Uncovering Portugal’s Storied Past: 8-Day History and Cultural Tour

Church of Bon Jesus do Monte, historic center of Braga, Portugal

What to expect on this itinerary

This 8-day Portugal tour specifically focuses on the historical and cultural gems for which this nation is known. Indulge in a historically-based tour of Porto, uncover secrets of the Knights Templar, and go on a culinary tour of Coimbra. Everything included in this trip is designed to immerse you in the culture and history of this incredible nation.

Countries Visited

Portugal

Places Visited

Porto, Ponte de Lima, Coimbra, Tomar, Evora, Lisbon

Suggested Duration

8 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Porto – Tour and Fado Performance

When you land in Porto, a driver will greet and transfer you to your accommodation in the heart of the city. After having some time to relax and regroup after your flight, your guide will lead you on a tour of Porto’s monuments. Some of the stops on your tour will include Porto’s cathedral, the São Bento Train Station, and the medieval city walls. Afterward, you can walk along the Douro River as the sun is setting. After the sun has set, you will attend an authentic Fado performance.

What's Included:

Tour
Accommodation
Transfer
Day 2

Porto – Braga and Guimarães’ Past

Day 3

Ponte de Lima – Cycle a Lovely Nature Path

Day 4

Coimbra – The Sights and Flavors of Coimbra

Day 5

Tomar – The Knights Templar

Day 6

Evora – Explore Evora’s History

Day 7

Lisbon – Immersive Tour of Lisbon

Day 8

Lisbon – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Explore the old streets of Porto on an intriguing historical tour that will lead you past iconic landmarks
  • Wander the historic centers of Braga and Guimarães and enjoy lunch at a tavern
  • Discover the highlights of the Ponte de Lima, including the Ponte Medieval Bridge and the Centro de Interpretação do Vinho Verde
  • Follow in the footsteps of the Knights Templar during a historical tour of Tomar
  • Savor the best sights and flavors of Coimbra on a historically-based gourmet tour of the city
  • Learn about Lisbon’s past as you peruse its most famous landmarks
  • Visit Evora and its nearby monoliths on a guided tour

Detailed Description

This adventure begins in Porto with a private tour of the city. This tour will immerse you in some of the most intriguing parts of history that the city has to offer. During your first evening, you will attend a Fado performance. The following day will have you wandering the historic centers of Braga and Guimarães.

You will then depart Porto on day three and make your way to Ponte de Lima. Here, you can partake in a cycling adventure along the Ecovia nature path before relaxing tour of the city. The highlight of the evening will be a riverside stroll along the Avenida dos Plátanos. Coimbra will be your next destination. On day four, you will go on a private culinary tour of the city, which will also lead you by some of its most noteworthy landmarks.

The following day, you will venture to Tomar, where you will follow the footsteps of the Knights Templar on a historical tour. You will then transfer to Evora, where you will explore the city and its history before visiting the nearby monoliths. Your final day in Portugal will be spent in the capital of Lisbon, where you will enjoy a tour of the city and its storied past. You will even board a boat and sail to the nearby village of Seixal.

Starting Price

$3,200 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 1398 reviews

Anna V.
Portugal Trip Review: 9 Days

We had one of the best trips. We never expected so much attention from any travel agency, from the beginning to departure.

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Jane M.
Spain, Portugal Vacation Review: Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Seville, Lisbon, Porto, 10 Nights

We loved our trip to Spain and Portugal! We enjoyed each of our private tours with our tour guides in the various cities we experienced. They went above and beyond to share their knowledge of the planned sites, plus they added in individual unique sites and information along our walking route.

Zicasso’s tour company took all of our requested activities, venues, and interests to customize a trip that fit us well. They were in communication with us during our trip when a planned site was not available due to construction. Our tour guide provided us with other possible replacement options and let us choose what was of interest to us rather than them making the decision.

We tremendously enjoyed all of the cities, Madrid, Toledo, Granada, and Seville in Spain and Lisbon and Porto in Portugal. Our trip went smoothly and the activities were scheduled at a good pace for us! An extra bonus for us was seeing King Felipe VI by being in the right place at the right time near the opera house in Madrid while we were on our walking tour. We highly recommend Zicasso and the tour company.

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Carole B.
Portugal Tour Review: Sintra, Obidos, Suspension Bridge, 9 Nights

Zicasso’s travel specialist was a class act, very responsive and reliable, and able to adjust on the fly when we needed. She was generous and an absolute class act. We asked for a more spacious room for part of the trip and she delivered, and, I believe, paid out of pocket for the upgrade (which we didn't expect and offered to pay). We were needy at times and she handled it all with professionalism and grace. Well done. I highly recommend the travel company!

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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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Customizable Itinerary

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

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