Porto & Lisbon Twin City Portugal, 6 nights over the Bank Holiday Weekend

Join Travel Buddies as we embark on a tour of 2 of Portugal's most visited cities, with a tour of the sights on the way from south to North too, it is filled with all of the Must do's that are on offer!

In Lisbon: Explore the capital of Portugal, Staying in a hotel in the heart of this hilly, coastal city, with a wealth of attractions for visitors this promises to be a cultural trip that is brimming with cobbled alleyways, ancient ruins and hearty Portuguese cuisine. Take a train to Sintra to explore the castle and fairytale gardens.

In Porto :Enjoy a boat trip on the river Douro and a wine tasting, explore one of the oldest bookshops in the world and peruse the historic riverside area of this fascinating merchant port where port wine sits in age old casks.

Day 1. Wednesday 1st May. UK- Lisbon
We will all meet at the airport and go through security together before boarding our flight. Upon arrival in Lisbon we will take our private transfer to our hotel the Empire Lisbon Hotel.

Throughout the trip we will be sharing twin rooms with en-suite. If you would like a room to yourself the supplement is is £240 for the trip.

This evening we will enjoy dinner at a traditional Portuguese restaurant.

Day 2. Thursday 2nd May. Lisbon
After breakfast we will head out to catch the train to explore Sintra. The glorious “Garden of Eden,” as Lord Byron called it, outside Lisbon. Discover why this charming village has been the delight of people through the ages, from Hans Christian Andersen to Gloria Swanson! Upon arrival we can purchase a ticket (approx. 5 euros )to be taken around the sights by bus for the day as Sintra is a very hilly town! Here there are several landmarks to visit.

Quinta da Regaleira
A decorative 20th century residence that is situated in the town of Sintra. The grand house is split over five floors and has an ornate gothic façade, but the real attraction is to the rear with the enchanting gardens. The gardens of the Quinta da Regaleira were styled to represent ancient secret orders, with hidden tunnels and concealed symbolism. It is completely magical and very easy to imagine fairies playing in the gardens. It is a good idea to take a torch with you as it is possible to walk through some of the tunnels in the rocks which is well worth it but it can get dark.

Sintra National Palace.
The best preserved medieval Royal Palace in the country, with its Manueline and Moorish styles.

Pena Palace and National Park
Located in the Sintra hills, the Park and Palace of Pena are the fruit of King Ferdinand II’s creative genius and the greatest expression of 19th-century romanticism in Portugal, denoting clear influences from the Manueline and Moorish styles of architecture. The palace was built in such a way as to be visible from any point in the park, which consists of a forest and luxuriant gardens with over five hundred different species of trees originating from the four corners of the earth.

Dinner locally

Day 3. Friday 3rd May. Lisbon
This morning marks the start of our 24 hour transport passes which includes a bus and a tram tour which can be used all over the city with over 70 points of interest. We will collect our passes after breakfast and head out for a full day of exploration. We have hop on/off passes and there is a running commentary of the city so we can familiarise ourselves with the landmarks and choose what we fancy visiting. The city is brimming with thing to suit all tastes.
Some of the must see places are..

Belem Tower
A monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery, which serves as a symbol of the country, and UNESCO has listed it as a World Heritage monument, we can even climb it if we are feeling very energetic!

Jeronimos Monastery
The Mosteiro dos Jeronimos is a highly ornate monastery that is situated in the Belem district of western Lisbon. This grand religious building was historically associated with the early sailors as explorers, as it was from here that Vasco da Gama spent his last night before his voyage to the Far East.

Belem's' glorious history is commemorated by the Padrao dos Descobrimentos monument, and from the viewing platform of this imposing piece of architecture are stunning views over Belem and the Tejo Estuary. The massive Belem Cultural Centre complex was constructed to house the 1992 European Union Presidency, and is now home to the Berardo Museum, the best free art gallery in Lisbon.

There are parks and squares dotted all over the city where we can rest our weary legs and sip a coffee.... or taste one of Portugal's famous Pastel de nata.

This evening we will go for dinner locally.

Day 4. Saturday 4th May. Lisbon to Porto
After breakfast and checking out we will wave goodbye to Lisbon and head towards Porto.

With three stops on the way to visit Coimbra (150 minutes) , the medieval capital of Portugal, Nazare (60 minutes) a historic fishing village and Fatima, Portugal's Holy City (90 minutes).

We will arrive at our hotel in Porto at around 18.30 and have a free evening.

Day 5. Sunday 5th May. Porto
After breakfast we will set off to meet our guide to embark upon a walking tour of the city which will last around 2 hours and give us a great overview of Porto and an idea of where we wish to explore further.

After that we have free time free to explore the city of Porto and take a closer look at some of the places that we will have passed on the walking tour.

Some of the "must see" places in Porto are as follows...

Cais Da Ribeira
A little chaotic and great fun to explore, Porto’s riverside area is a very picturesque piazza where tourists and locals mingle. There are bars and restaurants around every corner, and these line the riverside walk too.
You’ll have a perfect shot of the iconic Luís I Bridge from here, and if you duck through the arcades there’s a confusing maze of steep streets and stairways between pastel-painted houses in varying states of repair.
The Livaria Lelo. (one of the most iconic bookshops in the world)
One of the worlds oldest bookstores that was featured in a scene in "Harry Potter".

The building was built in 1906, by the engineer Xavier Esteves. He had a particular taste for literature, and that affinity with letters was marked by the construction of one of the most emblematic bookshops in the world. There is a 3 Euro entrance fee but it can be redeemed against the purchase of a book.

Serralves Museum and Villa, for art lovers.
In the west of Porto, ( reachable in around 35 minutes from our hotel). First there’s the villa, Casa de Serralves, a graceful Art Deco property built between 1925 and 1944 and with designers like Charles Siclis and René Lalique recruited to craft the interiors.

The villa looks out on sumptuous terraced grounds with tree-lined avenues, topiaries, regimented lawns and pergolas.

Then on the other side of the park is the Contemporary Art Museum, which opened in 1999 for high-profile temporary exhibitions.
There are normally four or five on at the same time for present and past luminaries of modern and contemporary art, from Joan Miró to Liam Gillick.

Praca Da Liberdade
The grand open spaces of this square and boulevard in Santo Ildefonso feel a world away from the narrow streets of the Cais da Ribeira. The streets around are some of the poshest in the city, with imposing civic buildings, designer boutiques and the Belle Époque Majestic Café on Rua Santa Catarina, the mots beautiful cafe in Portugal and the perfect place to relax with a coffee and do a spot of people watching from this 1920's art nouveau cafe.

F.C Porto Museum and Dragao Stadium
For any footie fans amongst us a trip to the Porto FC ground will be top of the list for today. You can pre-book a tour or go along on the day, the ticket costs between 10-15 euros to visit the museum and the Dragao stadium. If you prefer to have a guided tour you can arrange this prior to the day.

Day 6. Monday 6th May. Porto
Today we are in for a real treat as a full day tour to the Douro Valley is on the agenda. Lunch and wine tastings are included as well as a boat ride on the Douro River.

After collection from our hotel in the morning we'll visit a wine estate, where a variety of different types of wine are produced and also have the opportunity to taste the wines. Olive Oil and cheese tastings are also included.

We will enjoy a relaxing 1 hour ride on board a Rabelo boat on the Douro River before enjoying a traditional lunch in the village of Pinhão.

The tour will end around 18.00 when we get dropped back at the hotel and have some time to relax before going out for dinner locally.

Day 7. Tuesday 7th May. Porto to UK

Today we can check out and store our luggage until the evening until we take our private transfer to the airport for our flight home

What's Included

• 6 nights accommodation in 2 hotels. 3 in Lisbon and 3 in Porto
• Breakfast each morning
• 24 hour hop on off bus pass in Lisbon
• Land transfer with three stops between Lisbon and Porto
• Full day trip to the Douro valley including a boat trip, wine tasting and
  lunch. (please note that this is not a private tour for our group and
  there may be other people joining us)
• 2 hour walking tour of Porto
• Return airport transfers

What's not included

• Entrance fees, transport fees and meals other than those listed above.
• Flights

You need to book your own flights and they are with these are with Easyjet. Below is the flight that Anne will be going on.

If you would prefer to travel from an alternative UK airport that is fine. You will need to make your own way to meet the group at the hotel

01/05/2024
Depart Bristol 13.45 Arrive Lisbon 16.20
Flight Number EZY2867

07/05/2024
Depart Porto 21.25 Arrive Bristol 23.25
Flight Number EZY2876

COST
The price of the above tour is £749.All payments need to be made into the Protected Trust Services account held with HSBC:
A non refundable deposit of £100. If we haven’t received your deposit within 3 days of RSVP, your RSVP will be changed to "not going" and your space will be released. The balance of £649 needs to be paid by the 15th March 2024.

Trustees of PTS Air Travel Trust
Account number: 83664597
Sort Code: 40-40-14
Reference: 12534749 Your First and Last Name

To learn more on how we protect your money, please visit [www.protectedtrustservices.com/travel/consumer-protection/

By paying a deposit you will be agreeing to the following cancellation policies:Travel Buddies UK Limited Terms & Conditions

By paying the deposit for this trip you are confirming that you are physically able to participate in all aspects of this trip unassisted.