Portugal and its Islands

Experience the beauty of Portugal as you travel through the capital Lisbon, the Azorean island of St. Michael, and the island of Madeira.
Hotel Name: Lumen Hotel

Your adventure opens in Lisbon where Old World traditions blend seamlessly with modern ways. Experience Portuguese cuisine, regional wines and folkloric entertainment among colorful buildings and winding pathways. Tonight, meet your fellow travelers at a welcome dinner.
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Lisbon
Spread across steep hillsides that overlook the Rio Tejo, Lisbon offers all the delights you’d expect of Portugal’s star attraction, yet with half the fuss of other European capitals. Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums are all part of the colorful cityscape, but the real delights of discovery lie in wandering the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s lovely backstreets. The Lisbon experience encompasses so many things, from enjoying a fresh pastry and bica (espresso) on a petite leafy plaza to window-shopping in elegant Chiado. It’s mingling with Lisboêtas at a neighborhood festival or watching the sunset from the old Moorish castle.

Set out on a tour of Lisbon and uncover some of the city’s most famous sights. Travel to Belem where the age of Portuguese Maritime Discoveries comes to life at the Monument to the Discoveries and the Tower of Belem (UNESCO). Go to downtown Lisbon, and enjoy some free time to have lunch, take in the intricate architecture, and explore the beautiful streets. You can choose to return to your hotel and relax or enjoy the free afternoon to continue exploring Portugal’s capital city. This evening, over Portuguese cuisine and wine, listen to local artists perform the traditional Fado (UNESCO).

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Belém
Standing proudly on the bank of the Targus river in Lisbon is Belém Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This 16th-century tower was where explorers from the Age of Discovery set out towards the New World, across the Atlantic.

Today travel to Sintra (UNESCO), the summer residence of Portuguese royalty and visit the National Palace. Enjoy some free time for lunch on your own and explore this storybook town at your own pace before returning to Lisbon. Enjoy some free time to continue exploring the city, or join an optional tour on the Portuguese Riviera. This late afternoon option will transport you to the coastal towns of Cascais and Estoril.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Azoris Royal Garden Hotel, Ponta Delgada

Visit Area: Sintra
With its rippling mountains, dewy forests thick with ferns and lichen, exotic gardens and glittering palaces, Sintra is like a page torn from a fairy tale. Its Unesco World Heritage–listed centre, Sintra-Vila, is dotted with pastel-hued manors folded into luxuriant hills that roll down to the blue Atlantic. The jewel on the crown lording ominously over the picturesque town center is the National Palace, once the summer retreat of the Portuguese monarchy.

To the Azores! Fly to St. Michael, the largest of the 9 volcanic islands that form the Azores archipelago. On a brief walking tour of Ponta Delgada’s town center, see the Portas da Cidade (the City Gates), and several of the main architectural sights that make up this unique island capital. Enjoy dinner this evening at a local restaurant featuring traditional Azorean cuisine.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Admittance: Fado Dinner Show
Fado is a popular style of music in Lisbon, Portugal. In Lisbon, fado is always sung by a solo performer, while in other regions of Portugal it is typically performed in a group. Fado can be traced back to the 1820s, but it is said to have much earlier origins.

Start the day with a visit to a 150-year old family run ceramic factory where we will learn about the process of creating traditional Portuguese pottery. Then, it’s your choice! Take a stroll through the natural beauty of Terra Nostra Botanical Park -OR- rest and relax in the park’s thermal water pool.* In Furnas Valley, experience a cozido das Furnas lunch, cooked in the heat of the volcanic earth. After lunch let the green, lush beauty of Ribeira dos Caldeiroes Natural Park surround you as you stroll through the natural landscape and take in the watermills so typical of this place. Then head to the verdant pastures of a tea plantation, one of two in Europe, and delve into its cultivation methods and trade history before heading back to Ponta Delgada. The evening is yours to do as you please.

Breakfast Included
Lunch Included

Visit Area: St. Michael Island, Azores
The island, named for Archangel Michael, is also referred to as “The Green Island.” Sao Miguel is the largest island in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The island was established in 1427 after the discovery by Goncalo Velho Cabral. The island is home to the Presidency of the Autonomous Region of the Azores. Tourists come to Sao Miguel, to view the lakes, rolling high, high mountains, and enjoy the beaches. Sao Miguel offers a variety of outdoor activities that include several of its scenic features.

Make the most of a day at leisure. Perhaps you will take an optional whale watching adventure and cruise over the waves with an expert biologist followed by lunch at a local restaurant. Regardless of your Azorean activities during the day, gather in the late afternoon to explore a local pineapple plantation and learn more about this species introduced to the island by Portuguese navigators. Then, enjoy a cocktail and dinner in one of the best family-run restaurants of Ponta Delgada.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada is the largest municipality and administrative capital of the Autonomous Region of Azores in Portugal. The city is named for its location along volcanic lands that lead to the sea. Today, the city has several parks providing green-spaces for multiple recreational activities and along the southern coast is the urbanized core of the historic village, which is where several of the tourist and cultural attractions are.

Today visit the iconic Sete Cidades volcanic crater and peer down at its twin lakes. The lakes appear to be different colors - one blue (reflecting the sky) and the other green (reflecting the ground). Learn about the stories and legends associated with the two lakes before journeying to a boutique, family-run winery where the volcanic soil plays a key role in the end product. After, travel to the quaint town of Ribeira Grande where we will have time free time for lunch. End your full day of touring with a visit to Ribeira dos Caldeiroes Nature Reserve, where watermills and nature create a lush, otherworldly setting.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Pestana Casino Park Hotel

Admittance: Terra Nostra Botanical Garden Guided Walk or Thermal Pool Experience
While in Ponta Delgada you have a choice between two ways to experience the Terra Nostra Botanical Park. You can choose to take a guided stroll through the Terra Nostra Botanical Garden, home to the world’s largest collection of camellias. Or, you can choose to experience the sensation of rest and relaxation in the Terra Nostra Botanical Park’s mineral rich thermal water pool. (Bathing suits are required) Terra Nostra Botanical Garden Guided Walk Activity Level 2 Guests can choose while on tour whether they would like to go on the garden walk or thermal pool experience. Terra Nostra Thermal Pool Experience Activity Level 1 Guests can choose while on tour whether they would like to go on the garden walk or thermal pool experience. The thermal pool will require a swimsuit and towel.

Fly to Madeira, the “Pearl of the Atlantic.” After our afternoon arrival, we will embark on a walking tour of the capital city of Funchal, to get our first glimpse at the quaint old town and some of its main sights. Then, discover the Madeira Botanical Gardens as you make your way through a terraced landscape of more than 2,000 exotic plants.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Terra Nostra Botanical Garden
These botanical gardens are over two hundred years old, dating back to 1780 when the U.S. Consul General to the Azores built his home here. Successive owners have since developed the park, planting layer upon layer of iconic trees and shrubbery from all over the planet. Today the park is a romantic vision of ponds, winding paths, flowers, centuries-old exotic trees and silence. Two streams converge in the park and there is a pond of warm thermal water that is used as a swimming pool. There are vast, hidden, luxurious gardens in which the colors of the flowers are mixed with the bright green of the Japanese cedars and araucarias. There is an abundance of leafy vegetation from cold and tropical countries, with some species that are hard to find even in their native lands.

Explore the Lavradores market, a hub of exotic fruits, flowers and a traditional fish market. The local culture comes to life here! A tasting at a Madeira wine lodge teaches you about the famous Madeira wine. Head to the colorful Santa Maria Street, where vibrant murals and brightly painted doors liven the streets and the many cafes tempt you to linger over lunch on your own. A free afternoon provides more time to explore or to relax and enjoy your hotel’s garden, pool and spa. Gather again this evening for a traditional espetada dinner, feasting on local cuisine cooked over an open fire amidst a backdrop of folk dancers and lively music.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Sete Cidades
Sete Cidades is a civil parish in the center of Ponta Delgada, that is loczted in the center of a massive volcanic crater. The region comes from Latin origins and became a historical reference as the Island of the Seven Cities. The first documentation recognizing Sete Cidades was written in 750 A.D. The urbanized portion of the parish, the village of Sete Cidades, is located in the southwest of the crater. Most of the land is covered in farmlands, pastures, and forests.

Begin your day with a tour that will take you to Câmara de Lobos, a traditional village on a picture-perfect bay which served as a special retreat for Sir Winston Churchill. It was here that Madeira’s natural beauty captivated him and inspired many paintings of the village. Drive along mountain roads, passing vineyards en route to the world’s second-highest cliff, Cabo Girão where you can walk on the highest glass skywalk in Europe. With the Madeira banana always in the spotlight, you will find immersive history of this nutritional fruit at BAM, before leaving for the lively fishing village of Porto Moniz. Here, enjoy free time for a swim* (weather permitting) in the natural volcanic rock pools before returning to Funchal.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Madeira Island
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago, a group of islands, located in the North Atlantic Ocean. The island was claimed by Portuguese sailors in 1419, and became a settlement a little more than a year after. The archipelago is considered to be the first territorial discovery of the exploratory period of the Portuguese Age of Discovery. Today, Madeira is a popular year-round resort visited by about a million tourists a year. Noted for its Madeira wine, flowers, landscapes, and embroidery artisans, Madeira has also been officially recognized by Guinness World Records for its annual fireworks show on New Years.

The day is yours to explore independently. Or, perhaps you will embark on a full day optional tour of the island. Start with an easy trek along the island’s levadas,** and learn about this unique watering system. Then travel to a Quinta for a lunch with views of the Atlantic. End with a visit to the traditional A-frame houses of Santana, a reminder of the island’s farming past.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Lumen Hotel

Admittance: Espetada Dinner Folkloric Show
During an evening on Madeira Island, experience a traditional Portuguese dinner and show. While you are entertained by folklore music and dance, dine on classic Portuguese cuisine. Dig in to delicious espetada, a type of kabob made from beef or chicken. These skewers are marinated in garlic and salt before being slow-roasted over an open fire. In the traditional fashion, the espetada will be served with bolo do caco (a type of Maderian bread) or milho frito (fried cornmeal bites).

Board your flight and return to the metropolitan energy of Lisbon. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. Later, bid “adeus” to Portugal during a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Admittance: Folkloric Show
Have an immersive cultural experience when you attend a traditional Portuguese folkloric show. Folklore is a meaningful part of Portuguese culture, and you’ll have the opportunity to witness this entertainment firsthand.

Depart for home with Portugal in your heart as your tour ends today.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Porto Moniz
Gaze upon the picturesque volcanic pools in the fishing village of Porto Moniz and perhaps take a dip into the sparkling blue waters that overlook the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.