Departure from the US for overnight flight to Porto via Lisbon.
Airfare is not included but Celestial Voyagers can help you get the best airfare and schedule.
Meals: D | Hotel: Eurostar Oporto Centro 4*
Arrival and transfer to our highly-rated hotel for two nights.
In the afternoon, we begin our exploration of Oporto with our knowledgeable local guide who will share the fascinating story of this venerable port city.
Oporto is famed for its art of confectionery using the “holy trinity” of eggs, flour and sugar. We’ll learn the story of typical sweets at local bakeries more than a century old and taste delicious pastries like the iconic “pastel de nata”, a dark-glazed mini custard tart.
Get to know your travel companions at dinner, which is sure to be a memorable experience at the renowned Casa de Chá Boa Nova (Michelin 2*). This creative tea house and restaurant on the water is a light-filled modern space adjoining the lighthouse of Leça. The kitchen is under the direction of the renowned Chef Rui Paula. The restaurant, of course, specializes in the freshest of fish and seafood.
Meals: B,D | Hotel: Eurostar Oporto Centro 4*
After breakfast, meet with your local guide to explore Oporto’s well-preserved Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical treasures like the Cathedral, the Tower of Clérigos, and Ribeira, a UNESCO world heritage site. Oporto also stands out for its much-admired modern architecture including the Casa da Música and the Serralves Foundation.
Lunch is on your own, perhaps sampling a Francesinha, the popular local Portuguese take on the croque-monsieur.
After lunch, explore the old Jewish district to learn about its secret past. In the evening, relax and have dinner at a restaurant featuring local cuisine.
Meals: B,D | Hotel: Rural Casa dos Viscondes da Varzea, Lamego
After breakfast, we depart for the Douro Valley wine region, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the first demarcated wine region in the World (1756).
Our tour through the beautiful Douro Valley will introduce us to the culture of wine and the region’s people.
We’ll visit the Quinta da Pacheca vineyard and learn how the region’s world-famous Port wine is produced, followed by lunch at the vineyard accompanied by a selection of their wines.
In the afternoon, check in for two nights at the charming, family-run Casa Rural Dos Viscondes, a large vineyard, farm and 1804 aristocratic house with historical gardens.
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Meals: B,L,D | Hotel: Rural Casa dos Viscondes da Várzea in Lamego
Today, get the feel of the Douro Valley by traveling the panoramic route of the N222 Road, renowned as one of the best roads in the world for driving. Hugging the River Douro for about 25 kilometers, this glorious road passes by steep terraced hillside vineyards.
We’ll explore Lamego, a peaceful city in the heart of the Douro vineyards, and its sumptuous baroque shrine, Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, set amidst colorful flowering gardens. We’ll also learn about Lamego’s Jewish history.
At lunchtime, we’ll taste the famous “Bola de Lamego,” a yeast bread filled with meat, codfish or sardines.
In the afternoon, we will join the countess of one of Portugal’s oldest families for a cooking class featuring heritage family recipes using the wood-burning stove in the country-style kitchen of her family’s ancestral home that is our hotel.
If weather permits, we’ll enjoy dinner accompanied by the best local wines al fresco under the
Today, get the feel of the Douro Valley by traveling the panoramic route of the N222 Road, renowned as one of the best roads in the world for driving. Hugging the River Douro for about 25 kilometers, this glorious road passes by steep terraced hillside vineyards.
We’ll explore Lamego, a peaceful city in the heart of the Douro vineyards, and its sumptuous baroque shrine, Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, set amidst colorful flowering gardens. We’ll also learn about Lamego’s Jewish history.
At lunchtime, we’ll taste the famous “Bola de Lamego,” a yeast bread filled with meat, codfish or sardines.
In the afternoon, we will join the countess of one of Portugal’s oldest families for a cooking class featuring heritage family recipes using the wood-burning stove in the country-style kitchen of her family’s ancestral home that is our hotel.
If weather permits, we’ll enjoy dinner accompanied by the best local wines al fresco under the trees or inside by the cozy fireplace.
Meals: B,L | Hotel: Quinta Das Lagrimas, Coimbra
Today, we’ll explore the Sangalhos region and the Bairrada Region. In the Bairrada, abundant rainfall and mild temperatures help to produce grapes with the high acidity and low alcohol content that is ideal for making sparkling wines.
We will visit the Aliança Vinhos de Portugal Underground Museum, and taste the region’s sparkling wines. Lunch will be in the cellars and will feature the local specialty Bairrada Suckling Pig (an alternative will be provided for those who don’t eat pork).
After lunch, we’ll walk through the beautiful Buçaco Forest Park with its former royal hunting lodge, now a luxury hotel. Founded in the 6th century by a monastic community, the Forest Park of Buçaco contains nearly 700 native and exotic species as well as one of the tallest trees in Europe.
After check-in to our small luxury hotel in Coimbra for two nights, dinner (or a snack) will be on your own in this historical university town.
Meals: B,L | Hotel: Quinta Das Lagrimas, Coimbra
In the morning, discover the taste and history of the “faithful friend “of the Portuguese people – the codfish. First we visit the Maritime Museum In Ílhavo to understand the traditional “Faina Maior,” cod fishing with hook and line in single man dories as done in Newfoundland and Greenland. Onto the Costa Nova, known for its colorful striped “palheiros”, traditional fisherman’s cabins, where we’ll learn about the machines and animals that were used to haul the fishing boats onto the beach.
Lunch will feature the famous cod–perhaps you’ll sample crispy bolinhos de bacalao—salt cod fritters.
At Aveiro, the “Venice of Portugal,” with its extensive canal system, we’ll taste Ovos Moles (“soft-cooked eggs” pastry) and learn how to make the dough and fillings for this town specialty.
Dinner will be on your own in back Coimbra, a chance to stroll the streets and find your own favorite dining spot.
Meals: B,D| Portugal Boutique Hotel 4* Lisbon
Today, we explore Coimbra, the city of students, home to one of the first universities in Europe and the most important in Portugal.
We’ll stroll in the oldest part of Coimbra where narrow streets lead to the top of the hill.
We’ll visit the Fado ao Centro (Fado Cultural Center), where we will hear the most genuine and traditional Fado music from Coimbra played by the best musicians of the city.
Next, we depart for the medieval village of Obidos where we will travel back in time in this walled medieval town with its Gothic churches and narrow winding streets.
Our arrival will be celebrated with a “ginjinha”, sour cherry liqueur in a glass of chocolate.
Afterwards, we’ll drive to Lisbon, check into our centrally-located boutique hotel for three nights.
Dinner will be at a local restaurant featuring the typical cuisine of Lisbon.
Meals: B,D | Portugal Boutique Hotel 4* Lisbon
After breakfast at your hotel, we begin the day with a guided city tour of Lisbon, a port city that has been influenced by many different far-off cultures over time. Lisbon’s various historic neighborhoods still have a village feel to them. Stroll through the Pombaline grid of streets in the Baixa district that opens on to the Tagus in Praça do Comércio, then follow the river to discover some of the city’s most beautiful parts: the monumental area of Belém with its World Heritage monuments, and the medieval district of Alfama.
At the end of the day, we’ll get to know one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, where the Fado movement started, to understand the history and culture behind this haunting music.
We’ll stroll through the small streets and alleyways, visit taverns where the locals gather every evening, and taste cheeses, cured ham and “ginjinha”. Our tour ends at a small, intimate restaurant and Fado house owned by a prominent Fado singer.
There, our dinner will consist of a tasting of a series of traditional “petiscos” (small dishes) and wine, while enjoying the Fado music.
Meals: B,L,D | Portugal Boutique Hotel 4* Lisbon
After breakfast, we’ll shop at a city street market where we will find all the ingredients to prepare a traditional Portuguese lunch at a cooking class taught by a chef. We’ll enjoy the meal accompanied by carefully-chosen Portuguese wines. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn some secrets of Portuguese cuisine in a fun and relaxed environment. Each guest will receive detailed recipes, so you can reproduce the dishes back home.
In the afternoon, we depart for an excursion to the beautiful seaside village of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Discover the charms and history of Sintra and taste local delights like travesseiros (pillows), crispy puff pastry pastries with a rich almond cream filling, a signature dessert of Sintra.
Return to Lisbon for our Gala Farewell Dinner in a local restaurant and our last night in Lisbon.
Meals: B
After breakfast, drive to the Lisbon Airport for flights home (or extend your stay in Portugal–we can help).
Itinerary is subject to possible changes or adjustments due to weather and traffic conditions or other unpredictable events.
Proposed Hotels
This itinerary is subject to possible changes or adjustments due to weather and traffic conditions or other unpredictable events. We will make every effort to ensure that any substitutions are of equal value and interest.
This trip is offered by Aliza Green Culinary & Cultural Tours
www.alizagreen.com, spice@alizagreen.com
Reservations are made through Celestial Voyagers
PRICE
Package Price $6,625 per person, sharing a double room
Single supplement: $885
Final payment due: Friday, January 19, 2024
| This trip is a land only program. You can book your airline ticket prior to travel. Celestial Voyagers is an IATA licensed tour operator. We will be able to advise the best schedule, the best routing and best value for your ticket. Your round trip ticket leaving from the USA will be to arrive in Porto, Portugal and return from Lisbon Please contact us before booking your flights. Should you choose to purchase your airline ticket on your own, please provide us with a copy of your schedule. You may have to book additional private transfers between the airport and your hotel. |
Celestial Voyager’s Terms and Conditions relate to specific contracts with various suppliers. The policies and regulations below must be strictly enforced.
Aliza Green Cultural & Culinary Tour: Portuguese Delights Culinary Tour and Celestial Voyagers Terms & Conditions relating to specific contracts with their partners. Aliza Cultural & Culinary Tours, Celestial Voyagers, and all their partners in Portugal will surpass your expectations and deliver a trip of superior quality.
We may adjust the program, but we will commit to creating the best possible program for guests with safety, comfort, and ease our top priorities.
DEPOSIT & PAYMENTS
A deposit of $750 is paid on line at time of registration and will guarantee your space and the type of room you wish to reserve. We do recommend registering as soon as possible.
Final payment is due by Friday, January 19, 2024.
Should you register after Friday, January 19, 2024, full payment is due; deposit can be paid on line and the balance due should follow as soon as you receive your invoice.
CANCELLATION BY THE PARTICIPANT:
Your deposit is refundable up to Friday, Jan 5, 2024 minus $350 processing fee.
For cancellation received in writing between Saturday, Jan 6, 2024 and Friday, Jan 19, 2024, the deposit is non refundable.
For cancellation received in writing between Saturday, Jan 20, 2024 and Tuesday, Feb 20, 2024, the penalty is 50 % of the trip value.
For cancellation received in writing after Tuesday, Feb 20, 2024 and in case of no show the penalty is 100% of the trip value.
Should you be able to provide a new participant to take your place the name change fee will be waived and no penalty will apply.
We highly recommend to take a travel insurance to protect yourself from these penalties.
CANCELLATION BY TOUR OPERATOR:
All trips will operate with a minimum of 6 participants. We do recommend whenever you can to register early.
If by Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, the minimum number of participants has not been reached the trip will be postponed and you will receive a full refund.
We advise all travelers to purchase travel insurance in case of any unforeseen circumstances and if you are no longer able to travel. We offer the following insurance policies through Allianz Travel Insurance: Basic, Classic, and Classic with cancel anytime. Prices vary with age and amount insured.
Click on the link below for more details:
https://keyword.celestialvoyagers.com/leisure/leisure-insurance-passports-visas/
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Passport
Most countries require that a passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of a trip. If your passport expires before October 14, 2024, you must apply to renew your passport.
Visa
If you are not a US citizen please check with the consulate of Portugal or a visa agency for the latest requirements. You will also need a re-entry permit to return to the USA.
Aliza Green is a renowned chef, an award-winning author of 15 cookbooks, and a certified tour director who is experienced in planning and leading international culinary tours. She loves to share her deep culinary knowledge, her fascinating stories, and kitchen tips and tricks gained from her extensive experience in the kitchen.