Stepping into Portugal’s Storied Past: Two Week Historical Tour

What to expect on this itinerary
This 2-week Portugal tour immerses you in the country’s cultural delights and storied past. While Portugal is not as widely known as Greece is for it’s history, Portugal is a country that is home to thousands of years of history and is often overlooked by travelers. Uncover the historical treasures of Obidos, follow in the footsteps of the Knights Templar, and attend an authentic fado performance.
Customizable Itinerary
Lisbon – Introductory Tour
When you arrive in Lisbon, a private driver will be waiting to greet and transfer you to your accommodation in the heart of the city. Upon your arrival, you will have some time to settle in and relax after the long flight before meeting your guide for a private tour of the city. Your tour will focus on the historical gems of the city, such as the Alfama district, Castelo de São Jorge, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and Torre de Belém. After your tour, you will have the remainder of the evening to spend at your leisure.
What's Included:
Sintra – The World of Sintra
Cascais – Morning in Estoril
Cascais – The Queluz National Palace
Obidos – Visit Mafra’s Palace
Obidos – Alcobaca & Batalha
Nazare – A Charming Fishing Village
Nazare – Morning Yoga Session
Fatima – The Chapel of the Apparitions
Tomar – The Knights Templar
Coimbra – The Origins of Coimbra
Porto – Attend a Fado Performance
Porto – Enjoy a Dinner Cruise
Porto – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Take a private tour of Lisbon’s historical highlights, including Castelo de São Jorge, the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and the Torre de Belém
- Spend a day in the land of Sintra, perusing the Pena Palace and Sintra town
- Marvel at the treasures of Obidos, which is Portugal’s iconic medieval village
- Marvel at the Batalha Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória and appreciate its impressive cloisters
- Visit Nazare and explore Portugal’s most charming fishing village
- Delve into the fascinating stories that surround the Virgin Mary and her past ties to the pilgrimage site of Fatima
- Follow in the footsteps of the Knights Templar on an exciting visit to Tomar
- Venture into Porto’s past on a private tour of its historical sites and attend an authentic fado performance
- Explore Coimbra and its wealth of history during a private tour
- Embark on a dinner cruise during a delightful evening in Porto
Detailed Description
This 14-day Portugal tour begins in Lisbon. Here, you will spend your first evening on a private tour of the city’s highlights, such as the Belem Tower. You will then make your way to Sintra, where you will have the opportunity to explore Pena Palace and Sintra town. Cascais will beckon to you on day three, and after spending the morning in Estoril, you will spend the evening along Cascais’ lovely streets. You will then journey to the Queluz National Palace for a private tour.
The following day, you will embark on a tour of Mafra, during which you will be afforded visits to its resident palace and medieval village of Obidos. The historical enclaves of Alcobaca and Batalha will host you the following day. Here, you can visit the Mosteiro de Santa Maria and the Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória. You will then venture to Nazare, which is Portugal’s most famous fishing village. From Nazare, you will travel to the religious pilgrimage site of Fatima, where you will learn about the city’s ties to the Virgin Mary.
Tomar will be your next stop, and here, you will follow in the footsteps of the Knights Templar. You will then travel to Coimbra before continuing to Porto. In Porto, you will spend a day exploring the city’s iconic sites before attending an authentic fado performance. Your final full day in Portugal will be spent visiting Braga and Guimaraes.
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
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.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 1400 reviews
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!
See more
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!
See more
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.
See more
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.
See more
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.
See more
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.
See more





