Tastes of Portugal: Art, Architecture & Popular Culture

Art lovers have the opportunity to gain new insights and fresh perspectives on art and culture around the globe.

Join us this fall on a spectacular 13-night trip to Portugal, from 02 to 15 October 2015, and explore more deeply the themes of MOA’s exhibit Heaven, Hell & Somewhere in Between with MOA Director and curator, Dr. Anthony Shelton. In Lisbon and beyond, enjoy expert guiding in museums and cultural centres, exclusive access to artists’ studios and marketplaces, and savour the traditions and flavours that exemplify Portuguese identity.

Download the Portugal Itinerary (PDF)

INCLUSIONS

· 13 nights in beautiful and unique hotel accommodations, with breakfast
· 7 dinners, 7 lunches, 1 wine-and-cheese tasting
· All transportation in a private coach
· Local guides and interpreters where required
· All sightseeing and entrance fees
· Services of an Adventures Abroad tour leader
· All gratuities to porters, waiters, local guides, and driver.

EXCLUSIONS

· International airfare
· Items of a personal nature
· Beverages
· Gratuities to the Adventures Abroad tour leader
· Trip cancellation/Interruption and medical insurance

This tour is open to MOA Members.

SEASONALITY AND WEATHER

TRANSPORT AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS

Road transport by private air-conditioned motor coach. Numerous site access only on foot and walking tours on uneven surfaces.

ACCOMMODATION

Well-located and unique, upper-range (4 star) hotels with en suite toilet and bath or shower throughout. Single rooms are limited and often smaller than doubles. Porter service is sometimes available though you should be independent with your luggage, especially at airports.

STAFF AND SUPPORT

Tour Leader, driver & local guide.

Anthony Shelton, MOA Director and curator of Heaven, Hell & Somewhere in Between, will be hosting/accompanying the tour during the entire trip.

GROUP SIZE

15-30 plus Tour Leader & escorts October 2-15, 2015

$4769 per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement $905

Details subject to change, based on availability. This itinerary as of February 17, 2015.

Day 1 – Friday, 02 October
Lisbon
Begin your tour in Lisbon, Portugal’s enchanted capital city on seven hills: a place of both timeless elegance and exuberant energy. This evening, mingle with new friends, your Adventures Abroad guide, and MOA’s director, Dr. Anthony Shelton, as you enjoy a welcome dinner and a look ahead at the itinerary to come.

Meal: dinner

Day 2 – Saturday, 03 October
Lisbon
Today, explore the streets and neighborhoods of Lisbon’s historic Centro. Stroll through the Alfama to the Castelo de Sao Jorge and the Se Cathedral, and visit a tile-maker’s studio, before experiencing the unique Feira da Ladra (“thieves market”) Lisbon’s famous weekly flea market. Enjoy lunch in the lush gardens of the Museu Nacional do Teatro before touring the museum’s collections.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 3 – Sunday, 04 October
Belém, Lisbon
Enjoy an introduction to Portuguese puppetry at the Museu da Marioneta, then continue this morning to the delightful neighborhood of Belém. Celebrate Portugal’s history of maritime discovery at the Torre de Belém and the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, and savour the tasty pasteis de Belém custard tarts. After lunch, tour the Museu de Arte Antigua before returning to the city centre for supper and the famous sounds of Portuguese Fado music in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 4 – Monday, 05 October
Sintra, Ericeira, Lisbon
Today, visit the spellbinding Sintra, a town with architectural Moorish reminders and tranquil charm. After lunch, visit Ericeria and take in the elegance of an Edwardian seaside town. Journey on to nearby Santa Susana and the studio of Portugal’s most significant contemporary puppet-maker, George Cerqueira.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 5 – Tuesday, 06 October
Megaliths, Évora , Estremoz
Today’s journey takes you to the spectacular UNESCO-recognized town of Évora, whose beguiling charm speaks to the city’s Renaissance heyday. On your way, visit Portugal’s mysterious ancient megaliths. Move on to Estremoz, where you will enjoy two nights in a medieval hilltop town.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 6 – Wednesday, 07 October
Monsaraz, Borba, Estremoz
From Estremoz, strike out to the south to visit the delightful villages of Monsaraz and Borba, both exemplifying the culture, the wines, and the cuisine of the Alentejo province. Upon your return to Estremoz, meet the Flores sisters and Afonso Ginja who uphold the tradition of making the beautiful ceramic dolls seen in the town’s museum.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 7 – Thursday, 08 October
Portalegre, Castelo de Vide, Tomar
After a visit to the Portalegre house-museum of beloved Portuguese poet Jose Regio, enjoy specialized Alentejo cuisine in the charming village of Castelo de Vide. Your voyage will then take you to the enchanting Tomar, where you will experience the nation’s oldest synagogue, now a national museum, and the spectacular Manueline architecture style of the Convento de Cristo, former base of the Knights Templar in Portugal.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 8 – Friday, 09 October
Caldas de Reina, Alcobaça, Batalha, Fatima, Tomar
On ttoday’s journey, you will return to the Atlantic coast, to the unique Caldas de Reina pottery factory, founded by Raphael Pinheiro, the famed artist and cartoonist who embodied the country’s 19th Century refinement and wit. Then, journey north to the UNESCO-designated sites of the Alcobaça and Batalha monestaries, and to Fatima, Portugal’s most important shrine which attracts four million pilgrims annually.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 9 – Saturday, 10 October
Coimbra, Curia
Travel north today to the historic town of Coimbra, home to the third oldest university in Europe (1290). Go behind the scenes and tour the Biblioteca Joanina, arguably the most lavish library in the world, and the university’s splendid botanical gardens. After lunch, meander off the beaten track to the village of Curia, equally acclaimed for its thermal spas as for its fine wines and cuisine.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 10 – Sunday, 11 October
Aliança, Luso, Curia
Today, experience the unique Aliança Underground Museum, housed inside the caves of a regional winery famous for its fine Barraida wines and excellent brandy. This evening, MOA’s director, Dr. Anthony Shelton, invites you to an intimate dinner party under the stars at his charming Portuguese residence, to enjoy the exceptional flavours of the region.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 11 – Monday, 12 October
Braga, Guimarães
Cross the Duoro River today into Portugal’s Norte region. Completely different from the south in character, many Portuguese consider this region to be the birthplace of their nation and cultural identity. Tour the Baroque splendours of Braga before moving on to beautiful Guimarães, affectionately known as “the cradle of Portugal.”

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 12 – Tuesday, 13 October
Barcelos, Guimarães
Today, take in the vibrant ceramics and artisanal industries of Barcelos, famous as the home of the ubiquitous Portuguese symbol, the brightly painted clay rooster. Visit the pottery museum and several artists here, with a special focus on the pottery arts.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 13 – Wednesday, 14 October
Porto
Today’s journey takes you to Porto, Portugal’s second largest city and the capital of port wine. Enjoy a tour of Porto’s historic centre. Later, join your fellow travelers to share favourite memories of the tour, as you enjoy the fine local Dão wines and the breathtaking views of the Duoro River and the city, as we say goodbye with a special farewell party.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 14 – Thursday, 15 October
Meal: BreakfastBook Now: Adventures Abroad 1-800-665-3998 / sales@adventures-abroad.com