Portugal: History, Wine, and Sun-Soaked Coasts, but be ready for the hills!
Portugal
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Apr 24 - May 5, 2024
Portugal: History, Wine, and Sun-Soaked Coasts
Portugal offered a fantastic mix of historical exploration, delicious food, and stunning scenery. Here's a breakdown of my trip:
Porto: A guided tour with Tania provided a solid introduction to Porto's rich history and architectural beauty. We explored the Ribeira district and learned about the city's connection to Port wine.
Douro Valley: Nelson, our knowledgeable guide, led us through the stunning Douro Valley. We visited a family-owned winery for a personalized experience, learning about traditional Port production and enjoying a delicious home-cooked meal paired with their wines.
Matosinhos: This coastal town lived up to the hype. We indulged in some of the freshest seafood I've ever had – a must for any seafood lover.
Via Comburia & Évora: A day trip took us to these contrasting destinations. Via Comburia offered a glimpse into cork production, a significant aspect of Portugal's economy. Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, impressed with its Roman Temple and the haunting Capela dos Ossos.
Algarve & Benagil Caves: A trip to the southern Algarve region wasn't complete without a visit to the incredible Benagil Caves. The boat tour provided stunning views of these natural wonders. The region's abundance of fresh fruit, especially oranges, was a delightful treat.
Évora & Paulo's Pastéis: A day trip with Paulo included exploring Évora's castles and learning about their historical significance. The highlight was visiting his family's bakery in the old town for some truly phenomenal pastries – a perfect way to end the day.
Lisbon: We finished the trip in Lisbon, allowing time to explore the city at our own pace.
Overall: Portugal exceeded expectations. The combination of informative tours, delicious food and wine experiences, and breathtaking scenery made it a memorable trip. The hospitality of the locals, especially Tania, Nelson, and Paulo, added a personal touch that truly enhanced the experience.
Hotel Reviews
Top-notch breakfast buffet
Not easy to get to by car but a lovely hotel
Activity Reviews
This was a fun intro to the food and wine of Porto
Tania did a great job showing us the highlights of the city. But it was also done in a logical manner such that weren't constantly going up and down hill the whole time. She dropped us off near the river and suggested a place for lunch and called ahead for us to get us a table. She was very friendly and knowledgeable and gave us some unique insights into different aspects of the city
Because of the weather Nelson offered to take us to a Port winery vs doing the open River Cruise and we were glad we did. It was a lovely location and the port was excellent. The private tour of the family winery we went to was wonderful, really got to see and learned about how they produced their wines. Topped off with a private traditional lunch they made just for us. A lovely day
Filipa was lovely and we enjoyed some of the food along the tour. However, the final restaurant she left us at for our meal was terrible. It was loud, and packed and the food was just not good. We ended up leaving because we didn't want to insult the owners by not eating what they were bringing out
Interesting. I did not know that there is so much to know about cork or how many places it is used
There were some interesting aspects to this trip, it was a bit more strenuous than we expected. I honestly enjoyed walking around in the Palacio Nacional da Pena (Pena Palace) in Evora far more. Rafael was a lovely guide and a very nice person. He showed us around the villages that still exist within the park which was interesting
Amazing view of the coastline and caves. Cool to go inside and see first hand. Well worth it
We were slightly late due to our navigation system messing up. Nuno was very patient with us. He was extremely knowledgeable about the university and surrounding area. Interesting tour
We weren't quite sure what to expect with this tour. It had been cloudy all day so we were afraid that we would not see the sunset, but in the end it cleared up and we were able to see it. Our guide was fun and showed us some out-of-the-way places you would never know to see. Our dinner was very good, some of the best chicken we had the entire trip
Pauolo was great, very informative and friendly. We enjoyed spending time with him and meeting his wife at their shop in town. Castles we great as well as the Well of Initiation which I had always wanted to see. Unfortunately the weather was not very cooperative and it rained a fair bit of the time
Dear Andy and Namrata,
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed exploring Portugal's rich history, delicious food and breathtaking scenery.
It is fantastic to know that the guides chosen for you made your trip memorable with their hospitality and expertise.
I sincerely appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you back for more adventures in the future! Spain, Italy or Morocco for an upcoming trip?
Warmest regards,
Helena