Tours → Portugal
9 Days / 8 Nights · Private · Max 30 Guests
From Sintra's palaces to Porto's port cellars — Portugal's golden age, beautifully preserved.
Portuguese Castles
From $4,699 per person
★★★★★ 4.9 · 272 Reviews on TripAdvisor
At a Glance
A 9-day all-inclusive private tour through Portugal's garden of Europe — from the Sunshine Coast and Sintra's royal palaces through medieval Obidos, the Gothic monasteries of Alcobaca and Batalha, the Templar fortress of Tomar, to Porto's port wine cellars.
Portugal — the garden of Europe with a glorious past. This tour reveals a country of extraordinary diversity: dramatic coastlines, royal palaces, medieval walled towns, and some of the finest Gothic architecture on the continent.
The journey begins in Sintra, the old royal summer resort, with two nights to explore the 14th-century Palacio Nacional and the stunning exterior of the 19th-century Pena Palace. The Sunshine Coast drive takes in Cabo da Roca — Europe's westernmost point — the Guincho coast, Estoril, and Cascais before arriving in Lisbon for its Jeronimos monastery, Belem Tower, St. George Castle, and the atmospheric Alfama district.
The route north leads through medieval Obidos, enclosed within 12th-century walls, to the great Gothic monasteries: Alcobaca with its dramatic tombs of Pedro I and Ines de Castro, and Batalha — the 1385 victory memorial with extraordinary Manuelinic artwork and King John I's tomb. Two nights in the fishing village of Nazare provide a restful coastal base.
Tomar's Temple Knights monastery-fortress and Coimbra's second-oldest university in the world bridge the journey to Porto, Portugal's second-largest city. The UNESCO customs quarter, port wine production along the Douro River, and a wine cellar visit in Vila Nova da Gaia with tasting reveal why Porto captivates every visitor. The tour returns to Lisbon for a farewell dinner at a Fado restaurant in the Alfama quarter, with traditional Portuguese saudade music.
Highlights
✦Sintra's Palacio Nacional and Pena Palace exterior
✦Sunshine Coast — Cabo da Roca, Estoril, Cascais
✦Lisbon — Jeronimos monastery, Belem Tower, St. George Castle
✦Medieval Obidos within 12th-century walls
✦Alcobaca monastery with Gothic tombs
✦Batalha monastery — Manuelinic masterpiece
✦Tomar Temple Knights monastery-fortress
✦Coimbra — second-oldest university in the world
✦Porto UNESCO quarter and Douro River port wine
✦Wine cellar visit and tasting in Vila Nova da Gaia
✦Farewell Fado dinner in Lisbon's Alfama quarter
Your Journey
Portugal feels like a secret Europe hasn't fully shared yet. From the fairy-tale palaces of Sintra to Lisbon's tiled neighborhoods, from the Gothic monasteries of Batalha and Alcobaça to Porto's Douro riverfront — this journey follows the Portuguese coast and countryside through a history of explorers, monks, and master builders. The light is different here. So is the pace.
Day 1 · Departure
Day 2
Sunshine Coast & Lisbon
The Sunshine Coast delivers drama: Cabo da Roca, Europe's westernmost point, the windswept Guincho coast, elegant Estoril and Cascais. Then Lisbon proper — Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, St. George's Castle surveying the Alfama district, and the Baroque geometry of the Baixa Pombalina.
Cascais / Lisbon
Hotel in Sintra
Breakfast, Dinner
✦Sunshine Coast Drive
✦Lisbon City Tour
Day 3
Sintra Palaces & Óbidos
Sintra's Palácio Nacional has watched over the town since the fourteenth century, and the colorful Pena Palace on its hilltop defies every expectation. Medieval Óbidos, wrapped in twelfth-century walls, is Portugal's most photogenic small town. The fishing village of Nazaré provides a change of pace and a two-night stay.
Sintra / Óbidos
Hotel in Nazaré
Breakfast, Dinner
Sintra → Nazaré: ~2h
✦Sintra Palace Tour
✦Medieval Óbidos Walk
Day 4
Alcobaça & Batalha Monasteries
Two monasteries, two masterpieces. Alcobaça's Gothic severity holds the tragic tombs of Pedro and Inês de Castro — a love story that still resonates. Batalha's Manueline artwork celebrates a military victory with stone lacework of impossible delicacy.
Alcobaça / Batalha
Hotel in Nazaré
Breakfast, Dinner
✦Alcobaça Monastery
✦Batalha Monastery
Day 5
Tomar & Coimbra
The Knights Templar left their mark at Tomar — a monastery-fortress that speaks of crusades and secret orders. Coimbra's university, the second-oldest in the world, carries a scholarly gravity that centuries of students have only deepened. The evening arrival in Porto comes with dinner and first impressions of the Douro.
Tomar / Coimbra
Hotel in Porto
Breakfast, Dinner
Nazaré → Porto: ~3h with stops
✦Tomar — Temple Knights Fortress
✦Coimbra University
Day 6
Porto
Porto reveals itself along the river — the UNESCO customs quarter, the tile-covered churches, the steep lanes of the Ribeira. Across the water in Vila Nova de Gaia, port wine cellars offer tastings that explain why this city gave its name to a wine, a country, and an entire culture of hospitality.
Porto
Hotel in Porto
Breakfast, Dinner
✦Porto City Tour
✦Port Wine Cellar & Tasting
Day 7
Lisbon — Farewell
The return to Lisbon brings a final city exploration and a farewell dinner at a Fado restaurant in the Alfama quarter. The music — saudade made audible — is the perfect ending: beautiful, melancholic, and impossible to forget.
Lisbon
Hotel in Lisbon
Breakfast, Dinner
Porto → Lisbon: ~3.5h
✦Lisbon City Exploration
✦Fado Farewell Dinner
Day 8 · Return
A last Portuguese breakfast, strong coffee, and the transfer to the airport. Portugal has a way of making you feel you've discovered something — not just visited it.
Lisbon
Breakfast
✦Airport Transfer
What's Included
✓Door-to-door transportation throughout the tour
✓7 breakfast buffets
✓Welcome dinner and additional dinners with beverages
✓Farewell Fado dinner in Lisbon
✓7 nights accommodation (Sintra 2 nights, Nazare 2 nights, Porto, Lisbon)
✓All entrance fees, taxes, and local guide fees
✓Port wine cellar visit and tasting in Vila Nova da Gaia
✓Inside visits at all palaces and monasteries (not drive-by tours)
✓Tour director services throughout
✓Airport transfers from/to Lisbon Airport
✓Money-back satisfaction guarantee
✓Free cancellation up to 24h before departure
✗Air fare
✗Personal expenses
✗Lunches
✗Gratuities for driver and local guides
Love what you see? Tell us your preferred dates — we'll tailor every detail to your group.
Plan Your Journey →Our Promise
Money-Back Guarantee
Not satisfied? Full refund. We've been doing this since 2004 — it hasn't happened yet.
Flexible Booking
Change dates up to 30 days before departure. Life happens — we get it.
No Hidden Costs
The price you see includes everything. Entrance fees, transport, guide — no surprise extras.
Secure your dates with just $500 deposit per person.
Your Guide
Alessandro & Team
Born in Füssen at the foot of Neuschwanstein, Alessandro grew up with castle stories as bedtime tales. A historian by training and a storyteller by nature, he and his carefully selected team of local guides have accompanied thousands of guests through Central Europe's most remarkable places.
Per Person Pricing
2 Guests
$4,699
4 Guests
$3,999
6 Guests
$3,599
All-inclusive — accommodation, private transport, guides & entrance fees
Your Next Step
Make This the Trip You'll Talk About for Years
Tell us your preferred dates and group size. We'll craft a personalized itinerary — no payment required until you're completely satisfied.
Plan Your JourneyNo payment required. We'll design a draft itinerary — free of charge, no obligation.
Peak season (June–September) books out 4–6 months ahead.
Common Questions
Door-to-door transportation throughout the tour, 7 breakfast buffets, Welcome dinner and additional dinners with beverages, Farewell Fado dinner in Lisbon, 7 nights accommodation (Sintra 2 nights, Nazare 2 nights, Porto, Lisbon), All entrance fees, taxes, and local guide fees, Port wine cellar visit and tasting in Vila Nova da Gaia, Inside visits at all palaces and monasteries (not drive-by tours), Tour director services throughout, Airport transfers from/to Lisbon Airport, Money-back satisfaction guarantee.
The Portuguese Castles is a 7-day private tour. Including arrival and departure days, plan for 9 days total.
Starting from $4699 per person (based on 2 travelers). Group discounts available for 4+ and 6+ travelers. Secure your dates with a $500 deposit per person.
