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

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.

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!

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.

This was a fantastic trip to Porto, Lisbon, and the surrounding areas, tailored to our needs and interests. We had an extensive walking tour of Lisbon, vineyards, and historic sites with our tour guide. Zicasso's travel agent provided personalized service consistent with a good small company. There was a rail strike while we were there and they handled it.