Exploring Portugal’s Most Romantic Enclaves: Trip for All-Aged Couples

Madeira, view of the coast and vineyards in Portugal

What to expect on this itinerary

During this 10-day journey, you will witness some of the most iconic aspects of Portugal. Portugal is an amazing travel destination that is often overshadowed by some of the larger European countries, but this unique country has something to please everyone and usually always has its guests leaving enamored. Escape to Madeira Island for three days, indulge in a dinner cruise, and spend the night at a 13th-century castle.

Countries Visited

Portugal

Places Visited

Porto, Viana do Castelo, Braga, Guarda, Obidos, Funchal, Madeira Island

Suggested Duration

10 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Porto – Indulge in a River Cruise

Upon your arrival to Porto, you will be met by your private driver, who will transfer you to your luxurious accommodations in the heart of the city. After checking in and having ample time to settle in, you will embark on a romantic dinner cruise on the Douro River. This river tour will prove to be an amazing way to witness the picturesque city from a unique perspective, and during your cruise, you can dine on some of Portugal’s freshest fare. After admiring the gorgeous views as you sail, you will be returned to your luxurious accommodation.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Tour
Dinner
Day 2

Viana do Castelo – Tales of Lore

Day 3

Braga – Private Horseback Ride

Day 4

Guarda – Visit the Jewish Quarter

Day 5

Guarda – Reconnect with Nature

Day 6

Obidos – Sleep in a Castle

Day 7

Obidos – Learn How to Make Ginjinha

Day 8

Funchal – Escape to Madeira Island

Day 9

Funchal – Taste the Flavors of Funchal

Day 10

Funchal – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Escape to magical Madeira Island for three days of exploring tropical gardens, farmers’ markets, and delighting in picnics
  • Indulge in a dinner cruise in Porto that will have you gliding along the calm waters of the Douro River
  • Venture on a horseback riding tour among the beautiful backdrop of Braga’s scenery
  • Marvel at Viana do Castelo, where you can hear tales of the town’s fascinating folklore
  • Escape to the alluring Estrela Mountains, where you can admire the spectacular views that will surround you on every side
  • Peruse the historical wonders of Guarda’s Jewish Quarter before discovering the beauty of Guarda’s castle and cathedral
  • Spend the night in a 13th-century castle that has been converted into a stunning bed and breakfast

Detailed Description

When it is time for you and your significant other to escape, Portugal provides the perfect destination. From its charming villages that are full of cobblestone streets and medieval architecture to its numerous castles, Portugal presents a wonderland that boasts boundless beauty and boundless marvels to explore. This luxurious, 10-day journey will provide you with some of the most exclusive experiences that this country has to offer.

Your journey will begin in Porto, where you will begin with a dinner cruise, sightseeing the city from a unique perspective as you glide along the Douro. Day two will find you venturing to Viana do Castelo, which is a lovely enclave that is imbued with charm and history. While here, you will listen to fascinating tales of folklore. Later in the evening, you will be provided with the incredible opportunity to craft your own to keepsake.

You will transfer to Braga on day three, and upon your arrival, you will witness the Bom Jesus before embarking on a private, horseback ride. Two unforgettable days in Guarda will be waiting, which is where you will indulge in an escape to the Estrela Mountains. This getaway will give you the chance to reconnect with nature among majestic, mountain scenery. While here, you will enjoy perusing the historical gems that can be found in the Jewish Quarter before become exploring the city’s castle and cathedral.

Obidos will be next on your agenda, and here, you will indulge in a private tour of the city’s highlights. Your accommodation in Obidos will be what was once a royal castle but is now a high-end bed and breakfast. During your second day in Obidos, you will enjoy its many outdoor offerings as you begin the morning by embarking on a stand-up paddleboarding adventure at Obidos Lagoon. Following your SUP session, you can spend the afternoon strolling and sunbathing on the beach before partaking in your exciting evening event. This evening you will indulge in a class that will be taught by a local master on how to craft the famous cherry liqueur known as Ginjinha.

The final leg of your getaway will find you flying to Madeira Island for a three-day adventure. The following day will have you exploring two tropical gardens. Following your foray into the blossoming world of the botanical gardens, you will be led on a gourmet food tour excursion. During your tour, your culinary guide will introduce you to the flavors of the city.

Throughout your vacation, you will stay in luxurious accommodations and have every detail of your journey taken care of, including all private transfers to and from each destination. Nearly everything about this itinerary is customizable, so you can adjust nearly anything and everything to better suit your moods and interests once you are in Portugal.

Starting Price

$2,600 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.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 330 reviews

Portugal Trip Review: Luxury 2-Week Tour of Madeira, Porto, Lisbon
Dev designed a Portugal trip for us that started in Madeira for 5 nights, then onto Porto and surrounding for 4 nights (including a full day rip into the Douro Valley), down the coast to an eco-resort on the beach near Santa Cruz for 2 nights, and finally 3 nights in Lisbon.We always choose a very active itinerary and this was no exception, with gastronomical, historical, and cultural tours. We also love great local restaurants as much as possible. We quickly learned to trust Dev's recommendations for all of our planned and unplanned free days.We found everything about Portugal remarkable, from the people to the culture to the history to the food (and wine). The hotels Dev picked for us were all outstanding and unique, only adding to the experience. One of the things we enjoyed most about the approach Dev took to planning each day was that the days were full but not jammed. There was always space for us to wander the streets of wherever we were, to just be in the place and experience it. For us, getting our steps in to earn our next amazing meal felt great!Another comment: We'd never even heard of Madeira before we started working with Dev. She insisted experience it, and she was exactly correct in doing so. We could go on and on. Bottom line: Dev's approach has gotten us quite convinced that we may never plan our own vacation ever again.

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Portugal Trip Review: Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Nazare, Aveiro, Wineries, Cooking Class, Private Tour, Monasteries, 11-Day Travel
A big thank you to Marisa and our guide! Marisa did an exceptional job planning our 11-day private tour throughout Portugal. She coordinated with a fantastic guide. We could not have asked for a better Guide than him. His knowledge of Portuguese history, culture, and cuisine is beyond belief. Some of the highlights of our trip were the Lisbon Cooking Academy where we learned how to cook a three-course Portuguese meal. Marina was an exceptional Chef! We shopped first at a fresh market for all of the ingredients. I will upload those pictures. We then began our exploration of Portugal. The highlights of those trips were the UNESCO sites. Pena Palace and Sintra were spectacular. We had two visits to wineries one was Quinta do Quetzal (6-course meal with 5 pairings) and we also did an olive oil tasting at Mainova where we toured the olive farm. Make sure you visit the Convent of Christ and Batalha Monastery. Nazare Beach was beautiful- make sure you ask our guide for lunch or dinner reservations at Pangeia by the Sea. He always knows the best places! Especially when you get to Aveiro, there is an incredible two Michelin star restaurant there. (Salpoente) Porto has a totally different vibe than that of the bustling city of Lisbon. We did a walking food tour there that should not be missed. The typical sausage hotdog of Porto with a cold Super Bock is super fantastic. I had no idea how much I would like port wine. Douro Valley Vineyard Quinta do la Rosa is not to be missed. Great tour of the manufacturing of all of their wines followed by a tasting and 3-course lunch with pairings. We had a great port wine tasting just outside of Porto. Our last stop was Obidos where we were able to enjoy Ginja liqueur out of chocolate cups. Our last night was a sailboat tour of the Lisbon harbor, what a way to end an incredible vacation! Thank you again, to Marisa and our guide.

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Travel Review: Luxury Trip to Portugal & Spain, Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Evora, Sintra, Merida, Douro Valley Wine Tours

We had a wonderful trip to Portugal with an itinerary created by this travel agency based on our preferences. They met us at our first hotel in Porto with a programmed GPS, cell phone and a device to create a WiFi hot spot wherever we traveled. They offered a guide with a car to sites in Porto, Braga and Guimares and again in Lisbon and Sintra. This freed us to relax and enjoy the cities without a car but also learning so much of the history of Portugal provided by our guides. They secured a a rental car for us to continue through the Douro Valley Wine country then south visiting smaller towns with castles and fortifications as far back as the Romans. We chose mid level accommodations that were all unique. A restaurant and dinner reservation they arranged in Evora was intimate, family owned and the best culinary experience of the trip. Transport to and from airports, connections with guides, rental car pickup and drop off was all seamless and stress free.

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Travel Review: Luxury Portugal Honeymoon, Lisbon, Porto, Algarve, Obidos, Douro Valley, Sailing, Wine Tasting, Fado Show

We traveled through Portugal for our honeymoon. The destinations included Porto, Douro, Lisbon and Algarve, and we drove by rental car, making stops at places like Braga and Obidos along the way. It was amazing!

Our Portugal travel agent was wonderful! She was very responsive to our specific requests and adapted our itinerary to be a custom-made experience for us. During the planning stages, she tailored every aspect of our trip to our preferences and offered suggestions based on what we wanted to do. We had never been to Portugal before, but had a clear idea of how we wanted to spend our honeymoon; our agent truly recognized our wishes and offered recommendations that best matched our vision.

When we arrived in Portugal, our travel agent met us at the airport to personally walk us through our itinerary. During our trip, we had the most amazing time and at any point when we reached out to our travel agent for assistance she was super quick and responsive. We highly recommend this travel agent to anyone!

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Portugal Travel Review: Waves of Nazare, Obidos, Alentejo Region, Cork Factory Tour, Local Artist, Food & Drink
I booked this trip before the CoVid pandemic. We postponed the original trip scheduled in March of 2020 to December of 2021. I just returned from Portugal with my daughter. The trip was amazing! We were fully vaccinated and boosted and Portugal is doing an excellent job with safety! Testing was frequent and everyone was masked. We spent three nights in Porto and five in Lisbon. The waves at Nazare are a sight to behold as are the towns of Obidos, Sintra, and many more. Be sure to have a cherry drink of Jinha served in a chocolate cup! The Alentejo (wow, cork factory tour pretty cool) and Douro regions (the winery!) provided delicious wines and Ports as well! Oh and the food…delicious! I cannot say enough about the kind, warm people we met and our guides were amazing! If you go in December, the Christmas lights, roasted chestnuts and shopping are all incredible. The hotels that Zicasso/the travel company chose were above and beyond also! They clearly know the area and provided a top notch experience to us. We will be traveling with this company again! Thank You!

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Portugal Vacation Review: Óbidos, Nazaré, Lisboa, Funchal, Fado Dinner Experience, Local Culture
"Our agent was exceptional in putting together an itinerary that would provide a mix of planned excursions/adventures and downtime."

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Customizable Itinerary

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

28,000+ Verified Traveler Reviews