PANORAMA OF PORTUGAL - WINTER & SPRING - 8 DAYS

Meeting at the airport and flight to Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, which is built on the seven hills of the Tagus River. Arrival in the birthplace of fado with its narrow, picturesque alleys, houses with tiled roofs and facades decorated with colorful tiles. Transfer, check-in at the hotel.

Our tour today is dedicated to the picturesque and hospitable city, which despite the continuous raids of barbarian peoples for many centuries, has retained its glorious Latin character to this day. One of the most famous sights of the city and perhaps the most beautiful and elaborate in the world is the Museum of the Royal Carriages, where we will admire a unique collection of luxury and wealth dating back to the 17th and 19th centuries. We will visit the Jerónimos Monastery, the most impressive symbol of Portuguese power and wealth, built in 1502 by order of King Manuel I to honor the memory of Vasco da Gama for his successful return from India. Finally, we will visit the Monument to the Discoveries as well as the characteristic Tower of Belém, from where the Portuguese navigators set off for the ends of the earth. This famous tower, which looks more like a miniature castle, was built in 1515 near the banks of the TEJO River to protect the river's estuary and has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In the evening, we recommend enjoying the traditional Portuguese fado songs, made famous all over the world by the famous singer Amalia Rodriguez. Return to the hotel. Overnight

Breakfast at the hotel and we depart for a particularly enjoyable excursion to the outskirts of Lisbon, to Sintra, the summer residence of the kings, Cascais, which is a very beautiful fishing village, Estoril, the tourist resort of Portugal, and Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of the European continent and Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean. Return to Lisbon. We will end our today's excursion at the Park of Nations, which was built for the EXPO 1998 International Exhibition, from where we will be able to admire, among other things, the VASCO DA GAMA bridge. In the same park there is also the Lisbon Aquarium, OCEANARIO. Overnight.

Departure in the morning to Porto. First stop is the great center of Catholicism, Fatima, located 142km north of Lisbon. Fatima took its name from the appearance of the Virgin Mary in 1917 to three peasant children in the “Cova Da Iria” valley and has since emerged as the location with the largest pilgrimage attendance in the world. Our last stop is the temple of Batalha, a world cultural heritage monument under the protection of UNESCO. Arrival in Porto late afternoon and check-in at the hotel.

After breakfast we will tour the impressive city that is built on the banks of the Douro River and spreads harmoniously over the hills, still maintaining its medieval appearance today. In the Ribeira area, along the river, the old districts extend with many traditional shops and the open market located on the dock, from where in the past the characteristic boats loaded the wine of the same name.

In the upper city we will tour the area of ​​the Cathedral and the old railway building. Then we will visit the gold-plated church of St. Francis and the Bolsa Palace, which houses the Chamber of Commerce and formerly the stock exchange. Finally, we will visit an old winery in the city, where the famous “PORTO” wine matures for many years and we will have the pleasure of tasting its wonderful taste and rich aroma in a specially made “calice” glass. Afternoon free.

After breakfast departure for a full-day excursion to the Minho province. The first stop on our route will be Braga where we will admire the cathedral and the sanctuary of Jesus which presents important examples of Baroque style. Then we will visit Guimarães, the cradle of the Portuguese nation which was the first capital of Portugal. It is the birthplace of the Portuguese nation as well as the city in which the first king of Portugal, "Alfonso I", was born. We will see the castle of the region and the historic center, which are UNESCO historical heritage monuments. Return to Porto. Overnight.

Breakfast and departure by road to Coimbra, the first University Campus in Portugal and one of the oldest in the world. Our first stop is at the Busaco Forest, the national forest of the Portuguese and one of the richest in Europe in plants. On our way we will make a stop in the city of canals, the “Venice of Portugal” Aveiro, where we will admire the boats that look like traditional Venetian gondolas. Arrival in Coimbra where we will tour the University area and the streets of the city of poets with its much-sung Montego River. We will also find ourselves in the courtyard of the church of Santa Clara La Nova where we will have a panoramic view of the entire city of Coimbra.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Lisbon airport. Stops on our route, the tourist fishing village of Nazaré on the Atlantic. An experience that will remain unforgettable because of the cordiality and liveliness that you will receive from its inhabitants as well as the unique feeling that a small village steeped in tradition creates for you and where we will have the opportunity to try the local cuisine. Next stop, the beautiful medieval village of the artists Obitus. We will walk through the narrow alleys between white houses decorated with colorful flowers and enjoy a panoramic view from the 13-meter-high walls that surround the village. Arrival in Lisbon. Transfer to the airport and full of memories we fly back to Greece.