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

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.
Customizable Itinerary
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:
Porto – Braga and Guimarães’ Past
Ponte de Lima – Cycle a Lovely Nature Path
Coimbra – The Sights and Flavors of Coimbra
Tomar – The Knights Templar
Evora – Explore Evora’s History
Lisbon – Immersive Tour of Lisbon
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.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 1356 reviews
The trip was very well organized; Zicasso's travel company listened to our wishes and delivered. We would definitely use you again and would highly recommend. We were very happy with Zicasso's travel designer's communication and quick responses.
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My husband and I traveled with our two adult children for 12 days through Portugal. Our trip was absolutely amazing, with every transfer, lodging, and tour detail seemingly tailored especially for us. Zicasso's travel expert was so wonderful to talk with as he planned our trip; he asked great questions to understand what kind of travelers we are and our interests. Our itinerary was perfect as we reviewed it prior to our trip, but as we experienced every transfer guide, tour specialist, and lodging, we could not have asked for a better experience. "Mahalo nui" (thank you so much) for helping us to experience your beautiful country and your even more beautiful and kind people. We can't wait for our trip back.
I wanted to make a special note of recognition about our transfer drivers/guides: they were absolutely amazing; so experienced and warm. We all enjoyed learning from them about Portugal and just felt so very well taken care of as they seamlessly transported us through your beautiful country and made sure we knew where to go and where to meet later. One of our drivers walked us through a local pastry shop to see the pastries being made; without him, we would have surely missed that experience. In Douro, another driver recommended a "locals" restaurant down the hill from our hotel. The owner was so kind he arranged for our server to drive us up the steep and winding hill to our hotel! These "special" experiences so reminded us of our beautiful Hawai'i and the spirit of "aloha" we felt so strongly in Portugal! At our departure, another driver walked us with our luggage into the airport departure terminal and showed us where to go (it was so much larger than any terminal we had been in). We would surely have been lost without his expert guidance.
Your tour guide selections were all simply amazing. We felt each guide's love ("aloha" for us) and attachment to each place we visited. We cannot thank you enough for all your work in planning so that we could truly enjoy and now have lasting memories until we return again.
With much "aloha" and gratitude, our "'ohana."
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My wife and I recently returned from our trip to Portugal, booked with Zicasso's tour operator, and let me say, we could not have been happier. She helped us create an ideal trip in a little over a month, since we decided to book a relatively last-minute getaway.
Our travel expert was a pleasure to work with. We told her what we were looking for and she put together a fantastic itinerary for us. We were beyond happy with the hotels she suggested and booked, as well as every excursion, including private hikes and boat tours. Every part of the trip was well coordinated, including all the private transfers and guides, who were all exceptional themselves. She even met us at the airport when we arrived and even saw us off at the end of our trip, helping guide us around the airport to make that as efficient as possible.
Even on the days we had to ourselves without any planned excursions, she still put together a tentative itinerary, including suggestions of what to explore based on the location we were at.
Our travel expert was very responsive throughout our planning and you can tell she really cares about making her clients' experience the best it can possibly be. We cannot say enough good things about this company and therefore, highly recommend them if you are looking to travel to Portugal. Thank you again!
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The trip was well planned by Zicasso's tour company, with only one scheduling snafu. The hotels were nice. The travel agents were very communicative and helpful.
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Zicasso's travel designer was a great travel agent. She came up with great options, found us some interesting and unusual experiences (a porcelain factory, a unique silversmith in Lisboa), and was incredibly available to help us through the inevitable glitches.
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Wow! Zicasso's travel designer put together a truly amazing trip, with some of the best drivers, guides, and tours we've ever had! I can't say enough good things about this trip! We really appreciated the close communication and the emergency number when we arrived, just in case we needed anything. Some of the experiences were beyond our imagination and I'm so glad we had her to plan this for us. I highly recommend her and the travel company!
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