Best of Portugal Singles Vacation
40's - 50's and 60's+ Singles Vacations
August 5 - August 14, 2023
$2885*
Experience the culture of the country, the taste of the wine and the architecture of the cities and villages on our amazing Portugal singles vacation. With a rich heritage, and a landscape that includes lush mountains and sun-kissed plains, Portugal offers a warm welcome. The result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations Portugal has fantastic wine that is a great value for the money. The food is wonderful and the locals are friendly so don't miss this truly sensory opportunity that is certain to linger in your memory for a long time.
Best of Portugal Singles Vacation Itinerary
Vacation Day 1: Lisbon
Arrive into Lisbon airport (airport code LIS) this morning (remember you are flying home from Porto - airport code OPO) and take the provided shuttle to the group's hotel, located in one of the most elegant areas of Lisbon. Time to relax or start your explorations in Lisbon, Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city before our singles vacation begins with a welcome meeting at 6:00pm and an optional dinner.
Vacation Day 2: Lisbon
Today we discover Lisbon on our full day guided city tour. Explore Lisbon’s oldest neighborhoods as we drive through crooked cobblestone streets lined with quaint cafes and learn how Lisbon grew from a fishing village into a cosmopolitan city during the Age of Discoveries. Pause to admire the Lisbon church’s intricate stained glass rose window, reconstructed with fragments from the original. See the 16th-century Jeronimo’s Monastery (UNESCO), a grand religious building historically associated with the early sailor explorers and the Monument to the Discoveries built on the north bank of the Tagus River in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator.
View the impressive Belem Tower, a small fort that was constructed in the center of the Tejo Estuary to guard Lisbon from seafaring raiders. For such a trivial role the fort was lavished with beautiful and intricate details that include North African Moorish styled watchtowers, shield shaped battlements and the first European stone carving of a Rhinoceros.
Visit São Jorge Castle (Saint George Castle), a Moorish castle occupying a commanding hilltop overlooking the historic center and Tagus River. The strongly fortified citadel dates from the medieval period of Portuguese history, and is one of the main tourist sites of Lisbon.
Time for a tasting at an old patisserie that has managed to hold on to the secret recipe of Portugal’s finest pastry for over 100 years and enjoy a demonstration and tasting of the famous ‘pastéis de Belem’.
Tonight we enjoy our Welcome Dinner at a local Portuguese restaurant.
Vacation Day 3: Lisbon - Sintra - Cascais - Lisbon
Our morning begins with a drive to Sintra, a resort town in the foothills of Portugal’s Sintra Mountains. A longtime royal sanctuary, its forested terrain is studded with pastel-colored villas and palaces. The Moorish- and Manueline-style Sintra National Palace is distinguished by dramatic twin chimneys and elaborate tile work. The monastery was seriously damaged by the 1755 earthquake and was the abandoned. The building of Palacio da Pena, which started in 1840 and finished in 1885, when king Fernando died. It was inhabited by the royal family until 1910, when the Portuguese Republic was established and monarch was abolished.
The forested park lands that surround the palace continue the Romanticism design ideals of the palace, with hidden pathways, ornate features and stunning view points.
Free time for lunch before we drive to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, and get a souvenir certificate with the inscription "where the land ends and the sea begins". Pass the stunning beaches of Cascais, including Praia do Guincho, the most picturesque beach on the Lisbon coast.
On the way to Cascais, experience the mystery of the cave "Devil's Mouth", created by the crashing of the waves on the rocky cliff. Stop at the elegant seaside resort of Cascais, a once peaceful fishing village that was discovered by European nobility for its idyllic setting and became a favorite destination for the international jet set thereafter.
Then we travel back to Lisbon for a relaxing evening.
Vacation Day 4: Lisbon Free Day - Sunset Cruise
Enjoy a free day in Lisbon to discover this magical city on your own or with a few of your new travel friends. If you are interested in a guided activity, you can check out the Lisbon tours and activities here - Lisbon Optional Tours & Activities. If shopping is your thing, LxFactory, once an abandoned industrial area, has shops, vendor stalls and cafes that create an artisanal shopping experience. Embaixada provides high-end artisanal shopping in an elegant converted palace. The stores in Embaixada tend to sell more classic items, whereas LxFactory is more cool and hip.
Tonight we sail into the sunset for fantastic views of Lisbon. Our cruise takes place on the Tagus River during the most magical time of the day: sunset. While relaxing on board, the cruise will pass by some of the main monuments of the Portuguese capital.
Vacation Day 5: Coimbra via Óbidos and Nazare
Our trip to the Portugal’s “Silver Coast” begins in the medieval walled town of Óbidos, located on a hilltop, encircled by a fortified wall, and divided between two parishes. Óbidos, steeped in history, culture and tradition remains a well-preserved example of medieval architecture. Inside the wall are colorful buildings, a small church, a market, lots of cafe's and locally made souvenirs. Stroll around the village walls and cobbled narrow streets with your guide and don’t forget to try the drink Ginja, a Portuguese liqueur made by infusing ginja berries.
For centuries, Nazare was a traditional seaside town where fishermen taught their children to avoid the big waves that crashed on the nearby cliffs. Yet over the past eight years, those same waves have made this place an unusual destination for extreme surfers, their fans, and the international companies that sponsor athletes. The waves, which are the 
height of a 10-story building, are caused by an underwater canyon - 3miles deep and 125 miles long - that ends abruptly just before the shore of the city. We will stop here for free time for lunch.
On the banks of the River Mondego is Coimbra (aka "the city of students"), famous for its University, the oldest in Portugal and one of the oldest in Europe. There are several monuments from those times that show the splendor of Romanesque art. In the shopping area and historic cafe area of the city center, see the Monastery of Santa Cruz, which houses the tomb of Portugal's first king and the Monastery of Santa Clara-A-Velha. We overnight in Coimbra.
Vacation Day 6: Coimbra - Porto
After breakfast we will have a guided tour of the University of Coimbra including the Palace of Schools where we can visit the Royal Palace that includes the Grand Hall of Acts, the Private Exam Room and the Armillary Room; The Royal Chapel of Saint Michael and the Joanine Library where we visit the Noble Floor, the Middle Floor and the Academic Prison. The Science Museum has 18th and 19th Century Physics Cabinets, the Natural History Galleries and the Chemistry Laboratory. Visit the Botanic Garden where we can travel around the world through botanic. Then we drive to Porto, the capital of northern Portugal and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. During our cultural tour, we will have the opportunity to visit interesting places such as the Bolhão Market, Santa Catarina Street, the Majestic Café, Avenida de Aliados, the cathedral, Batalha Square, Infante D. Henrique Square and many others. One of the buildings that we will visit today will be the impressive Palace of Porto Stock Exchange (Bolsa Palace), headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and of neoclassical style.
Vacation Day 7: Porto - Cruise of the 6 bridges + Visit World of Wine
This morning we will be transferred to the river area. Enjoy a nice walk across the Douro River as we get to know the six bridges that crown the city of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Then will set sail on an exciting 50-minute ride along the Douro River. See the different points of interest that surround the city and hear about the famous Rabelos boats, authentic barges of the region. Some of the places of interest that we can see from the boat are the Bolsa Palace, the Museum of Port Wine, Cristal Palace, Ribeira de Oporto, Mosteiro de Serra do Pilar, among others. Upon docking we will drive over to the World of Wine, WOW for short. In centuries old Port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, WOW pays homage to the region, and shines a light on the most important Portuguese industries and traditions. But WOW is more than museums, it is an entire district full of new and exciting things to do, explore, and learn. Six museum experiences, nine restaurants, shops, a temporary exhibition space, an events space and a wine school. The six museums, called experiences, have themes like wine, cork, chocolate, fashion (considering that Porto is the heart of Portugal’s garment industry), and the The Bridge Collection, featuring a vast array of centuries-old drinking vessels and glasses. Enjoy 2 experiences of your choice.
Vacation Day 8: Porto - Douro Valley - Porto
Today we take an unforgettable journey through the beautiful landscapes and scenic mountains of the Douro Valley plus get to enjoy wine tasting and a picnic lunch. We stop in Amarante, settled in the 4th century BC and the home of the beautiful Monastery of San Gonçalo on the chapel next to the bridge over the Tâmega River. According to tradition, San Gonçalo had lived and was buried in there.
The city of Peso da Régua was born from the merger of the villages of Peso and Regla, extending along the banks of the Duero. In the middle of the 18th century, the Marquis of Pombal created the Alto Duero Vineyard Company and from then on the Rule began to grow and develop its wine production and consequently the marketing of the wines, the city's brand image. We pass through Pinhão, the region’s largest riverside town, from here the wine barrels were transported in special boats known as barcos rabelos to age in the local wine lodges. Famous for its beautiful train station along the Douro Line, The Pinhao station has tiled panels that depict scenes, landscapes and customs of the Douro Region.
Vacation Day 9: Porto Free Day - Farewell Dinner
Enjoy a free day in Porto strolling the cobblestone streets, take a funicular ride, check-out a museum, shop to you drop or take an optional tour. You can go wine tasting, explore a village or visit a national park - https://www.viator.com/Porto/d26879-ttd
After a wonderful day at leisure we will meet and transfer to a local restaurant for our Farewell dinner.
Vacation Day 10: Porto
Have breakfast at your leisure then say goodbye to your new travel friends as you head to the airport for your flight home. You can depart anytime during the day.
Hotels
| Lisbon - Evolution Lisboa | Coimbra - Tivoli Coimbra | Porto - Bessa Boavista hotel |
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* 9 Night Accommodations
*The price per person is for a double room. Best Single Travel provides free roommate matching on all our vacations, so there is never a need to pay a "single supplement". If you wish to room alone it is an additional $800 * Air Flights |
FAQ and Cancellation Policy |
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