Lisbon, Porto, and Madeira are three of Portugal’s iconic highlights and are combined on this leisurely two-week tour for seniors. Mixing free time with privately-guided tours, you explore the history and culture of two cities that love to surprise, as well as an island that blends intrigue with charm. Along the way, there are palaces, galleries, waterfalls, neighborhoods, dolphins, villages, coastlines, a Douro River cruise and a ceramics workshop, all while traveling at a very serene pace.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Lisbon – The Elegance and Grandeur of the Capital
Lisbon is color and charm, energy and ebullience. It is a city that feels more like a collection of villages, where every neighborhood offers something different to the intrigued eye. You are greeted at the airport for a private transfer into the heart of the city, where your boutique hotel is located in the Baixa district. Many restaurants are within a five-minute walking distance, and you can quickly explore different neighborhoods from this central location. Relax through the afternoon, perhaps taking a stroll along the grand avenues that roam through Baixa and nearby Rossio. In the early evening, you take a tramcar tour of the city, a vintage carriage traversing a route across a city built on seven hills. It is an ideal way to get your bearings and admire the eclecticism without having to walk or join a bus tour. Early evenings are best for the tramcar ride as the streets are at their busiest and the carriages are at their quietest.
What's Included:
Day 2
Lisbon – Fascinating Art and Architecture: The Manueline Style and More
Day 3
Lisbon – A Day Discovering Lord Byron’s Sintra
Day 4
Porto – Relaxed Day Exploring Porto
Day 5
Porto – Following the Vineyards on a Douro Valley Cruise
Day 6
Porto – Getting to Know the Art of the City
Day 7
Porto – Optional Excursion to Braga and Guimaraes
Day 8
Funchal – Relaxed Day on a Remote Island
Day 9
Funchal – Enchanting Villages and A-Framed Houses of Madeira
Day 10
Funchal – Take a Stroll, Hike or Boat Around Madeira
Day 11
Funchal – Spectacular Landscapes and Seascapes of Madeira
Day 12
Funchal – Muse at Art and Wander by Waves
Day 13
Funchal – Peaks and Waterfalls and Fascinating Natural Sights
Day 14
Funchal – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Embrace the old-world glory of Lisbon and discover the finest examples of Portugal’s Manueline architectural style
- Cruise down the Douro River on a day-trip from Porto, traveling beneath the terraced vineyards and villages from the past
- Escape to the island of Madeira, where you have seven nights at a boutique hotel along the coast
- Get to know more of Portugal’s grand history by spending a day in Sintra, where royal palaces and famous poets tell a story
- Spending four nights in Porto ensures you can truly savor all the intricacies, including different Port cellars, art galleries, and the ceramics that make the city famous
- Explore the island of Madeira on three very different private day tours where one focuses on the enchanting A-framed villages, another on the coastline and seascapes, and a third takes you to the peaks and waterfalls of the interior
- All tours are privately guided and tailored to suit your pace
Detailed Description
Portugal’s leisurely pace is quick to make visitors feel at home. Nothing is rushed here, and there is just as much to see if you travel slowly instead of rushing. It is a country where treasures are revealed when you take your time and look closer. You can discover a Moorish gargoyle on a church tower, an island village cut off from the world, and a viewpoint overlooking pods of dolphins. The more time you spend, the more the country reveals niches, such as Manueline architecture and ceramic galleries full of blue. The laid-back rhythm is making Portugal an increasingly attractive destination for senior travelers, and this two-week tour is a celebration of the tranquil pace.
You will discover three very contrasting destinations, with centrally located hotels and private tours throughout. Lisbon is a city of grand monuments, where the postcards cannot do justice to the artistic beauty of both yesteryear and today. Porto is a charming and compact city for slow exploration, sitting patiently along the shores of the Douro River. Madeira is an island escape that feels distinct from the rest of the world, where natural heritage creates a panorama wherever you look. Combining the three provides an overview of Portugal’s varying highlights, with almost every day offering something new to discover. Majestic sea cliffs, artisanal workshops, Moorish palaces, cathedrals and towers, dolphins, and empty beaches are just a start.
Lisbon may be a capital, but it follows a relaxed tempo. Over the first days of your journey, you will explore private art galleries and world-famous icons, and escape into the forested hills of Sintra, where the palaces are more than worthy of Lord Byron’s poetic praise. Next, a high-speed, first-class train takes you to Porto where several nights help you uncover the city and its surroundings. On the itinerary are a day cruise along the Douro River, a ceramics workshop, and an excursion to the traditional cities of Braga and Guimaraes. Fly direct to Madeira for a week on the Atlantic Ocean island. Your hotel is a few steps from the coast, and three private day tours showcase contrasting aspects of the island. Experience the local village culture, the coastline, and seascapes, plus the peaks and waterfalls of the interior.
We work closely with the best Portugal travel operators to ensure that you have a fully personalized trip of a lifetime.
Starting Price
$4,600 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
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.92 stars based on 1333 reviews.
Zicasso’s travel consultant was excellent and attended to everything we wanted in our trip. Our tour guide was exceptional and felt like family.
Reviewed By Christine S.
The execution of the trip by Zicasso's tour operator was seamless. The app we had was wonderful. Communication with the guides was excellent.
Reviewed By Karen H.
The whole trip was perfect. The guides (and especially our driver) were fantastic. The hotels were great and the advice given beforehand by Zicasso's travel company was super-useful. We might have had one too many palaces and heard a bit too much about kings, but we essentially enjoyed everything. The amount of time on our own was just about perfect.
Reviewed By Indy B.
I'm not sure it's possible to be any more satisfied with the service provided by the Zicasso travel partner's team.
Ahead of the trip, our travel designer was in constant contact, by phone and email. In terms of the itinerary and the logistics/preparation for the trip, we discussed the right locations, iterated on the excursions, and ultimately planned out a wonderful holiday in celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. He listened (for example, that we wanted more food experiences vs wine), suggested (for example, Segovia vs Toledo, Nerja vs Marbella), and coordinated all of the details.
And our concierge was amazing once we were on the ground. Coordinating with drivers and guides (especially since our inbound flight was delayed), making suggestions for restaurants and booking reservations, and providing guidance for myriad logistical situations (for example, the best route to take while driving from Sevilla to Ronda).
The travel company's team really delivered for us and we cannot thank them enough for our incredible Spain experience!
Reviewed By Alex G.
We had an excellent trip! We loved the tours and how the Zicasso travel company was accessible during the duration of the trip. We encountered one issue, but the team responded and worked with us to resolve it.
Reviewed By Nicole M.
This trip was fantastic! My husband and I, along with my three daughters in their 20s, had the best time. Planning with Zicasso's travel expert was easy. She was quick to respond to emails, texts and calls before and during the trip.
We wanted some unique experiences, like making Portuguese filigree jewelry, and she found a great place for us! The hotels she selected were perfect for our larger group.
Reviewed By Lisa P.