Off-the-Beaten-Path Luxury in Portugal: Porto, Douro Valley, Alentejo, Comporta & Lisbon - 14 Days
Highlights
- Discover fine wines and prehistoric rock art in the lush Douro Valley
- Go hiking in rugged Peneda-Gerês, Portugal's only national park
- Enjoy stargazing and hot-air balloon adventures in rural Alentejo
- Delve into Porto and Lisbon's history and cuisine with locally-led tours
- Explore Comporta's wild coastline by boat and on horseback
Brief Itinerary
Day | Highlights | Overnight |
---|---|---|
Day 1 | Arrive in Porto, Portuguese Cuisine Experience | Porto |
Day 2 | Porto World Heritage Tour, Evening Wine Tasting | Porto |
Day 3 | 4WD Tour of Peneda-Gerês National Park | Porto |
Day 4 | Scenic Drive to the Douro Valley | Douro Valley |
Day 5 | Archaeology, Wine Tasting & Lunch in the Greater Côa Valley | Douro Valley |
Day 6 | Traditional Portuguese Cooking Class | Douro Valley |
Day 7 | Scenic Drive to the Alentejo | Alentejo |
Day 8 | Alentejo Jeep Tour with Winery Visit | Alentejo |
Day 9 | Hot-Air Balloon Over Évora, Dark Sky Reserve Stargazing | Alentejo |
Day 10 | Drive to Comporta, Explore the Hotel & Beach Town | Comporta |
Day 11 | Arrábida Marine Reserve Boat Trip | Comporta |
Day 12 | Horseback Riding with Picnic Lunch | Comporta |
Day 13 | Drive to Lisbon, Cooking Workshop or Michelin-Star Dinner | Lisbon |
Day 14 | Depart Lisbon |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Porto, Portuguese Cuisine Experience
Welcome to Portugal! Touch down in Porto, the country's second-largest city. Porto is beloved for its Ribeira (riverside), packed with port cellars and cafés, and the colossal Dom Luís I Bridge, which spans the Douro River. Don't miss the Livraria Lello, a bookshop with a distinctive spiral staircase said to be one of the real-life inspirations for "Harry Potter's" Hogwarts.
Upon arrival, your driver will drop you at The Yeatman Hotel, which lies on a hillside above the south bank of the Douro River. The wine hotel and spa sprawls over 7 acres (3 ha), with a decanter-shaped infinity pool, mammoth wine cellar, and spa offering wine-inspired treatments, from grapeseed oil massages and facials to barrel baths. Settle into your luxury room or suite, drinking in city views from your private balcony.
This evening, sample classic Portuguese cuisine on a private tour. Guided by a local expert, you'll visit restaurants, cafés, and bars set off Porto's main tourist trail. You'll be welcomed by the local families who own the establishments and get to taste an array of traditional dishes and pastries accompanied by fine Portuguese wines.
Day 2: Porto World Heritage Tour, Evening Wine Tasting
Today, you'll take a private walking tour of Porto's UNESCO-listed city center. Your guide will introduce you to the city's architectural highlights, including the Rivoli Theater, the Art-Deco-style Cinema Batalha, and Centro Português de Fotografia, set in a former prison. End with a stroll along the Douro River and the Rua da Reboleira to see the rehabilitation of the Ribeira neighborhood.
Spend the afternoon as you please; retire to your hotel for a massage or pool session, or continue exploring the city independently. Admire the Ribeira's colorful dockside houses and warren of windy streets and stop for a coffee and a pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tart) while watching the boats glide down the river.
This evening, get an introduction to Portuguese wines with a private tasting session. Sample six top bottles derived from the nearby Douro Valley—which has one of the most diverse collections of grapes in the world—and the southern Alentejo region. An expert sommelier will teach you about the different varieties and answer any wine-related questions.
Day 3: 4WD Tour of Peneda-Gerês National Park
Leave the city today for a private tour of Peneda-Gerês, Portugal's only national park. Set 2.5 hours north of Porto, the park is filled with mountains and river valleys covered with native forests home to rare European animals like wolves and wild boar. The woods are crisscrossed with hiking paths that lead to 12th-century granite villages where you can enjoy typical Portuguese meals.
Explore in a private 4WD, stopping for hikes to beauty spots and panoramic viewpoints that showcase the highlights of Peneda-Gerês. Visit hidden lagoons where you can swim in mirror-clear water and trek to crashing waterfalls nestled in dense forests. You'll stop at traditional mountain villages to glimpse rural Portuguese life and may even spot wild horses during your journey. Afterward, return to Porto for a final evening in the city.
Day 4: Scenic Drive to the Douro Valley
This morning, pick up your rental car and make the scenic 1.5-hour drive into the mountains and valleys of the famous Douro Valley wine region. Sections snake alongside the Douro River, surrounded by terraced vineyards and olive farms dotted with family-run quintas (estates). Stop off at sweeping viewpoints and riverside cafés to drink in the views; the town of Amarante is a favorite for its iconic bridge and streets lined with cute cafés.
Eventually, you'll reach the boutique retreat Casa do Rio Wine Hotel, set in the organic vineyards of the acclaimed wine estate Quinta do Vallado. This remote property is nestled near Villa Nova de Foz Côa on the Spanish border and was designed by renowned architect Francisco Vieira de Campos.
Casa do Rio blends into the terraced landscape, made of wood and suspended over a gorge above the Douro River. Settle into your peaceful room, which features floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading to a private balcony. Soak up the views and head down to the infinity pool, which overlooks the river, for a swim. The hotel also offers boat and Jeep tours, as well as walking trails, bikes, and standup paddleboards to explore the area.
Day 5: Archaeology, Wine Tasting & Lunch in the Greater Côa Valley
Today, you're free to delve into the history of the Greater Côa Valley independently. This lush region is known for its remote beauty, offering rolling countryside dotted with vineyards. Stop for wine tasting and a picnic lunch at Quinta da Vinea, which has been run by the same family since the 19th century and uses sustainable viticulture techniques to produce its signature wines.
The Côa Valley is also famed for its collection of prehistoric rock engravings and paintings, which depict animals, people, and abstract figures. These are believed to have been created by early humans during the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, making them thousands of years old.
Uncover this history at the Côa Valley Archaeological Park, established to protect and showcase these ancient rock art sites. The park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998, recognizing its cultural significance and the insights it provides into the lives and cultures of prehistoric people. Peruse the various engravings that give an insight into the lives and traditions of people who once inhabited the region.
Day 6: Traditional Portuguese Cooking Class
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Get a taste of Portugal this morning with a private cooking class. Join a top local chef who'll teach you the essentials of sustainable food preservation used in the region, such as pickling and salting. Create typical local dishes using locally sourced fish, olives, and produce, then feast on your creations.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the Douro Valley. Chill out at your resort with a leisurely bike ride around the vineyards or a kayaking trip along the river. Relish panoramic valley views from the wooden deck of your hotel or head to the spa for a pamper session, indulging in a massage and detox in the sauna, followed by a soak in the Jacuzzi. Take advantage of the hotel's daily wine-tasting session at 5 pm, where you can sample a variety of bottles from award-winning Quinta do Vallado.
Day 7: Scenic Drive to the Alentejo
Say goodbye to the Douro Valley this morning and drive five hours south into the Alentejo, Portugal's largest region, where fertile landscapes are carpeted with vineyards, cork plantations, olive groves, and wheat fields. Among the rural splendors, you'll find medieval towns like Monsaraz, which are surrounded by imposing walls and topped with a castle. São Lourenço do Barrocal, your chic hotel, lies in the shadow of Monsaraz, surrounded by unblemished countryside.
Spend the rest of the day relaxing at your hotel, a whitewashed former farmhouse that's been in the same family for over 200 years. The property has a selection of barns converted into luxurious rooms and cottages by renowned architect Eduardo Souto de Moura. Room highlights include traditional red floor tiles and wooden shutters combined with modern comforts like underfloor heating.
Windows look out over the 1,927-acre (780 ha) estate, which you can explore on foot, bike, or horseback. Discover olive groves, vegetable gardens, a pool, and a vineyard where you can enjoy a wine-tasting session. Head to the spa for a decadent massage; try the signature Barrocal Purifying Massage, delivered with herbs grown on the estate. End the day with some farm-to-fork dining at the on-site restaurant.
Day 8: Alentejo Jeep Tour with Winery Visit
Uncover the natural wonders of the Alentejo today on a private Jeep safari. Head out with a local guide to experience the beauty of the countryside, bumping through forests of cork and holm oak trees, where Iberian black pigs snuffle for acorns and farmers harvest cork. You'll learn the story of an English family that planted roots in the Alentejo in the 19th century and discover the secrets of olive oil and cork production.
Continue to nearby vineyards, where you'll learn about the production process, from vine to bottle, and hear about how the Alentejo region's clay-lime soils and climate combine to produce award-winning varieties. Taste everything from syrah and Alicante Bouschet to Touriga Nacional and Aragonez. Return to your hotel afterward for a peaceful evening.
Day 9: Hot-Air Balloon Over Évora, Dark Sky Reserve Stargazing
Begin the day with a private hot-air balloon flight over the city of Évora, which is encircled by 14th-century walls and protected by UNESCO for its well-preserved mix of Moorish architecture. Soak up bird's-eye views of Évora's ancient cobbled streets, looking out for the spires of the town's impressive 12th-century cathedral, then fly over the patchwork countryside, passing the archaeological site Cromeleque dos Almendres, a set of hulking megalithic monuments.
Spend a free afternoon at your hotel, lazing by the pool or rambling through the olive groves. Tonight, you'll embark upon a private stargazing trip in the Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve, the first reserve of this kind in the world. Your guide will teach you about the area's pristine skies—low light pollution in Alentejo means the region enjoys an average of 286 nights of clear sky a year.
Start with a guided tour of the Dark Sky Reserve's astrophotography exhibition, then continue to the observatory in the village of Cumeada. Here, you'll have the chance to explore the celestial sphere with your naked eye, binoculars, and state-of-the-art telescopes. Let your guide point out twinkling constellations, distant planets, and the shiny smear of the Milky Way.
Day 10: Drive to Comporta, Explore the Hotel & Beach Town
This morning, take a scenic drive two hours east to the Atlantic coast, stopping to admire the Alqueva Dam, one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe. The final leg of the journey takes you through the Alentejo Litoral region to the beach town of Comporta. The surrounding area is a mass of dunes and beaches, fragrant forests of pine and cork trees, and irrigated rice fields that flourish in shades of green in the summer.
Much of the area is privately owned by the Espirito Santos family and protected by a nature reserve on the Sado Estuary, where over 200 bird species flock, including flamingoes and Comporta's signature storks. This means the area has retained its natural peace and beauty, with few hotels and tourist crowds. You'll stay at the Sublime Comporta, which lies on 42 acres (17 ha) of forest and fields just minutes from the beach.
Check into your room, which is made from wood and inspired by the traditional cabanas of local fishermen and farmers. Each has floor-to-ceiling windows and wooden decks, while villas feature fireplaces and a private pool. You'll find a further four pools spread around the estate, including one that's heated in the Sublime Spa, where you can enjoy a range of treatments. Indulge in the unique Our Land session, which includes a rice scrub and massage using handcrafted ceramic pots.
Day 11: Arrábida Marine Reserve Boat Trip
Explore Comporta's idyllic coastline today on a private boat. Join your skipper to sail along the Arrábida Marine Reserve, which stretches along the rugged Setúbal peninsula. Take in views of deserted golden beaches backed by wave-worn cliffs covered in rare Mediterranean plants, and look out for an array of seabirds as you sail.
Your skipper will tailor the experience to your wishes, stopping at isolated coves where you can sunbathe, swim in azure waters, and have leisurely picnics. Drop anchor in supreme snorkeling spots where you can glimpse colorful fish and marine creatures. Sip cocktails as you sit on deck, zipping across the surface of the Atlantic. Back on land, return to your hotel for a restful evening.
Day 12: Horseback Riding with Picnic Lunch
Saddle up for today's private horseback tour of Comporta's windswept beaches and remote countryside trails. Your guide will take you through fields of swaying rice and forests filled with towering pine forests, eventually crossing rolling dunes to the soft-sand beaches of the Atlantic coast. Canter across the honey-hued sands, hearing the waves crash against the shore.
Spend the rest of the day as you please. Head into the village of Comporta to shop for souvenirs in its cobblestone streets, or take the complimentary hotel shuttle to Praia do Carvalhal for some relaxation. If you're still feeling active, take advantage of Sublime's yoga classes, tennis courts, and e-bikes. End the day with a meal at the on-site Sem Porta, where you can dine on Portuguese dishes made with produce grown in the resort's organic garden.
Day 13: Drive to Lisbon, Cooking Workshop or Michelin-Star Dinner
Leave Comporta this morning and embark on the hourlong drive to Lisbon, where you'll drop off your rental car and check into the hotel AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado. Settle into one of the boutique rooms or suites in this 18th-century building, which offers everything from original fireplaces and flagstone floors to supreme city views. Spend the afternoon as you please, wandering the city's historic praças (squares), riding trams to eclectic neighborhoods, and sipping coffee in street-side cafés.
Tonight, enjoy a private cooking class where you'll learn to prepare a Portuguese meal, complete with both a fish and meat dish, followed by dessert. Alternatively, opt for an exclusive fine dining experience, where you'll have a meal prepared by a Michelin-starred chef in their culinary lab, who creates new recipes for award-winning restaurants.
Day 14: Depart Lisbon
Today, your luxury Portugal escape comes to an end. A driver will take you to the airport in time to board your homebound flight. Safe travels!