Best of Portugal

Set off on your European adventure with an overnight transatlantic flight to Portugal.

Welcome to Lisbon, where your journey begins! If you purchased airline tickets through YMT Vacations, a friendly representative will welcome you at the airport and transport you to the hotel. Enjoy the evening at your leisure. Join us for a delicious welcome dinner at the hotel, later. Get acquainted with your fellow travelers and learn about the exciting days ahead. (D)

After breakfast, set off for Sintra. Enjoy a guided city tour of this charming town, located in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains. The town is well known for its pastel buildings and lush terrain. You’ll then head to Fátima for a self-guided tour of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, the location of a 1917 miracle. (B)

You’ll enjoy a self-guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Batalha. One of Portugal’s most beloved historic monuments, it was commissioned in the 14th century by King John I. Continue to Coimbra, one of the country’s loveliest college towns. Enjoy lunch on your own and visit the Universidad de Coimbra (entrance included), originally founded in 1290. The university is dazzling, and you can visit many of its most impressive sites, including the Great Hall, Baroque Library, and Natural History Collection. (B)

Porto is one of Portugal’s oldest cities. With a history dating back to around 300 BC, it has since been captured by the Romans, the Moors, and even Napoleon. The historic center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a spectacular place to spend the day. Enjoy a city tour with admission to the 19th century Stock Exchange Palace (included), complete with a port wine tasting. Spend the evening relaxing in Porto. (B)

Today, you’ll proceed towards Evora with a stop at Belmonte. Enjoy lunch on your own in Belmonte, followed by an included guided tour and olive oil tasting at the Olive Oil Museum in Belmonte and admission to the Belmonte Jewish Museum (included). Dinner is provided at your hotel in Evora.

After breakfast, take a guided tour of the Cortiçarte factory. It’s a fascinating facility where cork is produced using traditional methods for hundreds of years. See the trees whose bark is sustainably harvested every nine years, the boiling vats where the cork is sterilized, and the gift shop with a wide variety of gorgeous products. Next, travel back to Evora, one of Europe’s finest medieval towns. See the 14 surviving columns of the Roman Temple of Diana, built around the first century A.D. Enjoy free time for lunch and shopping, then taste some local wines on a winery tour (included). (B, D)

Start the day with an enjoyable tour of the Leiveira-Azulejos de Azeitão ceramic factory. Portugal’s Azulejo tiles are tiny, often remarkably detailed pieces of art glazed in a striking blue. They’re one of the country’s most beloved cultural signatures. You’ll learn about their 13th century roots, and how they’re now made for modern needs and trends. After a stunning photo stop at Serra de Arrabida, enjoy free time on your own with a leisurely afternoon in Lisbon. (B)

Spend the final day of your tour in Lisbon, Portugal’s hilly coastal capital watched over by seven picturesque hills. Take in Lisbon’s historic cobblestoned streets and stately ruins. Take a guided tour of the city’s highlights, including admission to the Jerónimos Monastery, a dazzling monument built in the 1500s as a potent symbol of Portugal’s immense wealth and power at the peak of their global navigation period. Enjoy lunch on your own and an afternoon at your leisure before ending your tour with a delicious farewell feast. (B, D)

Set off on your European adventure with an overnight transatlantic flight to Portugal.

Porto is one of Portugal’s oldest cities, and is a spectacular place to spend the day. With a history dating back to around 300 BC, it has since been captured by the Romans, the Moors, and even Napoleon; its historic center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a city tour with included admission to the 19th century Stock Exchange Palace and an included port wine tasting at Sandeman Cellars. After free time and lunch on your own, take a self-guided tour of Guimarães, whose medieval city center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend the evening relaxing in Porto. (B)

It’s an active day in Viseu today, where you’ll have free time to walk around the birthplace of Alfonso I The Conqueror, Portugal’s first king. Enjoy lunch on your own in Belmonte, followed by an included guided tour and olive oil tasting at the Olive Oil Museum in Belmonte and admission to the Belmonte Jewish Museum (included). Dinner is provided at your hotel in Evora. (B, D)

Start the day with an enjoyable tour of the Leiveira-Azulejos de Azeitão ceramic factory. Portugal’s Azulejo tiles –tiny, often remarkably detailed pieces of art glazed in a striking blue –are one of the country’s most beloved cultural signatures. Dating back to the 13th century, Azulejos are the result of all of Portugal’s influences: the Moorish invasion, the Roman Catholic church, the Age of Discovery, all the way up to the bustling country’s modern needs and trends. After a stunning photo stop at Serra de Arrabida, relax on your own in Lisbon. (B)