5 Days Portugal Private Tour: Culture & Local Flavors

We begin in modern Lisbon at Parque das Nações, the site of Expo ’98, which celebrated the Portuguese Age of Discovery. With its bold yet functional architecture, you’ll also see the remarkable work of Santiago Calatrava, the same architect who designed the Museum of Tomorrow in Brazil.
Next, we explore Alfama, the oldest part of Lisbon with narrow streets and alleys. This former Arab Medina was transformed into the Mouraria neighborhood after the Christian reconquest in the 12th century. Alfama is the birthplace of Fado, Portugal’s most iconic and melancholic music, reflecting the deep-rooted emotion known as “saudade.”
Afterwards, we head to São Jorge Castle, one of the few remaining physical vestiges of the Arab civilization in Portugal. On our way to downtown Lisbon, we will pass by the Lisbon Cathedral, built in the Romanesque style in the 12th century, and visit the birthplace of Saint Anthony, known as the patron saint of lost items and marriages.
In Baixa, the most devastated area by the 1755 earthquake, we’ll learn about the Pombaline architecture, designed with wider streets and anti-seismic structures, a pioneering approach in the 18th century led by the Marquis of Pombal.
We will continue along the Avenida da Liberdade to the Marquês de Pombal Square, stopping at Eduardo VII Park to admire the stunning views.
After lunch, we visit Belém, an open book chronicling Portugal’s maritime history. Here, we’ll explore three important monuments: Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, and the Monument to the Discoveries, followed by a stop at the famous Pastéis de Belém shop to sample this beloved pastry.

 – Overnight in Lisbon

On the second day of our 14-day itinerary in Portugal, we will visit Sintra. We’ll begin with the Queluz Palace (optional visit), where the Portuguese Royal Family was residing during the French invasion, which “forced” them to move the capital to Brazil. Interestingly, it was here that Dom Pedro IV of Portugal, who was simultaneously Dom Pedro I of Brazil, was born and died. The palace’s rococo style stands out, particularly in its asymmetrical gardens, cleverly disguised by a sequence of terraces and Tuscan-columned galleries, topped with a monumental staircase. The strong decoration, with statuary clearly inspired by classical and allegorical mythology, connects the geometric beauty of the boxwood hedges and colorful tiles with the stone and bronze of its many statues.

Next, we’ll enjoy the center of Sintra, with its alleys and streets filled with numerous Portuguese craft shops, as well as the famous Travesseiros de Sintra at Pastelaria Piriquita. You’ll have free time to enjoy this wonderful location.
Sintra is a place with a high concentration of historical monuments and very interesting tourist attractions. Here, we will find more than 10 national monuments, including opulent palaces, ancient ruins, and decorative manor houses scattered across the region’s different hills. These are often reached through quite challenging pedestrian paths.

Your guide will help you decide which palace to visit (we suggest a maximum of two), choosing from:

• National Palace of Sintra
• Pena Palace
• Quinta da Regaleira
• Monserrate Palace
• Moorish Castle

We continue through the always beautiful Sintra Mountains towards Cascais, passing through Colares, where we will make a mandatory stop at Cabo da Roca (the westernmost point of mainland Europe). “Where the land ends and the sea begins,” as Luís de Camões wrote in Os Lusíadas (Canto VIII). The imposing lighthouse, standing at 165 meters high and built in 1772, and the “power” of the Atlantic Ocean reveal one of Portugal’s most emblematic places, a site of great importance during the Maritime Expansion period.

Arriving at the village of Cascais, with its beautiful bay, now a very pleasant place to live or spend a vacation, you’ll see small fishing boats scattered around. You’ll have free time to explore this small village, so famous that it attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Between Cascais Bay and the Sintra Mountains, Cascais became the vacation spot for the Portuguese royal family in the 19th century, drawing the entire nobility with them. In Largo de Camões, the historical center, you’ll find many shops and restaurants.

Estoril, a hub of espionage during World War II, was home to Ian Fleming, the famous author of the James Bond novels. You can admire the many estates as well as the Estoril Casino, considered the largest in Europe.

 – Overnight in Lisbon

Leaving Lisbon, we arrive in Fátima, considered by many to be one of the most important Marian shrines in the world. Here, we will pay homage to Our Lady at the Cova da Iria by visiting the two basilicas: Our Lady of the Rosary and the Holy Trinity, and, of course, the oldest, the Chapel of the Apparitions.
The Chapel of the Apparitions, the first chapel built shortly after the apparitions of Our Lady, is located in the center of the Sanctuary. It is a must-visit, not for its grandeur but for its significance. A visit here is essential.
At one end is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, built in 1928 with a neo-Baroque architecture. Here, you will find the tombs of the three shepherd children (Francisco and Jacinta), and now also the tomb of Sister Lúcia, who passed away in 2005. At the other end stands the imposing Basilica of the Holy Trinity, built in 2007 with over 8,000 seats and 40,000 m² of space, designed by Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis.

In Coimbra, we will visit the University Palace, where the Joanine Library holds a place of great prominence within the University. The construction of the Joanine Library began in 1717, above the old Royal Palace prison, to house the Coimbra University Library, and it was completed in 1728. Its ceiling and frescoes were painted by the distinguished Master António Ribeiro and Vicente Nunes, while the portrait of King João V at the end of the room was done by Italian artist Domenico Dupra.

IMPORTANT – If visiting the interior of the University is essential for you during your trip to Coimbra, please inform us when booking your 5-day Portugal itinerary so we can reserve the tickets (not included in the tour price), as visits to the Joanine Library are numbered, and without a reservation, it will be nearly impossible to visit at the time. Once reserved, the fee (11.5€/person) will be charged at the end of the tour, even if the visit is not made due to the client’s cancellation or delay.

After appreciating the library, we will continue exploring the University of Coimbra and visit other interesting places such as the Chapel of São Miguel, the “Great Hall of Acts,” the “Goat” Tower, and others. Despite being built as part of the royal reform of university studies (influenced by the spread of Enlightenment ideas in Portugal), the Joanine Library is recognized as one of the most original and spectacular baroque libraries in Europe.

Still in Coimbra, we will visit the Lower Town, or Coimbra’s Historical Center, the central area of the city. The distinction between “Upper Town,” where the nobility, clergy, and later the students lived, and the “Lower Town,” dominated by commerce, craftsmanship, and riverside neighborhoods, defines the city.
This region is a perfect place to relax and get lost in the charming streets, narrow alleys, beautiful squares, and countless cafés, pastry shops, and restaurants. The Lower Town of Coimbra is rich in culture and unforgettable gastronomy, and this area has been the city’s commercial center for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, maintaining its authentic atmosphere and unique personality.
A suggested visit would include the 12th-century Romanesque-style Cathedral, the Almedina Arch, and the Church of Santa Cruz, where the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques (Afonso I), is buried.

 – Overnight in Porto

On the fourth day of our 5-day Portugal itinerary, we visit the fantastic city of Porto, the second-largest city in Portugal. We will start our tour at the Casa da Música, a monumental concert hall with modern yet functional architecture, heading toward Matosinhos with its port and Foz, where Porto’s upper-middle class resides.
In downtown Porto, we’ll travel along Avenida dos Aliados, with the City Hall as its most emblematic building, as well as the statue of Dom Pedro I of Brazil, showing his love for the city, as he left his heart here.
We will visit the beautiful São Bento train station, where 20,000 tiles by Jorge Colaço will take us on a journey through Portuguese history and the traditions of the Douro and Minho regions—a true open book that awaits to show us the city’s way of life.
The busiest street in the city, Rua de Santa Catarina, is filled with national and international shops. One of the biggest attractions is Café Majestic, a luxurious café that tells the story of Porto in the 1920s, with political intrigue and the exchange of ideas, reflecting Porto’s “Belle Époque” and its writers and artists.
Next, our tour takes us to visit one of the most famous and beautiful bookstores in the world, the Livraria Lello. Its charming interior, which looks like wood, inspired one of the scenes in the famous Harry Potter films. Afterward, we’ll visit Porto’s Cathedral with its fantastic city views, the Palácio da Bolsa, the Church of São Francisco, and more.
We will then cross the Dom Luis Bridge to Gaia, where we will visit one of the Port wine cellars to learn about the entire production process of this unique wine. Nearby is the Serra do Pilar Monastery, which offers a breathtaking view of Porto and the mouth of the Douro River.

 – Overnight in Porto

Douro Valley – Leaving our hotel in Porto, our first stop will be Amarante, where we can pray to the famous matchmaking saint, São Gonçalo de Amarante, and admire the church and convent named after him. We will also see the 18th-century bridge that connects the banks of the Tâmega River, the largest tributary of the Douro.
We will continue to Vila Real, more specifically to the parish of Mateus, where we can admire one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Portugal, with its gardens and history. The famous Mateus Rosé wine originated here.
Our itinerary then leads us to the Upper Douro Wine Region to enjoy a breathtaking view from the Casal de Loivos viewpoint and visit the Pinhão train station, where 24 tile panels depict the hard work of producing the precious wine. This region was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001.
The highlight of our trip to the Douro Valley is a visit to a winery, where we will learn about the entire process, from cultivation, pruning, and harvesting to the long-awaited final product, the wine. After so much learning, we will finally have the chance to taste it.

Braga and Guimarães – In this option, we begin the day by visiting Guimarães, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001, located on the sacred hill where a statue of Dom Afonso Henriques keeps watch.
Here, we will discover the secrets of its castle and the foundation of Portugal, the Church of São Miguel, and the Ducal Palace. We will stroll through the city’s streets, which seem straight out of a medieval tale, with beautiful squares like São Tiago, Toural, and Oliveira. We will also have the chance to try the Santa Clara pastry.
After lunch, we’ll head to Braga, a modern city with remnants of Roman times. We will visit its Cathedral, where the cross used in the first mass in Brazil is kept, admire the magnificent pipe organs, and see the high choir and the tomb chapels of some of Braga’s archbishops, where the tombs of the parents of Portugal’s first king, Dom Afonso Henriques, can be found.
The Bom Jesus Park, surrounded by lush forests, was built between the 18th and 19th centuries, blending Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical architectural styles, and features various chapels of the Stations of the Cross, a monumental staircase adorned with symbolic statues and fountains.
Can you imagine being transported by a water-powered funicular, the oldest in the world, using water counterweights? The upper cabin’s tank is filled with water to make the lower cabin ascend the slope, with the water being drained when it reaches the bottom.
Our visit will not be complete without seeing some of the city’s other attractions, such as the Episcopal Palace with its Santa Bárbara gardens, the Church of the Holy Cross, and finally, the Praça da República, where you can feel the vibrant pulse of the city.
At the end of the day, we return to Lisbon or Porto.