< Designed Trips

The Trip

Discover the best of Portugal, from the capital city of Lisbon, to terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley and the riverside city of Porto, on this 9 night, 10 day Designed Trip. Check-in to your downtown Lisbon boutique hotel before meeting a local for a private introductory tour of the city's key sites. Taste the traditional food and drink of Lisboanas and experience classic Fado music on a guided tapas tour of the historic center. Explore the magical village of Sintra and it’s vibrant Pena Palace before stopping at the coastal town of Cascais. After three nights in Lisbon, take the train a couple hours north to Porto, stopping in the University town of Coimbra along the way. Check in to your stylish boutique hotel. Get to know Porto’s small traditional shop owners with your private local guide before touring a few of the city’s most famous port houses to learn about the traditional production of port wine. Take your turn at preparing the famous pasteis de nata cream tarts, or opt for local wine tasting. Then, board the train to the beautiful Douro Valley, home of the world famous port. Check in to your vineyard hotel room - a giant wine barrel! - before touring the vineyards and tasting the wines produced on site. Kayak down the Douro River with amazing views of hillside vineyards, passing under historic bridges. Finally, cruise back to Porto and spend one more night in the city before your flight home. This 10-day trip is the perfect introduction to Portugal with incredible accommodations, local insights, and active, cultural, and foodie experiences along the way.

The Details

Price
  • From $1,765 per person
Duration
  •  9 nights, 10 days
Inclusions
  • Highly-rated boutique hotels
  • All transportation within Portugal
  • Boutique luxury hotels 
  • Private & small-group experiences
  • Curated Portugal mini-guide
  • Trip preparation & support

​​The Itinerary

Lisbon ​
  • Day 1: Welcome to Portugal! After collecting your luggage, meet your private driver who will take you to your boutique luxury hotel (see below). Check in and get settled. In the late afternoon, meet your private local guide for a 90-minute introduction to the city. Visit a few of the city’s main highlights (Sé Catedral, Praca do Comercio and the breathtaking Mirador de Sta Luzia) as you stroll past colorful tiled buildings and along the hilly cobbled streets.  
  • Day 2: Bom dia (good morning), Lisboa! Mid morning, meet your private local guide to eat your way through the city. Discover the food that Lisboanas enjoy each day including pastéis de nata,  bacalhau, bifana, and ginjinha, on this 10-tastings culinary tour. Alternatively, choose to go off-the-beaten path and visit some of the more local areas that are not as visited. The afternoon is free to relax or explore the city. 
  • Day 3: Wake up for an adventure outside of the city. With a small group, you’ll fist visit the fairytale village of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its beautiful Moorish architecture. Taste one of the famous travesseiro (pillow) pastries and Sintra cheesecakes before a quick stop at Cabo da Roca, a 500-foot cliff that is the western most point of continental Europe. After, head to the coastal town of Cascais, a former fishing village that gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal family in the late 19th century. Relax and take in the sea breeze before visiting the remarkable hilltop Pena Palace. Return to the city and enjoy a nice dinner out.

Porto
  • Day 4: After breakfast, head to the train station. Hop on a train and head north, up the coast toward Porto. Choose to stop along the way in Coimbra, with a medieval city center that dates back to Moorish times, and home to the oldest and most prestigious university in Portugal (and one of the oldest in Europe). Store your luggage at the train station, grab lunch and explore the city center. After a short train ride, arrive in the picturesque city of Porto. This hilly riverside city is known for its tiled buildings, narrow cobbled streets, up-and-coming food scene, and (you guessed it), port! Check in to your stylish boutique luxury hotel and get settled. In the evening, head to a local fado bar for an intimate performance as you learn about the history and cultural significance of Portugal’s famous melancholy music.
  • Day 5: In the morning, meet your local private guide to visit Porto’s oldest & most authentic shops. Visit a centenary grocery shop, a historic variety shop, a shop dedicated to local linen, a historic pharmacy, a Portuguese coffee shop, the city’s best known watchmaker, as well as a famous toy store, and sweets shop. Meet the store owners, get a feel for the city and enjoy tastes along the way. Late afternoon, meet your small group and local guide for an afternoon of port tasting, including a tour of the cellar of one of the most prestigious Port producers in the world. Learn about the difference between Port wine families, how to best pair port with foods, and what makes port so different from other wines.
  • Day 6: Your morning is free. Wander through the narrow streets with tiled buildings, stop in the beautiful Livraria Lello bookstore, which inspired the Harry Potter books, and swing by Palácio da Bolsa, which dates back to 1842 and many consider to be the most beautiful building in the city. In the afternoon, meet your local host and to learn how to make Portugal’s famous cream tarts - pasteis de nata. After the class, enjoy an early dinner in the home of your host. Alternatively, meet up with a local guide for a wine and bites tour where you’ll visit local hotspots, and sip on various wines paired perfectly with some light petiscos (Portuguese tapas).

Douro Valley
  • Day 7: Wake up and head to the train station for your train into the incredible Douro Valley. Relax and take in the views as the train winds along the river to the Régua train station. Cross the river into the village of Cambres and head to the beautiful Quinta Da Pacheca winery. Check in to the winery hotel and your very own giant, luxuriously appointed wine barrel, your home for the next two nights (pending availability). In the late afternoon, take a short tour of the vineyard, which dates back to 1738, and sample four of the wines and olive oil that is produced on site. 
  • Day 8: Wake up in wine country and enjoy a relaxed morning at the pool or exploring the quaint village. In the afternoon, jump in a kayak for a relaxed, downstream paddle along the amazing Douro River. Take in views of the terraced vineyards from the valley floor as you paddle to the town of Caldas do Moledo. You’ll then be driven back to the hotel, arriving in plenty of time to grab dinner in town. 

Porto
  • Day 9: Check out of the winery hotel and make your way back to the river for a cruise down to Porto. Enjoy lunch on board and stop at two dams, the Carrapatelo Dam, where the sluice rises 115 feet, and the Crestuma-Lever Dam, where the sluice rises 46 feet, before arriving back in Porto and enjoying your final Portuguese dinner.
  • Day 10: It’s your final day. Either talk to us about extending your trip (possibly explore some of the smaller towns in Northern Portugal) or meet your private driver who will take you to the airport for your flight home.

Pricing & Inclusions

Inclusions
  • 3 hotel nights in Lisbon
  • 4 hotel nights in Porto
  • 2 hotel nights in the Douro Valley
  • Private arrival airport transfer in Lisbon
  • Train tickets from Lisbon to Porto
  • Train & cruise (round-trip) from Porto to the Douro Valley 
  • Private departure airport transfer in Porto
  • Private introduction tour in Lisbon with local guide
  • Small group day trip to Sintra and Cascais 
  • Private 10-tasting food tour in Lisbon -OR- Off the beaten path with local tour
  • Intmate fado performance at a local venue in Porto
  • Private traditional shops and tastings experience in Porto
  • Small group port wine lodges tour with tastings
  • Pasteis de nata cooking class -OR- Portuguese wine tasting experience with a local
  • Three bridges down-river kayaking on the Douro River
  • Vineyard tour and wine tasting at Quinta Da Pacheca
  • Curated Portugal mini-guide
  • Trip preparation & support

Exclusions
  • International flights to Portugal
  • Meals & activities not listed above
  • ​Travel insurance

Pricing 
  • With boutique hotels
    • From $1,765 per person
  • With luxury boutique hotels
    • From $2,310 per person
  • ​Pricing for Cohica Designed Trips is based on double occupancy and may vary depending on travel dates and total number of travelers.
  • This Designed Trip offers the flexibility to make date changes after booking (ask us for details)
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This Designed Trip was developed based on our personal travels, with local contacts, favorite hotels and authentic activities we've experienced first-hand.
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