A Portuguese Panorama
Palace of Sintra
October 17th - 26th, 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
This tiny country, squeezed between Spain and the Atlantic Ocean, has a long and proud history of fierce independence. Traditional farming and fishing communities continue unchanged beside bustling and cosmopolitan cities. Mountainous landscapes, untouched by time and modernization, stand in curious juxtaposition above the jet-setting coastal resorts.
We begin and end in the capital, Lisbon. A city with vitality, variety, and a pulse like none other. Turning north, we visit the picturesque town of Obidos, originally an important port town. Continue to Tomar and visit the magnificent Convent of Christ before arriving in the fascinating city of Oporto. Nearby Bom Jesus do Monte takes us to the extraordinary 18th-century religious sanctuary which takes the form of a giant stairway.
Moving into the Douro valley, the heart of port country, visit traditional “quintas” where we taste the sweet fortified wine that enjoys a worldwide reputation. As we leave northern Portugal and the magnificent mountain range “Serra da Estrela,” we exchange snow-capped beauty for the rolling sun-baked plain of the Alentejo. Our destination is the enchanting city of Evora which flourished in the Middle Ages as a center of learning and the arts and which gained international recognition in 1986 when it was declared a World Heritage Site. Returning to Lisbon, we drive to the wooded hillside town of Sintra, just to the north of the city, for visits to two elegant royal palaces.
Join Discover Europe on an unforgettable sojourn into the very heart and soul of ancient Portugal
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