Mountainous areas, hidden villages, small seashore fronts facing the Atlantic Ocean, the North of Portugal is a territory to be discovered when visiting the country.
Usually known for its vineyards, especially in the Douro Valley or the never ending Port Wine warehouses located in Porto, there’s more to uncover despite the wine experiences. During these 5 days, you will visit touristy but also local towns, where several elements are included, such as architecture, countryside, sea, landscape, gastronomy, local traditions and much more.
Porto – Braga & Guimarães – Vila do Conde & Póvoa de Varzim – Viana do Castelo – Douro
Day 1Porto
Our experience will start by discovering the culture, heritage and architecture of the renowned Invicta city – Porto –, and learn about how and where Port Wine is made, bottled and ultimately transported to the wine cellars, in Vila Nova de Gaia.
As an option to your private walking tour, followed by a tasting of regional jams and jellies, made by northern producers, you can freely choose a sightseeing tour and venture outside of the city centre, to seaside areas such as Foz, Matosinhos and Leça da Palmeira.
09h30 - Meeting point at the hotel or other accommodation
09h45 - Private Walking Tour
Aliados
University of Porto
Churches of Carmelitas & Carmo
Bookshop Lello & Irmão (no entrance)
Old Jewish Quarter
UNESCO MacDonald’s
São Bento Railway Station
TASTING – regional jams & jellies in a traditional shop
Cathedral (no entrance)
Luís I Bridge
Ribeira
Option
Sightseeing van tour to Foz (Cheese Castle and the seashore); Matosinhos (old fishermen houses and coastline); Leça da Palmeira (Tea House Boa Nova and Tidal Pool)
13h00 - LUNCH in a traditional house, located at Porto’s downtown. Guests can choose previously between meat, fish or vegetarian.
14h30 – Visit to a Port Wine Cellar (Burmester or Calem) + tasting of two Ports per person (White and Tawny)
Option:
Instead of visiting a Port Wine Cellar, why not visit the Royal Oporto Company (Real Companhia Velha) who created and made official the industry of Port Wine in Portugal. Afterwards, each person can fully enjoy 5 Ports (White, Ruby, Tawny, Muscat and Vintage).
16h00 – End of the day and return to your hotel or accommodation
Day 2Braga & Guimarães
Two historic and cultural in one; our second day will be spent in Braga and Guimarães.
Firstly, Braga, a Roman and an old town, will welcome us with its astonishing Baroque-Renaissance door, a monument that went under a refurbishment during the 18th century. We’ll stroll down through one of the most iconic architecture streets and be amazed by many gardens that will be shown. Know the importance of the Roman Empire in Portugal, and how many religious buildings this city has. Afterwards, our lunch and afternoon will be spent in the birthplace of Portugal – Guimarães.
andatory to visit, despite the old town, are the Castle and the Dukes Palace.
09h00 - Meeting point at the hotel or other accommodation
09h50 - Private Walking Tour
Porta Nova Door
Church of Misericórdia
Coffee Shop – A Brasileira
Praça República
Garden Santa Bárbara
COFFEE BREAK
Library
Cathedral
Sanctuary Bom Jesus – Sightseeing vista point
13h00 - LUNCH in a traditional house, located at Guimarães’ downtown. Guests can choose previously between meat, fish or vegetarian.
14h30 – Private walking tour (Guimarães)
Largo Toural
Guimarães’ Castle (visiting inside)
The Dukes Palace (visiting inside)
16h40 – End of the day and return to your hotel or accommodation
Day 3Vila do Conde & Póvoa de Varzim
Spend your day at two hidden gems, not far from Porto, considered to be old fishing towns, and nowadays they are known for its seaside panoramic vistas, small old city centres, and exquisite gastronomy.
Vila do Conde and Póvoa de Varzim, often forgotten by tourists are local seashore towns, where many sailors used to depart from here during the Age of the Discoveries. We will visit both old towns, enjoy the beautiful vista points, and try the famous fish gastronomy, which is still a huge tradition.
09h30 - Meeting point at the hotel or other accommodation
10h00 – Vila do Conde (old town, fisherman wharf & waterfront)
12h30 - LUNCH in a traditional house, located at Póvoa de Varzim downtown. Traditionally, fish will be the main course. However, guests can choose previously between meat, fish or vegetarian.
14h30 – Póvoa de Varzim (old town, fisherman wharf, Eça de Queiroz House & waterfront)
17h30 – End of the day and return to your hotel or accommodation
Day 4Viana do Castelo
We’ll start our unforgettable day by departing from Porto (your hotel or accommodation) towards an important city that helped to shape the Portuguese Empire during the Age of the Discoveries (15th and 16th centuries).
Right at the outskirts of Viana, we’ll discover one of the oldest towns in Portugal – Ponte de Lima. Arriving at Viana do Castelo, the Eiffel Bridge will welcome us and allow our passage into Viana’s old town. Mandatory to see is the iconic and panoramic view from the Sanctuary of Santa Luzia, where the Lima River and the architecture of the city are a must for photography lovers.
After lunch and during our afternoon, we will learn the secret art of how to make filigree in a cultural workshop, a tradition that was passed from generation to generation and is still trendy.
09h00 – Departure from your hotel or accommodation
09h30 – Ponte de Lima
10h40 – Arrival at Viana do Castelo + Sightseeing tour
Eiffel Bridge
Gil Eannes Ship
Praça da República
Misericórdia Church
Old Fishermen’s Wharf
COFFEE BREAK WITH LOCAL PASTRY
Santa Luzia Archaeological Site
Sanctuary of Santa Luzia
13h00 - LUNCH in a traditional house, located at Viana’s downtown. Guests can choose previously between meat, fish or vegetarian.
15h00 – Filigree workshop
17h30 – End of the day and return to your hotel or accommodation
Day 5Douro
Our last day concerns the exploration of the heart of Port Wine – the Douro Valley. Belonging to Portugal and Spain, the Douro Valley is obligatory for those who visit the north of Portugal and wish to know how Port Wine is made and transported to the city of Porto.
We will have an experience as and with a local. You’ll be taken throughout the most iconic and amazing landscapes alongside the countryside. We will pass through the historic city of Amarante and visit the Bridge of S. Gonçalo and its church; taste the famous local pastry and then head to Peso da Régua, considered one of the doorways to this demarcated region by UNESCO. Part of your experience includes a visit to two vineyards, where you will have the chance not only to learn how Port Wine is made and stored, but also to taste it. Thus, after having lunch in one of the vineyards, we will proceed to a workshop of olive oil and artisan bread, as the ancient used to do.
08h30 - Meeting point at the hotel or other accommodation
08h45 – Departure to Amarante
10h00 – Arrival at Amarante; visit S. Gonçalo Bridge, S. Gonçalo Church and the Old Town
11h00 – Arrival at Peso da Régua; visit two vineyards with Port Wine tastings
13h00 - LUNCH in a vineyard
14h30 – Workshop of olive oil
16h00 – Workshop of artisan bread
17h15 – Return to Porto
18h20 – End of our services
Included
- Local and certified tour guide (Portuguese, English, Spanish and French) Private transportation
- Local tastings
- Local experiences
- Personal Accident Insurance
- Clean & Safe protocols against COVID-19
- Hand sanitizer
- Road book
Excluded
- Accommodation
- Other services not mentioned in the program
