Madeira - a picturesque island covered with rocks in Portugal

Luxury Portugal Tour to Remember

Ratings of Zicasso's Service
Customizable Itinerary

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

Countries Visited

Portugal

Places Visited

Madeira, Porto, Palacio da Bolsa, Se do Porto...

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Suggested Duration

10 Days

Luxury is found throughout every experience with this celebration of Portugal. From three eclectic bases, you will journey into the culture and charms of a nation. Enjoy a tasting with the winemakers in Porto cellars, sailing around Madeira, and insider insight in Lisbon. Move through fairytale palaces, medieval walled towns, volcanic mountains, fishing villages, ceramic baroque masterpieces, and everything in between. Privately guided, this 10-day luxury tour has been handcrafted to take you...

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Discover more with entirely private tours and a handpicked selection of local experiences that will enable you to travel far beyond the suggestions of any guidebook
  • Escape into the wilderness of Madeira to find a dramatic cliff-strewn island that is fully attuned to the rhythm of nature
  • Celebrate the eclectic history of Porto, from the beautiful blue ceramics to the pungent wine cellars and the cobbled World Heritage center
  • Spend a day cruising along the Douro River, beneath lush vineyard terraces and distant castle ruins
  • Explore the medieval fantasies dotted around Portugal, like the walled city of Obidos and the fairytale castles of Sintra
  • Immerse yourself in the local side of Lisbon to discover distinctive neighborhoods with your expert local guide
  • Take a journey into rural Portugal as Alentejo is a region of enchantment with evocatively narrow whitewashed streets
  • Spend a day in Madeira to cruise around the Atlantic on a private yacht, and then another day crossing the rugged mountains of the island’s interior
  • Experience Portugal as an insider as you connect with local culture while absorbing the proud inimitability of a country that holds true to its past

Detailed Description

Portugal dazzles with authenticity as medieval cities are packed with cobbles and charm, a river weaves through the old Port vineyards, scenes are painted in colorful blue tiles, and traditional food has been given a contemporary local makeover. The great highlight of Portugal is the opportunity to uncover the realities of each region of this beautiful country. The great challenge is knowing where to go and who to meet, for this is not a country that widely advertises its great pleasures as rather they are kept secret and low-key as one means of preserving the authenticity. On this luxury 2020 tour, you will be guided privately by local experts, and their insider knowledge will ensure that you go far beyond what is found in the guidebooks and into a land that is proud of its tradition and unseen heritage.

This luxury tour includes three nights on the island of Madeira, two in Porto, then four nights in capital city Lisbon. Each day is led by local specialists, so whether you are meeting the winemakers in a Porto cellar, exploring pre-Moorish history in Sintra, or cruising around Madeira in a private yacht, your excursions will showcase electric highlights.  This will allow you to taste both the urban and the rural pleasures, as well as the scent of wilderness that Portugal’s coast can provide. As you cross the country, there will be a focus on all the paradigms as every day will celebrate the very best of what Portugal has to offer: culture, history, cuisine, wine, landscapes, beaches, medieval cities and colorful modern neighborhoods.

First Madeira, the redolent island off the coast of Africa. Local markets and private studios are among the stops on your first day, complemented by a four-wheel drive adventure across the heart of the island the next. Set sail the following day as dramatic cliffs serve as the backdrop to the serene Atlantic waters and beaches that are inaccessible by land.  You could also choose to follow Madeira’s hiking trails instead, as with its wild feel and tranquil atmosphere, the island is an easy way to start your discovery of luxury Portugal.

Fly to Porto the next day, and your boutique hotel will overlook the port cellars and the bridge to the historical center. So many beautiful buildings fill this living UNESCO World Heritage Site, the liberal use of blue tiles connect the Roman, medieval, baroque and contemporary. Spend an afternoon exploring with one of the city’s pre-eminent guides, before a day on the Douro River. Like so much in Portugal, the private ravelo boat cruise blends adventure and discovery with a laid-back cadence. The drive south to Lisbon will provide an opportunity to explore further with a stop in 13th-century Coimbra and the whitewashed brilliance of medieval Obidos.

Lisbon can be vibrant and colorful, and the Portuguese capital can also be soothing and sublime. Built across seven hills, it is a city with many different sides, and all will be experienced on a private tour with an insider. There’s the eye-catching Alfama and the monuments of Belem, but also neighborhoods of vintage stores and grand cathedrals that overlook the city. Enjoy unique encounters with esteemed local artists, travel further afield to the fairytale world of Sintra, take a day in the fabulous Alentejo region, and return each evening to a version of Lisbon that best suits your mood. You will quickly understand why Portugal has been one of the world’s most talked about destinations throughout recent years.  Begin planning your dream Portugal tour by connecting with one of our luxury Portugal travel companies.

Starting Price

$9,000 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 1325 reviews.

Portugal Vacation Review: Algarve, Sintra, Benagil Caves,...

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.

Portugal Tour Review: Azores, Lisbon, Porto, 10 Days

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.

Portugal Vacation Review: Douro Valley, Boat Ride, Wineries,...

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.

Spain 25th Anniversary Tour Review: Madrid, Sevilla, Ronda,...

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.

Spain, Portugal Tour Review: Private Food and Wine Tours,...

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.

Portugal Tour Review: Lisbon, Lagos, Jewelry Making, Bengali...

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.

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