto, where you will spend your first evening sailing down the Douro River with your fisherman guide. As you begin your first full day in Portugal, you will head to Citania de Briteiros to view the archeological wonders, including ancient ruins of a fortified village from more than 2,000 years ago. You will then spend the evening in Ponte de Lima.

After spending the evening along the river in Ponte de Lima, you will enjoy a morning kayak adventure before taking a historical tour of the city, which will include its medieval bridge. A hiking and glamping excursion in Serra da Peneda is how you will spend your next day. This will be followed by a trip back in time to Miranda do Douro, where you will witness an authentic folk dance and learn how to make a delicious Portuguese dish from a secret family recipe.

The village of Piodao will be your destination for day six. After spending the day delving into the past among its historical gems, you will head to Serpa on day seven to taste some of the country’s finest fare, including fresh sheep milk’s cheese.

Day eight will find you heading to Sao Domingos, which is a former mining town. Here, you can explore the ghostly remnants of a once-thriving town before spending the night on a unique and fascinating working farmstead. Your final stop on your exploration of Portugal will be Alcoutim, which is known as the Algarve’s most peaceful town. Here, you can escape from it all and roam among the town’s resident castle.

Each night during your trip, you will stay in luxurious accommodations and have all the logistics taken care of, including all private transfers to and from every destination. You can further customize this itinerary once you are in Portugal to better suit your moods and interests.

Starting Price

$3,300 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 1407 reviews

Pamela S.
Spain Vacation Review: Madrid, Granada, Seville, Barcelona, Costa Brava, Toledo, Cordoba, Flamenco, Sailing, Museums, Cathedrals, 11-Day Trip

My husband, our two adult sons, and myself had the pleasure of going to Spain for 11 nights. We didn’t know much about the country, so we relied on Zicasso’s travel specialist to guide us. From the start, she explained the history, culture, food, etc.

We traveled to Madrid, Granada, Seville, Barcelona, and Costa Brava! We also took day trips to Toledo and Córdoba. We had excellent tour guides and drivers. Our trip flowed nicely, as we were on the go a lot of the time.

It was a trip of a lifetime for our family. We looked forward to the tapas, paellas, Jamón Ibérico, gazpacho, empanadas, rabo de toro, and, of course, the seafood every evening. The Spanish people were great and some we’ll never forget!

We learned so much about the ancient and early history, including the Roman conquest through the Medieval and early modern history. We were taking in this information all week, including the Prado Museum, the Picasso Museum, and the Dalí Theatre-Museum!

A simple family moment was sitting on our rooftop in Seville by the pool looking out at this beautiful city, which was difficult to leave!

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Joyce G.
Portugal Travel Review: Douro Valley, 10-Day Trip

Zicasso’s travel specialist and her team were amazing! We developed a great itinerary that included diverse activities and beautiful accommodations. Everyone was knowledgeable, pleasant, attentive, and flexible to adjust to changing conditions, such as intermittent bad weather. We highly recommend the whole team!

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Mike K.
Portugal Trip Review: Porto, Lisbon, Wine Tasting, Golf, 2 Weeks

Our trip to Portugal was outstanding. Zicasso, the tour operator, and our travel specialist were excellent. I worked with our specialist for over a month planning our trip. We did this via email and one phone call. She responded to every change I requested promptly and organized the itinerary to exactly how my wife, Jacki, and I wanted it.

The hotels she picked were excellent. The private drivers we had were always on time and were very friendly and professional. The tour guides she provided were great; very informative on the history of Portugal. The wine tours and city tours were exceptional.

Jacki and I have the utmost gratitude for our specialist's efforts in organizing this vacation. I would rate her a 10 of 10. Her expertise was invaluable, which made our vacation so enjoyable. We experienced so much that we couldn't have done on our own.

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Len R.
Spain, Portugal Trip Review: Food Tour, Cathedrals, 2 Weeks

Zicasso’s travel specialist and tour operator are fantastic. They planned a great adventure for us. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Spain and Portugal. When little hiccups came up, our agents took care of everything. This was our second vacation planned through Zicasso and they have delivered both times. I would not hesitate to recommend this tour operator to any of my friends who are planning a vacation to Spain or Portugal.

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Susie G.
Portugal Tour Review: Sintra, Douro River, Vineyard Tour, 8 Nights

Zicasso's travel specialist planned a wonderful trip. All entrance tickets were purchased in advance, so we never had to wait in a line. Our tour guides were very informative and always answered our questions. I walk with a cane and they all took their time with us. We never felt rushed. The personal service was excellent. The cars (Mercedes-Benz) were very comfortable.

The travel agency is an excellent company to deal with. Each step of the trip, we were well taken care of. We were also taken to some sights that were not on the itinerary. They are very flexible.

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Rob &.
Protugal Trip Review: 8 Days

Zicasso's travel specialist could not have been better to work with. As we planned the trip, his knowledgeable and patient demeanor came to the forefront. He always had good suggestions and solutions to our questions. There was no pressure and everything involved in planning the trip was very relaxing and enjoyable.

While we were in Portugal, our agent was incredibly communicative (and timely in his communication), helpful, and able to help us pivot when something came up on our end—he was very solutions-oriented and focused on us just enjoying our time there. We appreciated it immensely—the trip was worry-free.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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