Illuminating Tour of Portugal’s Historic & Cultural Roots

What to expect on this itinerary
The history of Portugal fascinates the world, and this 10-day Portugal tour immerses you in the storied history of the country. Attend a private yoga session by the river, marvel at the archaeological wonders of Citania de Briteiros, follow in the footsteps of the Knights Templar, and witness the location where Portugal’s first king was born.
Customizable Itinerary
Porto – Walking Tour of the City
Your trip will begin in Porto, where a private driver will greet and escort you to the comfort of your accommodation. After having some time to relax after your flight, your guide will lead you on a walking tour of the city. You will begin in Porto’s city center before being led to the Church of Santa Clara, Liberdade Square, the monument to King Peter IV of Portugal, the Ponte de Dom Luis I bridge, and Ribeira Square. After your tour concludes, your guide can provide you with excelling dining recommendations.
What's Included:
Ponte De Lima – Citania De Briteiros
Ponte De Lima - Riverside Yoga
Braga – Portugal’s Oldest Cathedral
Guimaraes – Portugal’s First King
Chaves – Sip the Wine of the Dead
Coimbra – Portugal’s Oldest University
Tomar – The Past of the Knights Templar
Sintra – Visit Sintra and Cascais
Sintra – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Stroll through Porto on a walking tour that will introduce you to some of the city’s oldest sites
- Take an evening stroll around Ponte de Lima and marvel at its iconic bridge
- Indulge in a private yoga session by the river in Ponte de Lima before embarking on a tour centered around the region’s folklore
- Visit the archaeological wonders of Citania de Briteiros
- Witness the Bom Jesus sanctuary in Braga and visit the oldest cathedral in the country
- Visit the location where Portugal’s first king was born before learning about the hamlet of Guimaraes
- Be captivated by Coimbra’s ancient past and peruse the city’s oldest gems
- Dive into the dramatic history of the Knights Templar on an interactive tour
Detailed Description
This 10-day Portugal tour has been catered to the history lover in you. This Portuguese escapade will begin in Porto, where you will have a private tour that will immerse you in the historical gems of the city. The following day, you will transfer to Ponte de Lima. En route, you will stop at Citania de Briteiros, which is a well-preserved Celto-Iberian village. Upon your arrival in Ponte de Lima, you will spend the afternoon and evening along the riverside and among the charming streets of the city.
After waking in Ponte de Lima, you will enjoy a private yoga session along the river before having a private tour of the city. The next day, you will venture to Braga, where you will witness the Bom Jesus. In Guimaraes, you will witness where Portugal’s first king was born.
Chaves will be your next destination. Here, you can indulge in the area’s natural springs before learning about and sampling the “wine of the dead.” The next day, you will transfer to Coimbra for a tour of the oldest university in Portugal, the Se Velha, and more. The Knights Templar and their storied past will present you with your next adventure.
Sintra and its architectural wonders will serve as your next point of interest before you transfer to Cascais. Here, the Pena Palace and the shoreline of Cascais are premier highlights.
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 417 reviews
See more
This was a wonderful, perfectly balanced experience, so well planned by Zicasso’s trip coordinator at the tour company! From the arrivals to the departures, every connection went smoothly. From being met by our excellent drivers and superb, knowledgeable guides, everything that we were able to pack in during our short, intense visit was a well-planned and interesting highlight!
To all of our drivers, thank you! To our guides in Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais, Coimbra, Porto, and Barcelona, much appreciation for your expertise and patience. And the hotels were superb too! We only wish we could repeat the very same mother-daughter trip with more time! We particularly enjoyed a rainy afternoon's sailboat ride on the Douro River with our hostess and the excellent captain.
See more
The travel agent from Zicasso's tour company planned for my family of four the most spectacular and luxurious two-week trip around Portugal. We traveled to and enjoyed the highlights of Lisbon, the romantic architecture in Sintra, the incredible history of Évora, the beautiful coastline of the Algarve, the laid-back atmosphere and gorgeous scenery of Madeira, the beautiful, historical, bustling city of Porto, and the stunning scenery of the Douro Valley.
The travel agent's suggestions and bookings were all perfectly aligned with what we envisioned and the accommodations booked were all beautifully appointed and family-oriented – five-star hotels that catered to the entire family, with indoor pools and kids greeted with backpacks and toys at the door, and nightly treats on pillows.
The tour guides booked were all very knowledgeable and kind. They were patient with my two- and four-year-olds, and taught us all so many new, amazing things.
Every day was a highlight, but I would say my girls really enjoyed the tile painting as well as the pastel de nata-making workshops.
My husband and I really enjoyed Évora and Sintra, and truly seeing the beauty and history of it all.
We absolutely fell in love with Portugal, the culture, and the food. My only regret is not having more time so we could’ve seen the Azores as well and stayed even longer.
We so look forward to this travel agent planning us another perfect vacation in the near future!
See more
See more
See more
Our Zicasso travel agent curated a private tour for the six of us, including the perfect mix of historical, gastronomical, wine, and cultural experiences.
We stayed in Lisbon, Évora, the Dao Valley, the Douro Valley, and Porto. We traveled in a comfortable Mercedes van and, to break up our trips, we stopped at amazing sites along the way as we traveled from city to city.
Some of our favorite things were a private sunset sail in Lisbon, a fado dinner, the Évora Cathedral, a cork trek and wine tasting in Alentejo, the monastery at Batalha, wine tastings in Santar (Dao Valley), a boat ride on the Douro, wine tastings and hiking in the Douro Valley, the Bom Jesus shrine in Braga, the Port tasting and dinner in Porto, and multiple pastry tastings along the way.
Our guides were fantastic. They were attentive, on time, and very knowledgeable about the history and culture of each place we visited.
There were very few issues on our 17-day tour, which was literally one of the smoothest and best-curated trips we have ever had. We will use our travel company and agent again as we intend to go back to Porto and the Douro Valley.
See more





