Suggested Itinerary
Day 1 – Porto
Scheduled flight to Porto from your preferred airport – transfer with our professional guide in our private executive coach to the centrally located 3* Grande Hotel do Porto.
Day 2 – Guided tour of Porto, Museu Soares dos Reis, River Douro cruise & dinner at Taylor’s Port Lodge
Guided tour of Porto, Portugal’s second largest city and one of the most ancient in Europe, takes in the São Francisco Church, the Palácio da Bolsa (the Stock Exchange Palace) including the truly lavish Arab Room where heads of state are received, and the azulejo tile panels depicting scenes of Portuguese history at São Bento Railway Station – named after the country’s leading 19th century sculptor, Museu Soares dos Reis is home to a fine collection of art, including paintings by the 16th century master, Frey Carlos and the Impressionist, Henrique Pousão – a 50 minute cruise on the River Douro allows us to see the city from a different perspective – dinner and a port tasting are included at Taylor’s Port Lodge this evening.
Day 3 – Braga, Bom Jesus do Monte & Guimarães
In Braga, the seat of Portugal’s archbishops and the country’s religious capital since the 12th century, Bom Jesus do Monte stands as Portugal’s most spectacular religious sanctuary and is famous for its giant Baroque Escadaria stairway of Bom Jesus which was designed by the Archbishop of Braga in 1722 – framed by gently rising hills and celebrated as the birthplace of the nation, King Afonso Henriques chose Guimarães as his capital in 1139 and a guided tour takes in the narrow streets of the medieval quarter, the cobbled Rua de Santa Maria and the Castelo de São Miguel.
Day 4 – Casa da Música, Majestic Café & the British Factory House
Guided tour of the Casa da Música, conceived in 2001 to mark Porto’s year as Cultural Capital of Europe and a 2007 winner of the European Award of the Royal Institute of British Architects – time for tea at the Majestic Café, a traditional hang out for intellectuals and voted the sixth most beautiful coffee house in the world – the British Factory House was originally founded in 1654 as a commercial association between merchants in Porto engaged in trading wool, cod and wine with Britain and a guided tour explores the present building that was designed in Palladian style and opened in 1790 by the British Consul, John Whitehead.
Day 5 – Porto
Morning at leisure to enjoy Porto – transfer to Porto airport for our scheduled flight home.
Tour Features
Half board accommodation
All excursions & guided tours included
Professional local guide in Portugal
Scheduled flights to Porto
Executive coach in Portugal
One free place per 10 paying passengers
Guided tour of Porto
Museu Soares dos Reis
River Douro cruise
Dinner at Taylor’s Port Lodge
Braga & Bom Jesus do Monte
Guimarães
Casa da Música – guided tour
Majestic Café
British Factory House
Hotel
Four nights on half board basis at the centrally located 3* Grande Hotel do Porto. Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant and bar and all rooms are en suite.
Tailor-make this tour
Your tailor made tour
Here are some more suggested places of interest:
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Amarante - rows of 17th century mansions with brightly painted wooden balconies line its narrow streets and the spectacular São Gonçalo Bridge dates back to the 13th century
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Igreja do Carmo - a magnificent example of late Baroque architecture by master Francisco Pereira Campanhã and an extraordinary outside wall covered in blue and white azulejo tiles
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Santiago de Compostela - combine with a two to three night stay in Santiago de Compostela which in the Middle Ages was Christendom’s third most important place of pilgrimage after Jerusalem and Rome
Tour Reviews
Reviews for Porto - Architecture, History & Port
Date of tour: July 2017
Firstly, the tour to Porto went very well. I have had no negative feedback, and much positive. The hotel was much liked. Our rooms were spacious and well equipped and the staff were friendly and helpful generally. The food was plentiful, varied and of good quality. Our local guide was good; a very pleasant personality, and very efficient. I enjoyed working with her. The itinerary worked well, and everyone felt they had enjoyed a good sample of the town and surrounding area in the time we were there. Favourite seemed to be the Casa Musica, which is indeed amazing. I have had several comments about how well-organised the trip was. Of course it was!
MD, Croydon
Date of tour: June 2017
We have just said farewell to our tour manager, Rita, and I want to comment on the impression that she has made on us. We think she is outstanding, with excellent skills and an amazing encyclopaedic knowledge of ALL the places we visited. She was able to answer pretty well any question that was raised and her delivery of the facts and anecdotes really was remarkable. Additionally, she showed great patience and tolerance to those on this trip who are less mobile, demonstrating a compassionate and calm character. We would be more than happy if you would pass on our comments, and thanks, to her for making our trip especially enjoyable.
CL, Greenham
Date of tour: March 2014
I’d like to thank you for all your work making our tour of Lisbon and Porto run smoothly. We had absolutely no complaints and enjoyed all our visits – the garden at Aveleda and the Fronteira Palace were the favourite, The hotels were fine. The restaurant on the last night was the best food we had on the whole trip. Our tour manager, Paul, looked after us really well and was extremely helpful to one passenger who had a passport problem (of her own making). Thank you again.
WD, Wootton Wawen
Call us on
020 7064 4970
to tailor this tour
for your group
Tailor make your group tour
Remember this itinerary is just our suggestion. Tailor make this tour exclusively for your group to suit your members’ budget or preferences. You could:
- stay in a 4* hotel
- with less dinners included
- for more (or fewer) days
- include different excursions – see ‘Tailor-make this tour’ tab for suggestions
- include UK airport coach transfers
- bring a specialist lecturer
- include all entrance fees & gratuities
Call us on
020 7064 4970
to tailor make the perfect tour
for your group
