Travel On A Budget

Join Here: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/portugal-azores-group-tours/

Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

Our friends at PhotoFly Travel Club are relaunching their Portugal and Azores tour. It is an excellent program in a small group that highlights the diverse and stunning culture of Old-World Portugal and the gorgeous landscapes, beaches, and villages of the Azores.

Part 1: Mainland Portugal (8 Nights/9 Days)

Porto & the North (3 Nights)

• Privately guided walking tour of city landmarks including city hall, D. Luis bridge, and Stock Exchange Palace
• The most colorful & lively district: Discover Ribeira
• Wine tasting while exploring the valley: Road trip along the route that offers viewpoints, wine, and walks
• Cruise on the Douro

Central Portugal & Mountain Villages (1 Night)

• Free time in Piódão village: This is the perfect place to wander the narrow streets and peculiar alleys made of shale rock
• Exploring Foz d'Égua: This moderate hike begins in Piódão and takes us to an idyllic and unforgettable little village
• Convent of the Soothing of the Blessed Sacrament: This historical landmark and former 18th-century convent is our hotel for the night!
• The Schist Villages: Talesnal & Casal de São Simão
• Fragas de São Simão Walkway: The wooden paths embrace dramatic granite landscapes, steep hills, an enchanting valley, and also vestiges of laurel forest

Coimbra & the Coast (2 Nights)

• Privately guided tour of the University City
• Visit University of Coimbra: Highlights include their massive Baroque Library and Cabinet of Curiosities filled with unusual treasures through the ages
• The Old Cathedral built in 1117
• The Walled Labyrinth privately guided walking tour of Óbidos'

Lisbon, City of Hills (2 Nights)

• Guided tuk-tuk adventure in the capital
• St. George's Castle: Towering dramatically above Lisbon, the 11th-century fortifications
• Belém Tower & the Monument of Discoveries: See and photograph these World-Heritage Sites that represent the epi-center of the Portuguese Age of Discovery.

Part 2: The Azores (6 Nights/7 Days)

São Miguel: The Green Isle (2 Nights)

• Botanical gardens and hot springs
• The most unique meal in the world: The stew cooked using Furnas’s natural volcanic heat!
• The oldest tea plantation in Europe
• Epic photos at viewpoints
• Giant caldera hike
• The Azorean Pineapple: A fun stop takes us to one of the 6,000 pineapple plantations on the island

Faial: The Blue Isle (2 Nights)

• Explore the great crater & interpretation center
• Photograph from multiple viewpoints the caldeira, a massive volcanic cone now classified as a nature reserve
• Enjoy sprawling views of Ponta da Espalamaca with views of Horta town, the Northern Atlantic, and nearby islands

Pico: The Mountain Island (Day Trip)

• Cachorro Rocks: A photo stop reveals unique volcanic rock formations
• Visit Adega a Buraca winery to sample their product and learn about the process
• Visit Whaling Factory and Fishermen Museum to learn about the island's early economic driver
• Visit Church of São Mateus
• Criação Velha Vinyards: The unique methods for producing grapes ideal for winemaking on such difficult terrain is what lead to this site's important designation. Lajido da Criação Velha is the best example showcasing the art of dividing the land and planting vines in the lava rock.

Flores: The Flower Island (2 Nights)

• The westernmost county in Europe
• A curious rock: Rocha dos Bordões is the postcard image and symbol of Flores. The basaltic formation provides a unique and unforgettable landscape with geometrical rock columns that resemble a man-made structure
• The great fajãs: This Portuguese term describes the beautiful coastal formation of a small flat land on the ocean below giant cliffs
• More beauty at the highest point: The Morro Alto forest reserve area is the highest point on Flores Island
• The 7 Lagoas: We'll explore this lush area with a number of serene lakes throughout the valleys

Corvo Day Trip: The Black Isle

• Caldeirão, The Crater: This ancient crater is responsible for the epic landscape of the extinct volcano that gave rise to the island
• The Village: Vila Nova do Corvo is the sole town on the entire island and unites the old and new in two distinct sections
• Lots of wind: Before electricity came to the island wind was the main source of food production via a number of windmills. Today 3 unique windmills still stand and function from this long-lost tradition

Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

Price: $4,495
Single Supplement: $895

Deposit: $600

Check out our club's official trip page: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/portugal-azores-group-tours/

Our friends at Photofly Travel Club (https://www.photoflytravel.com/) have organized a great adventure and we're all invited!

Email joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary.

RSVP & Sign-Up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/croatia-small-group-tours/

October 13th - October 23rd, 2025

From Zagreb to Dubrovnik, we’ll explore the best of the best when it comes to this southeastern European gem. And since this gorgeous country is surrounded by delightful neighbors, we’ll explore a few of them too - Bosnia Herzegovina and Montenegro! Our Croatia small group tour is filled with beauty for us to soak in, photograph, and marvel. We’ve custom built this adventure to experience the highlights of Croatia and her neighbors including some of the country’s amazing islands just off the coast.

• 9 nights/10 days throughout the best of Croatia and her stunning neighbors (Bosnia Herzegovina & Montenegro)
• Charming boutique hotels
• Breakfast daily
• Welcome/Farewell Dinners, & 1 lunch included
• Privately guided tours throughout
• City tours of Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Mostar, Montenegro

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Croatia

• Zagreb: We’ll explore the capital of Croatia via a panoramic bus and walking tour of the historical and photogenic highlights (Trg Bana Jelacica (“main square”, Fruit Market, St. Markus Church)
• Plitvice Lakes National Park: Oldest park in Southeast Europe & an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Witness more than 16 lakes lined up and separated by natural limestone barriers. The lakes are among pristine forests and renowned for their distinctive colors, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colors change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. So many incredible photographs to be taken in here!
• Trogir: Explore the picturesque city known as “The Stone Beauty”, a charming stone town under the protection of UNESCO which takes pride in their fascinating Romanesque cathedral, churches, towers and beautiful palaces. With 2300 years of tradition, its rich culture was created under the influence of old Greeks, Romans, & Venetians. We’ll stay in a charming, family owned, boutique hotel built within a historical Baroque palace in heart of Trogir!
• Split: The second largest city in Croatia and “the capital of Dalmatia” has gradually developed around the palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian built more than 1,700 years ago. The entire old city of Split has been built within the walls of the UNESCO world heritage site, Diocletian Palace, making this historical center unique. From Diocletian’s cellars to the market (pjaca), to the sunny sea promenade (riva), and past the fish-market all the way to the theatre - morning, day and night in Split encompasses the real atmosphere of a typical Mediterranean city.
• Dubrovnik: One of the world’s treasures; a fact that was officially recognized when the United Nations declared this medieval town as a World Cultural Heritage site. Its fortresses, imposing walls surrounding the city, palaces, churches, and small streets form a perfect harmony with the natural surroundings. Our tour includes visits to the Franciscan Monastery with Europe’s oldest pharmacy, the Cathedral with its famous Treasury, and Rector’s Palace, the former seat of government in the Dubrovnik Republic.

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Bosnia Herzegovina:
*Mostar: As we continue south we’ll take a slight detour across the border to Bosnia & Herzegovina’s wonderland town of Mostar. Along the way awaits another mystical waterfall, not only superb for photos but swimming too! A short walk down a windy road & staircase takes us to Kravice Falls. About 80 feet high and 390 feet long, this delightful cascade is a welcomed surprise at the end of a walk through light forest.
All cooled off, we’ll finally arrive in Mostar, most famous for a beautiful Ottoman-style bridge which spans the Neretva river in the historic center of the city. “Stari Most” frames the colorful buildings and mosques that tumble down the cliffs of Old Town as the river rushes underneath it. It is obvious that Mostar is arguably this country’s most beautiful “city”. It is charming and pristine. In fact, it’s bizarrely pristine for a city famous for being all but destroyed during the war. A wide variety of delicious multi-ethnic restaurants & awesome bakeries/cafes dot the streets with brilliant views of the bridge. Eat, drink great local coffee, and take pictures.
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Montenegro:
Often called “The Pearl of the Mediterranean”, Montenegro might be the only place in the world where you can find so much natural wealth & beauty in such a compact area, including pretty beaches, blue lakes, rushing rivers, and gorgeous mountains.
Kotor: This medieval walled town on the coast is situated in the Bay of Kotor. It’s world-famous for the maze of streets, unique history, & dramatic defense walls encircling the town as it winds up and around the massive mountain overlooking the city. A privately guided walking tour will take us throughout the best parts of Kotor for a day filled with awesome pictures, culture, and history.
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• Free time throughout to explore on our own
• A range of optional excursions excellent for photography (Farm to table settings, off the path dinner at family farm in mountainous countryside, walk Dubrovnik city walls, bike/wine tours, etc.)
• Optional extra night Dubrovnik: Wind down, relax, swim, or explore more of the Dubrovnik area by staying an extra night at our resort on the coast. A roundtrip boat ride to Lokrum Island with great nature trails, swimming, & the “Game of Thrones” museum is included. Price/details in daily itinerary - email to request!
• All taxes, transfers, & fees included
• International airfare is not included but we will help you find a good flight! (Arrive to Zagreb International Airport (ZAG), depart from Dubrovnik International Airport (DBV))
• Roommate pairing to save money
• Email us to see daily itinerary at joinus@photoflytravel.com

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Join Us!

For our solo travelers, we will pair you up with someone of the same sex unless single occupancy is requested.

Price: $3,395
Single Supplement: $1,095

Deposit: $600

Go here to sign up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/croatia-small-group-tours/