Flavours of Portugal

Upon arrival pick up your car at Lisbon airport and proceed to your hotel.

Discover Lisbon, an historical city full of stories to tell and famous for its hospitality, where the sun shines 290 days a year. There is so much to see in a city which is constantly reinventing itself. From historic places to the most recent museum and architecture projects, from the classic to the contemporary, visual arts to performing arts, listed monuments to new interactive exhibitions, in Lisbon there is always a unique show to see or an impressive monument to visit. 

Stay overnight in Lisbon.

Enjoy your activity included and enjoy the remainder of your day in Lisbon.

Stay overnight in Lisbon.

After breakfast, leave Lisbon and travel through Alentejo region, filled with flavours, landscapes, tradition and historical legacies. Stop to check out the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Évora city. Walk through its narrow streets with white houses and see along the way Praça do Giraldo, the Cathedral and Sao Francisco Church with its curious Chapel of Bones, the Roman Temple, known as “Templo de Diana”. Stop at Ferreira do Alentejo, to visit Oliveira da Serra, the largest olive grove in the country and the most-awarded Portuguese olive oil brand in the world.         

Stay overnight in Beja.                                                    

(Approximately 235 km)

Check out after breakfast and explore Beja, the major town of the lower Alentejo region. Walk around the town and visit Santiago Church, the Cathedral and the Castle Keep, known as “Torre de Menagem”, and climb to its top to admire beautiful countryside view.

Alentejo is a wine producing region with a long tradition and is known for its excellence. The distinct characteristics of the soils, the long hours of sun exposure and a group of selected grape varieties enable high quality production, combined with the ability to preserve the tradition of flavour. Continue south driving along Alentejo’s fields of cork trees, vineyards and olive trees.                                                                                     

Stay overnight in Lagos.

(Approximately 175 km)

After breakfast, take an adventure kayak guided tour (not included) and explore amazing caves and grottoes and the beautiful hidden beaches, a real paradise for nature lovers. Some beaches around Lagos are considered the most beautiful in the Algarve. Lunch at leisure in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, take a walk to explore Lagos, a beautiful and historical city. It was here that, in the 15th century, Henry the Navigator led the Portuguese into the Age of Discoveries, setting off for the coast of Africa and finding that Cape Bojador was not the End of the World. Stroll through the streets of Lagos historic center and the charm of this ancient city. Visit the Church of Santo António, and the Municipal Museum, with an interesting collection of archaeology and sacred art. Continue to Praça Infante D. Henrique, where the first slave market in Europe was held, a space now transformed into a cultural centre for exhibitions and handicrafts shop.                    

Stay overnight in Lagos.

After breakfast drive to Olhão, a lovely town with houses built in the shape of white cubes, like a North African-style house. Fishing was for many years the main source of income in Olhão and you may experience that atomosphere by visiting the typical and lively fish and vegetable market. Lunch is at your leisure and at the right place to experience new Algarvian flavours, like the famous grilled sardines or xerem a typical dish made from corn flour and combined with clams, shellfish or a very small fish.  Continue to the charming town of Castro Marim, located on the bank of Guadiana River, which marks the Portugal’s frontier with Spain. The Spanish town of Ayamonte is about 10 minutes away by car. This humid zone known as the Marshland Nature Reserve of Castro Marim is a privileged site for the reproduction of fish, crustaceans and shellfish.  

Stay overnight in Faro.

(Approximately 121 km)

Take the road back and visit the small village of Cacela Velha with whitewashed single-storey houses and admire the magnificent views over the sea and the vast dunes of Ria Formosa Natural Park. Continue to Tavira, one of the most picturesque towns in the Algarve. Among the charms of Tavira we may find the narrow streets along the River Gilão, the castle walls for fine views of the town, the Church of Misericordia with its Renaissance doorway among a multitude of churches spread throughout the town.

Stay overnight in Faro.

After breakfast and before heading back to Lisbon, take some time to walk around the old, fortified city of Faro, the capital of the Algarve. Cross the Arco da Vila that gives access to the old town. Here you will find the 11th century Arab Gateway, the oldest horseshoe arch in the country, which was the gate through the walls for those arriving by sea. From here, a tangle of streets begins and are well worth meandering through to explore their nooks and crannies. Many archaeological finds that testify to the city's history are to be found in the Municipal Museum at the 16th century Convent of Nossa Senhora da Assunção. In Largo da Sé, dominated by the buildings of the Bishops’ Palace, you will find the Cathedral, erected in 1251 after the Christian recon quest on the site formerly occupied by the mosque. Inside is one of the most remarkable collections from the 17th and 18th centuries in the Algarve, a period that is also well represented in the Church of São Francisco with its beautiful gilt carvings and tiles. Nearby lie the two watchtowers that protected the Arco do Repouso, so named because, according to the story, it was here that King Afonso III rested during the conquest of Faro. In the afternoon, leave the Algarve. On your way back and before taking the Vasco da Gama bridge to Lisbon, stop at Freeport Fashion Outlet for some shopping. Check in at your hotel and get ready for dinner.                                                                                                                                   

(Approximately 278 km)

After breakfast return your rental car at Lisbon Airport before boarding your flight back home.