☼  Highlights for Wonders of Portugal

★ Experience an in-depth guided tour of the late Gothic Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon
★ Enjoy the charming medieval center of Coimbra, one of the most picturesque towns in Europe
★ Saunter down sidestreets and alleyways amidst the hip Boavista neighborhood of Porto
★ Behold the stunning beaches, turquoise waters, and impossible rock formations of the Algarve at Lagos
★ Witness the famed Bone Chapel at Evora
★ Take part in mutli-course dinners at celebrated local restaurants

  What’s Included for Wonders of Portugal

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   ACCOMMODATION       10 nights of accommodation at highly rated, centrally located hotels.  All hotel taxes, porterage fees, and housekeeping tips are included.

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   TRANSPORTATION       Private airport transfer upon arrival.  Private coach or minibus transfers between listed destinations.  A flight from Porto to the Algarve.

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   MEALS      13 meals:  10 breakfasts, 2 dinners, 1 lunch.

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   EXCURSIONS AND ENTRANCE FEES       Guided tour of the late Gothic Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon, including entrance fees.   Entrance fees to the Belem Tower in Lisbon and the Bone Chapel in Evora.  Guided walking tours of the historical centers of Porto, Lagos, and Evora.   Semi-guided visits to the historical center of Coimbra and the waterfront of Lagos.   Special private boat tour, exclusive to your group, of the Benagil Sea Cave.  Optional excursions include a trip to Sintra and Obidos, a boat tour around the Ponta da Piedade, and a multi-course wine dinner in Porto.

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   TOUR LEADER       A Blue Onyx Tour Leader to handle all logistical aspects of the group, offer valuable information, and guide your group from start to finish.

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   Itinerary for Wonders of Portugal (11 days)

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DAY 1:  ARRIVAL IN LISBON
Arrive at Lisbon International Airport where a Blue Onyx Travel representative will meet you and direct you to your private  transportation en route to your centrally located Lisbon hotel.  At 7 p.m., your tour group will meet in the lobby of the hotel with your Tour Leader where there will be a brief orientation, followed by a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

  MEAL:  Dinner           ACCOMMODATION:   The 7 Hotel and My Story Hotel Ouro (3 nights)

DAY 2:   TOUR OF JERONIMOS MONASTERY, FREE TIME
After a brief walking orientation of Lisbon, you’ll receive private transportation to the Portuguese Late Gothic, or “Manueline” Jeronimos Monastery where you’ll enjoy a special guided tour.  This richly detailed architectural style, which incorporates not only standard Gothic elements, but also seafaring motifs,  was named after King Manuel I, who ruled Portugal from 1495 to 1521.   After your tour of the monastery, you’ll proceed on foot to the Belem Tower, a 16th century fortification, also in Manueline style, that sits on the edge of the Tagus River. 

  MEAL:  Breakfast       

DAY 3:   FREE TIME IN LISBON, OPTIONAL TRIP TO SINTRA AND OBIDOS
Lisbon is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and no one would fault you for wanting to spend the entire day exploring it.   But if the spirit moves you, an optional visit to the pastel-tinged palaces of Sintra and the fairy-tale landscape of Obidos is available.

OPTIONAL EXCURSION: Guided visit to Sintra and Obidos, including entry fees at Sintra and a walking tour of Obidos and round-trip transportation from Lisbon – $98 per person.

  MEAL:  Breakfast   

DAY 4:  EXCURSION TO FATIMA, ARRIVAL AND FREE TIME IN COIMBRA
After bidding lovely Lisbon a fond fairwell, it’s on to Fatima – a popular Christian pilgrimage site – for some self-guided exploration.  Later you’ll arrive in colorful Coimbra, Portugal’s former capital and the location of a well-preserved medieval center.    

  MEAL:  Breakfast         ACCOMMODATION:  Hotel Vitoria  (1 night)

DAY 5:  JOURNEY TO PORTO, WALKING TOUR
Depart for Porto, the so-called “capital of the north, ” arriving in the early afternoon and enjoying a leisurely walking tour of Porto’s major sights later in the day.  Directed by a Local Expert, your tour will navigate a patchwork of narrow causeways around Baroque churches and Neoclassical structures, arriving at the Dom Luis Bridge at sunset.  

  MEAL:  Breakfast          ACCOMMODATION:  Casual Raizes Porto (2 nights)

DAY 6:   FREE DAY IN PORTO, OPTIONAL WINE DINNER
The day is all yours to reconnoiter the varied aspects of Porto.  Gaze at the Livraria Lello bookshop, roam around the Sao Bento train station, make a visit to the Bolsa Palace, or just relax at a local cafe.   In the evening, you will have the option of partaking in a multi-course dinner with tastings of three local wines.  

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:  Special dinner with wine – $35 per person.

DAY 7:   FLY TO THE ALGARVE, WALKING TOUR OF LAGOS
In the morning, you’ll fly to the Algarve – the southern coastal area of Portugal – arriving in Lagos, the vibrant gem of the region.  After hotel check-in and relaxation, a Local Expert will lead your group on an in-depth walking tour of Lagos where you will learn of the critical role it played in the Age of Discovery, among other things.  

  MEAL:  Breakfast          ACCOMMODATION:  Hotel Marina Rio (2 nights)

DAY 8:  EXCURSION TO BENAGIL SEA CAVE, OPTIONAL BOAT TOUR OF PONTA DA PIEDADE
In the morning, you’ll voyage to the seaside enclave of Benagil where you’ll enjoy a private boat ride to the famous Benagil Sea Cave, a wave-eroded dome that must be seen to be believed.   In the late afternoon,  you’ll have the option of taking a different boat tour around the amazing rock formations near the Ponta da Piedade (“Point of Pity”).

  MEAL:  Breakfast

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:  Boat Tour around Lagos – $22 per person

DAY 9:  VOYAGE TO EVORA, TOUR OF HISTORICAL CENTER
Today, it’s off to Evora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Toward late afternoon, a Local Expert will take you on an odyssey through Evora’s historical center, culminating in a visit to the Capela Dos Ossos, the “Bone Chapel,” whose goal is to direct the visitor to reflect on his or her existence. 

  MEAL:  Breakfast           ACCOMMODATION:   Moov Hotel (2 nights)

DAY 10:  FREE DAY IN EVORA, FAREWELL DINNER
There are many things to see in Evora, including the ancient Roman Temple, the Gothic Cathedral of Evora, the Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval, or the array of delightful shops and restaurants lining the cobblestone streets.  In the evening, your group will enjoy its farewell dinner in a quiet, tucked away corner of town.

  MEALS:  Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 11:  RETURN TO LISBON FOR DEPARTURE OR CONTINUE WITH “SKETCHES OF SPAIN”
In the morning, it’s time to bid a very fond farewell to the majestic country of Portugal.  From Evora you can return to Lisbon or you can continue your adventures in Europe with the combined Iberian Escapades tour, arriving in Seville in the afternoon.

  MEAL:  Breakfast

 
   Optional Excursions for Wonders of Portugal

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DAY 3: 

Optional Excursion #1:  Visit to the palaces of Sintra and the medieval center of Obidos

Make a mid-morning visit to the majestic hilltop palaces at Sintra and then proceed to the fairy tale village of Obidos – one of the most beautiful in Europe.   Entry fee to the Pena Palace of Sintra, a walking tour of Obidos, and round-trip transportation from Lisbon included.   Price:  $98 per person   Time:  9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

DAY 6: 

Optional Excursion #2:  Wine dinner in Porto

The Boavista neighborhood of Porto, where your hotel will be, is a wonderfully laid-back, architecturally diverse place that is both peaceful and beautiful.  So it’s the perfect place to have a multi-course, small plate dinner where you’ll be able to sample three different local wines.   Price $35 per person.  Time:  7 – 9 p.m. 

DAY 7: 

Optional Excursion #3:  Boat tour of Ponta da Piedade

A short walk from your hotel is the rocky promontory called Ponta da Piedade (In English, “Point of Pity”).  Here you will embark on a 90-minute boat tour around stunning rock formations and mysterious grottoes.    Price: $22 per person.  Time:  4 – 5:30 p.m.

*Please note that optional excursions can be reserved and paid at any point up to the first day of the tour.

 
   Dates & Prices for Wonders of Portugal

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June 28 – July 8, 2023  (Wed – Sat)                 $1,599        Book Now (Standard)                         

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   What to Expect for Wonders of Portugal

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  The Weather

Like most Mediterranean places, Portugal tends to have long, warm summers and cool, moderate winters.  In the summer months, highs generally range from the low 80’s to the low 90’s and the lows reach the upper 60’s.  There’s is plenty of sun and little rainfall in the summer months.

We advise our guests to bring sunscreen with them on this tour.

  Bugs and Pests

Whereas mosquitoes become problematic during the summer months in places like Italy and Greece, they are less of a problem in Portugal.   Nonetheless, they do exist there and are most active in the early to mid evening.  Therefore, you may want to bring some insect repellent with you  or purchase some upon arrival in Lisbon.  If the mosquito situation becomes a problem, we recommend that you keep your hotel room windows closed at night and leave the air conditioning on.  Mosquitoes don’t like air conditioning.

  Physical Activity of Tour

On a scale of 1 to 10, the level of physical activity of this tour is 7, which is high.  Several days will incur a great deal of walking, and there will be some steep stairs and slopes to ascend, in towns like Lagos and other places.  

  Potential Issues

We urge our guests to use common sense on our tours.  Be wary of strangers offering you something or trying to sell you something.  Keep guard of your important belongings, such as purse, wallet, keys, and cell phone.  Pickpocketing is a problem in Lisbon, and pickpockets there are wily.  A common scam that occurs is where one person will walk up to you, pretending to ask directions, while his or her partner in crime will slip past you from another direction entirely, casually taking your wallet or cell phone.  Be aware of your belongings at all times.

We also urge our guests to use extra caution while crossing the street.   Portugal is generally a rather pedestrian friendly country, but you should still walk defensively and look in every direction before crossing.  Don’t walk distracted.

  What to Bring

We urge our guests to pack light.  As previously stated under our Terms and Conditions, all of our guests are allowed one carry-on measuring 45 linear inches (22 x 14 x 9) and a personal item, such as a laptop bag or purse.  We strongly recommend bringing travel size toiletries.  We recommend bringing sunscreen and possibly insect repellent.

  Journeys Between Destinations

Most of the journeys between stops on this tour will be under three hours and many of them will be under two hours.

  Your Hotels

We strive to book hotels that are centrally located, highly rated, and close to major attractions.   The service level of this tour is Standard, which means that the hotels are upscale and usually include a full breakfast.   

Having said that, there are a couple of things that one should understand about hotels in Europe, especially if one is from the United States.  More often than not, hotel rooms in Europe are smaller than hotel rooms in the United States. Additionally, hotel rooms in Europe may not have the exact same amenities that our American guests may be used to seeing.  For instance, many European hotels do not have elevators.

On the other hand, for our American guests who are traveling to Europe for the first time, the breakfasts that are offered at European hotels are a huge breath of fresh air.  There is usually an abundance of protein sources in the form of cold cuts, cheeses, eggs, milk, and yogurt, along with an assortment of fresh fruit, pastries, cereal, fruit juice, tea, and coffee.  Occasionally, some European hotels will serve a hot breakfast as well and this often consists of scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, and pancakes or waffles.

  Your Restaurants

We strive to treat our guests to lunches and dinners at restaurants with interesting settings and this tour is no exception to that concept.  The farewell dinner, for instance, will take place in a uniquely beautiful and authentic restaurant.

  
  
  Currency Exchange and Credit Card Usage

The Tour Leader will be able to tell you where to exchange currency and there will usually be a place to do so within walking distance of your hotel.  Most major banks will be able to exchange any currency that you have brought with you, for a small fee.

In most European countries (Portugal included), the best exchange rate can be obtained by simply withdrawing money from a standard bank ATM using your debit card (not to be confused with your credit card).  For instance, let’s say it’s your second day in Lisbon and you need to withdraw some euros.  Just go to a local bank which has an ATM machine (often in a small, enclosed lobby-style room) and withdraw the amount of money you want.  Nearly all standard ATM machines worldwide have the capacity to issue instructions in English, so English speakers should have no problem at all understanding how to use them.

When we tell you to seek out standard bank ATM machines, we mean it.  Avoid the omnipresent stand-alone ATMs which are not part of a bank.  Euronet, Moneybox, Travelex, and Cashzone are examples of independent ATM machines which have very unfavorable exchange rates.  If you have any questions at all while on tour, just ask your Tour Leader to point you the direction of a standard bank ATM.  Now it’s true that your home-based bank, such as Wells Fargo, will charge a small fee ($5) for this transaction, but the European bank will not. 

But wait, why don’t I just use my VISA credit card for all my shopping and for the fancy dinner, you may ask?  That’s fine, but there’s usually a 3% foreign transaction fee (or higher) for these types of transactions. And there might even be an additional transaction fee from the store or restaurant in which you’re using your VISA card.  Dollar for dollar, withdrawing cash from a standard bank ATM in the country you’re visiting is the most cost-effective way to exchange currency.

  The Tour Leader

All of our Tour Leaders must undergo a rigorous training course designed to help them handle not only the ups and downs of a tour group situation, but also the disparate personalities that they might encounter.  All of our Tour Leaders are thoroughly background checked and must adhere to a strict code of conduct at all times.  You can rest assured that we are placing you with a Tour Leader who has your best interests at heart.