Prior to the whole team gathering in Amsterdam earlier this month, Kristin, one of our Client Care and Operations specialists, enjoyed a full week in Portugal. I know Kristin agrees, that the more we travel in off-season, the more benefits we see, encompassing value, no crowds, availability and more. Whenever you can make dates work for off-season, we highly recommend you try it out.
Now over to Kristin for this weeks trip report.Portugal is a favorite destination for our J5 clients, and I had the perfect opportunity to explore some of the great tours that we book for our clients while visiting! So this week's article is highlighting just a few of my favorite experiences in Portugal, all available for private touring.
Top 5 - Portugal in the Spring
1. Lisbon (above and below)
We've talked about Lisbon before and for good reason. It's a wonderful combination of a big city with a beautiful coastline and unique history. We enjoyed a Lisbon city tour one of our first days in town. Our local guide, Ana, shared her love of her country and its history with us. We explored the heart of the city through the Bohemian Bairro Alto, the fancy Chiado, the picturesque Alfama and the vibrant Baixa. The views were amazing all around.
We headed to the Belém district, from where the Portuguese navigators left, looking for the "New World." Then continued on to visit the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, both classified by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. And of course, a stop for a "pasteis de Belem!"
The following day we had a full day visiting not only the palaces in the area but also some great spots along the coastline. We were lucky to have Ana as our guide for our adventures again!
2. Sintra (above)
The town of Sintra is home to numerous parks and palaces. Peña Palace was our first stop. It dates back to the 12th century and is the crown jewel of the Sintra palaces. The Quinta Da Regaleira is a luxurious villa with magnificent gardens. The highlight is the Initiation Well which is an inverted tower leading to a network of underground tunnels and caves. Afterwards we enjoyed lunch in town where we sampled the local pastry and the famous Ginja liquor – served in its own chocolate cup!
3. Cascais & Porto (above & below)
The town of Cascais is steeped in history. During World War II both the Nazi’s and the Allies had headquarters here. The Hotel Palacio Estoril was a refuge for European royal families in exile during this time. Ian Fleming was inspired to create his famous James Bond character and served as the inspiration for his novel "Casino Royale" based on his stay in Portugal and Casino Estoril during World War II.
Wanting to see a few out of the way areas we chose to drive from Lisbon to Porto. We arrived in Porto in time for our vintage food tour. We met our guide at Bohao market to explore the revival of Porto's cuisine, combining the best of the past with fresh spins on traditional Portuguese dishes. It is an authentic introduction to Porto's gastronomical scene, using history, architecture, and culture as background. You will have the opportunity to encounter Porto like a local.
We sampled traditional Portuguese dishes, regional wines, local pastries, and finished our evening with a mini masterclass in Port Wines.
4. Vidago Palace (below)
Our stop for the night was at the Five Star, Vidago Palace. Built in 1910 at the end of the Edwardian era, inside a wooded property of several hectares, the Vidago Palace Hotel was very much appreciated by the Portuguese elite of the time. Arriving at the Palace was magical, for starters – it’s very pink! Images of ladies in long dresses sipping cool drinks and playing cards, walking in the gardens while the gentlemen golfed, played in my mind as we walked up the imposing front staircase. Vidago Palace is a wonderful place to experience relaxed country living with golf, gardens, hiking, thermal baths, and nearby wineries to visit.
5. The Oldest Wine Region in the World (below)
Our trip to Portugal would not be complete without a tour of the oldest wine region in the world. This is truly a hidden place surrounded and protected by mountains that, besides preserving nature and people's simplicity, also create the perfect microclimate necessary to grow the Port Wine grape varieties (all native).
The tour is customized to your interests. Enjoy a private or small group river cruise followed by a visit and tasting at a Quinta where they harvest the grapes by hand and still stomp the juice with their feet (yes, really!). Enjoy a delicious lunch overlooking the valley, the river, and the vines. Lastly, choose to visit one of the larger vineyards in the area or select a specific one. We choose to visit a small farmhouse and join the family (and their cat Olaf) for samples of their wine and delicious charcuterie. The highlight was absolutely getting to hear their family story directly from them.
If you would like to visit a destination in the off season, let us know by clicking the button below. We would be happy to plan a seamless and stress-free trip for you.
I love travel and I love travel planning just as much and I am proud to have built a team as passionate about exploring the world as myself. It took me a very long time to align my career with my undeniable passion for exploring, but now I and the team are here for you. Your personal travel tailors - award reservation and luxury custom itinerary experts. We provide a bespoke service, imagining and creating itineraries for independent minded families and groups.
