"No one wow moment, but the whole country, the people and the culture. (19:00), Lisbon's Colorful Neighborhoods "I would say the trip to the cork estate, winery and lunch at his family's home. "Visiting the family run cork farm and the spectacular home cooked meal that followed. And the food and wine of course. Our guide Fatima was warm, knowledgeable, fun, and Portuguese through and through. Very well done. Stomping on grapes was great fun. Tour was well paced, with excellent guide Maria and a pleasant variety of nice hotels. Because of covid concerns, we wore a mask most of the time, particularly on the bus and enclosed spaces. You should look at it as a group stop. Excellent guide and tour. Roberta and Gabriella were excellent guides. That put stress on the next day. My knowledge of Portugal- people, history, culture and geography was embarrassingly limited. 4. The guides and experiences were wonderful and the ease of seeing the sites and traveling was wonderful. How to choose? Also, the trip through the vineyards in the Douro Valley was BEAUTIFUL. We'll cap off our visit with lunch together, including some of the estate's wines. It was a great tour. Shipping & Returns. Very interesting. After visiting the cork farm, Rovisco Garcia, we had lunch with Sofia and her sister. "There were many wonderful moments. "The tour of the Cork Farm. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own. Sleep in Porto. Both provided great insights into key aspects of Portuguese life and culture.". Worked out ok.. "Going to the cork farm and seeing both the cork producing process, how hard farming is, and what happened in the past when the family farm was taken from them by the government and how the resources were misused by people who did not know what they were ding with cork production. "Monastery of Jeronimos and city of Obidos". Thank you for maintaining your very high standards and fully delivering on your promises. I'm sure my answer would be outstanding except that I was sick the last few days and even missed the last day in Porto. Friendly country, with a rich history and beautiful cities and countryside. The meals were outstanding the Lunches were such an amazing surprise and the dinners first class. The hotels ranged from fair to wonderful. The variety was terriffic, from a cork oak forest walk to intense city centers. Rick Steves Audio Tours are leaving the podcast space. Beautiful country, warm people, good tour group and great tour guide. The hotel in Cuimbra(sp) was terrible. Great restaurants in Evora and a stay in a former convent that is now a slick, minimalist, modern hotel!". It should not be a two night stay. Hotels were very good and sometimes outstanding. How to choose? Boat: hour. The variety of sights to see and experiences was outstanding. Our guide, Fatima, was very enthusiastic and did an excellent job sharing her enthusiasm for her country. You'll have the evening free to continue to explore the museum or return to Lisbon for dinner on your own. Javier was a fabulous guide. Food service is absolutely top notch. "Seeing all the magnificent tile work through out the country and visiting the Quinta in the Douro Valley. She was fun and engaging, and we always felt everything would run smoothly, and it did! Please remove this hotel from this tour. Lunches were excellent at both places. "To me walled towns are magical, with Obidos being the first castle town it truly was a moment for me to see the ramparts and experience the beautiful sunset. "The spectacular scenery of the Douro Valley.". Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements and transfers are completely up to you. Portugal Guidebook for 2023 | Rick Steves Travel Store "Well, the cork farm (above), and the food tour with Miguel. "The cork farm was especially enjoyable.". Unfortunately I and several other guests contracted COVID. 5. The pace, cities, hotels and guides were perfect. I felt privileged to be immersed in Portuguese culture for 12 days and never once felt like a tourist staring in from the outside. ", This was my 9th Rick Steves tour, and it seems I have finally found a tour/country that doesn't align with my interests. The tour truly represented the culture and beauty of Portugal in so many ways starting with our Guide Rafae, he brought a lot of that home in so many ways. I gained less weight on this trip due to the amount of hiking. A ton of interesting sites,out of the way locations for great stops. On one end of the beach, at low tide, you can usually scramble over the rocks past tiny tide pools to secluded Figueira Beach. Maria was very helpful after I tested positive. I had a lot of fun learning so much. I felt that the tour could have been a little shorter - cut out a day in Lisbon and possibly Douro Valley overnight (although the hotel was stunning). This was an experience that would have been difficult to achieve without the tour.". Portugal is an amazing country. Well-paced balance between guided sights and free time, and not too much time on the bus. And some reservations didn't work out. All together one of our best Rick Steves' tours (out of a total of 16 tours). Good tours but too many churches kings queens and clergy. Fascinated by the beauty of the tile facades on the exterior of many buildings, inside the train station, and inside some cathedrals. Enjoyed the visit to the fort/lighthouse to see where the 100 ft waves break during the winter. It exceeded my expectations and delivered most of what I was expecting. If I had to choose one, I would choose our visit to the cork farm.". Love those small family run excursions". "The cork farm tour and home cooked lunch at the farm was amazing.". Overall a great trip with a few specific recommendations outlined below. "The trip to the ceramic "factory", though not part of the original tour (optional activity, let by Christina), was a chance to see a family business with local workers. "The Douro Valley and the Vintage hotel were spectacular. You have to be in pretty good shape for this tour, lots of walking on coublestones. The late afternoon walk along the ramparts of Obidos with its breathtaking 360 degree views will remain in my memory for a lifetime. Later we'll enjoy some fun in the sun in the old coastal fishing village of Nazar. Christina, our tour guide was enthusiastic, very well informed, added to our enjoyment and understanding of our Portugal experience. It's a perfect chance to learn all about the proud art of making fine port and taste it too! "I would have to say the ceramic factory - I have a new appreciation for the Hand Painted goods we see in the shops.". The overall experience was excellent. "WOW moment was the idyllic setting and experience we encountered at the cork farm--entering the garden to the family home, pool and "hunting" lodge where we enjoyed a delicious lunch complete with wine and olive oil tasting. See our Tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above. On Rick's video, we saw use of the cable cars, etc. For my wife it was the library in Coimbra.". The cork farm and walking the wall of the medieval village were my favorite as was the activity of Porto. "Douro Valley (we stayed in Pinhao)--pictures of this area can't do it justice.". All staff that we were in contact with were congenial, friendly and helpful. The tour was wonderful. Well paced tour from Lisbon to Porto. We are always so impressed with the tour guides. This should be included in the tour.". We saw a good variety of what Portugal has to offer. The pace of the tour, this amazing country, all the people we met along the way, the meals we shared, and of course, Fatima - our lovely, engaging guide - everything was outstanding. The tour by the owner was extremely interesting and informative! Metros, ocean, drinking port: we did it all. Her knowledge and love of her country is hard to beat and she made sure we would have many special memories. Second was the vast complex that Fatima is.". And the cork farm!! We'll drive to Portugal's most famous wine-making region today: the lush, green Douro Valley, where we'll visit an old family estate and winery (quinta) with spectacular views of the surrounding valley. Our guide, Cristina, was fabulous - so knowledgeable, interesting, funny, with the perfect amount of "Mother Hen" in her to keep us all safe and happy. Loved our guide Fatima - she gave 110%. Another outstanding tour seeing many wonders in Portugal. From drinking the sour cherry liquor ginjinha in walled Obidos to visiting a cork farm, the variety made for a fascinating experience. This was a well-rounded and very physical tour with an experienced enthusiastic guide who really made the trip! "Our visit to the cork oak farm was a definite WOW! The people,food and fellow travelers were lots of fun. And the ceramics factory that showed us how the tiles were hand painted. We had a wonderful Portugal trip. Really flawless execution, glitches were handled easily by Fatima and the bus driver. Enjoyed each of our destinations. However, that didn't take away from our enjoyment.". "Wow moment was our guide Fatima. We'll continue our journey north, stopping in Batalha to visit its grand Monastery of Santa Mara, a symbol of Portuguese pride and its victory (with help from English archers) over Spanish domination 600 years ago. Christina had a vast knowledge of the history and rituals of her country. She works very hard to provide a fun, organized trip with many "extra special" moments. Too many wows to include. knowledgeable, funny, responsive; all the local guides were very good also. Just to name a few", Another wonderful tour with Rick Steves (our 12th! The tour guide, Maria, was outstanding. I just sat out on our patio for several hours relaxing and taking it all in.". George, the chef/owner, was amazing!". The very first few from the bus upon arrival was breathtaking. Rick Steves' Europe (TV Series 2000-2021) - IMDb Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. She is passionate and informative about her Country and Portugal was beautiful from the architecture, landscape and people. "The Cork Farm and Douro Vally vineyard!". I was surprised by the steep terrain of Lisbon and Porto. What a bonding time with my fellow travelers. We covered so many parts of Portugal and experienced beautiful scenery, friendly people, great seafood, special surprises and an exceptional guide. All in all a very good time. Fatima was an outstanding tour guide. "Seeing all the beautiful churches and sights in Portugal.". Our guide provided us with so many unique and meaningful experiences. I also loved the beautiful Douro Valley, and hearing about how they grow the grapes. So interesting to see cork farmed. Fatima arranged many little surprises that we all enjoyed. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Could have been outstanding with less people. Or consider spending the night in far-flung Tomar before heading to Coimbra. I second that memory. Wow. "Visiting an active cork farm and learning about the process of growing cork oak trees from start to finish was the highlight of the tour for me. Seeing the Douro valley and touring the vineyard there. ", excellent guides, wonderful sites, and a great time with fellow travellers, "The 2 Fado shows were wonderful and the library at the Coimbra University was awe-striking". Hotels were above average (except for Coimbra). It was the highlight of the tour for me.". Sade! Our stress-free Portugal vacations package together small groups, great guides, central hotels, all sightseeing and memories to last a lifetime. ", "The Douro Valley countryside - stunning!". Her time was dedicated to us the entire trip. Sleep in Coimbra. December 30, 2020 at 6:24 p.m. As we've had to postpone our travels because of the pandemic, I believe a weekly dose of travel dreaming can be good medicine. The tropical nature of Douro valley surprised me. The tour was the perfect combination of Portugal's history, culture, traditions, food, and its proud people. My overall tour experience was outstanding! The weather cooperated, too, which is always a plus. I was the lone plant-based eater in the group and was very happy with the efforts to make sure I was well fed! Food was below average. In Portugal, however, there isn's a flat spot in the entire country. Sleep in Lisbon. The "wow" moment for me, however, was probably Fatima, a religious place (surprisingly). Also loved the family run cork farm tour and the incredible lunch.". Maria, our tour guide, was knowledgeable, personable, and helpful in every way. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. We'll have a chance to meet farming locals and taste-test their olive oil. The views were beautiful and it was exciting to walk among the vineyards.". It was just the right amount of tour and personal time. The hotels and the food were all excellent.The sights varied from neighborhood walks to visiting monasteries, walled towns, vineyards, a cork farm, churches and castles. Our guide Maria was outstanding. I really felt like we experienced all of Portugalwhich would have been very difficult on our own. Also seeing Porto from across the river in Gaia from a rooftop bar suggested by Cristina was a memorable experience -- incredible blue skies, puffy white clouds, people out enjoying life on the riverbanks all enjoyed with some wonderful tour mates.". The looks in their faces as they saw the Lady of Fatima is beyond descriptions. Rick Steves Books | List of books by author Rick Steves - ThriftBooks (18:33), Portugal's Radical Drug Policy She shared so much knowledge about her country and provided many glimpses into Portuguese family life and culture. 04/04/22 07:57 AM 9552 posts No! Here's one of my favorite European. We loved the history, the architecture, the food & wine, and the people. Amazing demonstration of farming with social, economic and environmental responsibility! She was part of our group as well as the leader. The port wine was delicious! Perched on the Atlantic on the far edge of Europe, Portugal preserves a salty, traditional culture. Wonderful. "Probably a toss-up between the Cork Farm outside Obidos and the Ceramics factory outside of Coimbra. The tour was great. The restaurant behind the hotel was awesome {on our own} The happy hour we had at Book and Cook (the library restaurant) was awesome. After nearly every stop, I found myself going up to Rafael, our guide, and saying, This is a WOW! moment. No one's fault, but we just didn't have a chance to bond with our guide like usual. Fantastic guide. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Didn't know much about farming cork and found the process very interesting.". We made it through a heat wave together with laughs, oohs and aahs. "(Only one??! We got a lot done in a short period of time. We got a very good look at Portugal and their citizens. This morning begins with a memorable visit to a working farm and estate. Saw and learned about Portugal that I would not have had, had I traveled on my own. We had three very good tour guides that helped very much. Food was excellent. Terms of Service | Privacy. l, "The hotel in the Douro Valley was exceptional. Our tour with Maria was a great introduction for our first visit to this wonderful country. "The two 'Wow' moments that stand out are the Cork excursion, and the port wine event. I was impressed with number of people that spoke English. I have been in wineries in several countries and my experience a the Douro Valley winery surpassed them all. And the port!". It greets me with the energetic applause of the surf, widows with rooms to rent, and fishermen mending nets. Exceeded expectations! Published by Avalon Travel Publishing, available at www.ricksteves.com. "Porto. The hotel accomodations met our needs. I was so touched. The Portuguese history and architecture were tremendously interesting, the landscapes were incredible, the medieval walkways were so fun and enchanting. ", From the sites.food..it was all there, "The vineyards and the lunch which followed". Our guide, Fatima, had such a fun spirit and was so knowledgeable. Recommend this tour! "My wow moment was the visit to Fatima. One of the most memorable was the Douro Valley and its terraced mountainsides, hand laid stone walls, and the overall immensity of the landscape and vineyards. To help you get started, I've listed my top picks for where to go in Portugal, and my plan for your best two-week trip. "Tour of the Cork farm. Generations in this family have poured their heart, soul and hard work into this place.". We appreciate the ability of the company to find us replacement Tour Guides after Margaret had a family emergency - 3 guides with 5 days showed quite the diversity of the Rick Steves staff. Breakfast is provided, but there are no group activities today. Too many church/monasteries. I enjoyed seeing some sites and having some experiences I would not have had on my own or with other tours. Our group of 26 was lucky enough to have Fatima as our guide - there is no better guide on the planet! I've been on a few tours but the collection of people and Rafael as our leader made this an exceptional trip. 5 episodes. And to top it off they served a delicious lunch which was enjoyed by all.". The dinner and Fado show in Lisbon and the working cork farm.". "Seeing the mountain vineyard terraces in the Duoro Valley was fantastic. Our 11th RS tour. The R.S. Enjoyed the beach town lunch with fresh seafood! None of those warnings seemed to have much substance. Im going with the winery in Douro Valley. The climate change influences were important to hear too and its influence on wine and cork. She was kind, knowledgeable, and had many fun surprises for us that we never expected. PBS runs his reruns, some up to 20 years old, 5-7 times per day. ", Very good tour, with a few hiccups (bus problems on the way to Porto, whoops), great guide, pulled group together, well informed. We had a private performance from Filipa who was a great singer.". "We loved the cork farm visit and lunch, in the gorgeous Alentejo region of Portugal. Not particularly interested in the Gulbenkian museum. The historical architecture and churches. The alter in the Church of the Holy Trinity at Fatima. Fabulous tour of Portugal. :The tour was brought to perfection by Cristina through her charm, extensive knowledge, attention to detail and her love of Portugal. "Our visit to Fatima was moving, not only for the majesty of area, but also for the feeling of awe that premeditated from the pilgrims that had traveled so far to be a part of the experience.". We had a great guide and great tour mates. However, we spent too much time visiting churches, monasteries and cloisters. Our guide encouraged everyone to get a small taste, but it wasn't for me. We especially enjoyed the visit to the cork farm and the winery. In no particular order, they are as follows: 1. They have so much knowledge that questions don't stump them; they just give you answers! Enjoyed the different areas and convenient transportation. Especially enjoyed Maria's dry wit and presentations. Visited an ancient fort on our own that was very plain on the exterior, but the chapel inside the fort still contained beautiful, vivid blue and white tile pictures of biblical scenes covering the interior walls.". I could of spent a week there alone as the hills with wine grapes cut into each hillside at different angles looks like a patchwork quilt. The tour was good, hotels were almost all very good, better than expected, meals were adequate but not impressive. ", "The beauty of the Douro Valleythe way the vineyards seemed to flow over the hilly terrain". Cristina was fabulous! Andre and his food tour in Porto also outstanding. I thought the tour was well paced with enough time in each town/city along the way. "The hotel in Douro Valley, Vintage House hotel. It was like traveling back in time.". "Probably the winery tour in the Duoro Valley. Great tour. I had to sit back, wait for the next day, take in that day, and not anticipate what I thought "would be. This was my 7th Rick Steves tour, and this one was just as excellent as all the others. It was perhaps our best tour yet. She had so much knowledge about Portugal that she past that on to us as travelers to better know her country and the people. This is my fourth tour and farm tours are always the highlight as you have an opportunity to visit, interact and understand the people who live there. Another family owned business. The lodging was perfect, the meals outstanding, and the wine ample. This is a great way to just relax and enjoy our time together. Also, the Gulbenkian museum was spectacular!". The food was delicious and we ate in a number of local establishments. Enjoyed every stop. We are exposed to so many Portugese traditions, meals etc mostly because our guide, a native portugese woman showed us her country and the love of her country. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | KEEP this portion of the tour.". We had a particularly great group! Not only did I enjoy the beautiful scenery, but the owner was an excellent teacher. "The tour was one "wow" moment after another, some was Portugal and some was the guide. It was a lot of fun.". Bus: 2 hours. She brought everything to life with relevant explanations at points of interest and opportunities for off the beaten path activities. "The unexpected tours to family owned farms and wineries. Parts of it were very good. The location of our central hotel with so much to see and do just outside the entrance, including the wonderful trolleys was a great choice. Recreating an experience of eating a huge bowl of snails with toothpicks in Evora as we had 20 years ago was a WOW moment for us. They were all great in their own ways. Adeus! The cityscape is amazingly well-preserved. Pure Portuguese. "The visit to Fatima was my Wow moment. This tour to Portugal far exceeded our expectations of the previous trips.Our guide, Claudia, was top of the class in tour guides, keeping us on time daily and going above and beyond what was described in the proposed trip. Our fabulous guide Fatima shared her deep love and pride in her country and its people, and was beyond generous with her time and support. So much to see, so little time. Flying to Lisbon and out from Porto. The tour buddies were great. COVID is still an issue and impacted our group unfortunately. Portugal is a beautiful country with a rich culture and history. Thank you, Fatima, for showing us your country - until we return, Obrigada! Group sightseeing events subject to change. Rick Steves' Audio Europe App available for Apple and Android. Our guide, Claudia, made the trip outstanding. 12/17/19 02:38 PM 1247 posts Do you like to travel slow and see as much as possible in one location? I also loved her telling of the story of Pedro and Inez at Royal Monastery of Alcobaca, and the Douro Valley winery is surroundings is like nothing I have every seen. Fly out of Porto or return to Lisbon by train for your flight out. This was my seventh Rick Steves' Tour, and I it is one of my favorites. But I found my Portugal experience to be simply amazing. Before that I had a great time meeting the group, enjoying the first group dinner, and a nice Lisbon walk on the second day of the tour. "The tours of the cork farm and the winery were the highlights for me. "I loved the food tour in Porto, the visit to the cork farm, and the quinta. "I think my wow moment would be our visit to Fatima on a Sunday during mass. Sleep in Lisbon. Portugal is a charming country with beautiful sights and delicious food. Tomar Charming workaday town under a castle filled with Knights Templar mystique. Claudia was an exceptional guide. We'll begin our day with a bus tour through Lisbon to its seafaring Belm District, home to many of the city's most historic buildings. Also the beautiful hotel in Evora. On other Rick Steves tours we were told that there would be days with a lot of walking. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Great trip with like minded adventurous people. We saw and experienced peoples' lives in their markets, their churches, their work, and their art. $23.99. I was very impressed with the city guides who did a wonderful job of explaining the history and culture. "So many - cork farm, Nasarene (sp), duoro wines and vineyard, food day in Porto. "Definitely the Douro Valley! The tour guide was very well organized, and everything went smoothly. Portugal Itinerary: Where to Go in Portugal by Rick Steves "It's a toss up between visiting the Calhalvo Rovisco Garcia property and learning about their sustainable farming business model (The chicken pie was outstanding) & the breathtaking views of the Douro Valley as we drove through.". This is our 4th trip with Rick Steves We will travel with Rick Steves again, "The cork farm. The buildings, churches, tile, tiled streets were unbelievable. We had three guides in total fr our tour due to various circumstances. We had a very compatible group. The Fado Dinner in Lisbon. While in Evora I had planned to take the half day and visit cromlech and the dolmen the burial tomb. Portugal was more scenic than I expected. Our tour guide was fabulous. Rick Steves Spain 2020 Rick Steves Avalon Publishing, Sep 3, 2019 - Travel - 1048 pages 0 Reviews Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified. It was a great tour. Cobble stone streets and imagining the past were exciting and the view from our room of the castle at night was a beautiful aha site and the mist in the morning was epic!". "The cork farm was very interesting, not something that we could have finagled on our own. I would like to add a day in Lisbon with an optional trip to Sintra. If there was a side tour during the first week, that might be a consideration--maybe an apple or tree farm????". Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning. The dedication and commitment of this family to the ecosystem and the generational inheritance of this farm was mind-blowing. We ate well, stayed in interesting comfortable hotels, and laughed often as we enjoyed our fellow travelers and the wonderfully warm, kind, and helpful people of Portugal. The exclusive tours of the cork farm, porcelain factory and vineyard were great. Second of two back to back tours. We had 3 different guides on our tour, the first had a family emergency and left after 3 days. "Visit to cork farm and dinner with the family. Enjoyable. My preference is to spend more time with ordinary people from the country that I am visiting and less time with other Americans. For more information about transportation options for getting to and from your tour, see your Rick Steves Portugal guidebook. Her knowledge and love of Portugal carried over to all aspects of our journey. Rick Steves' does such a good job of combining tours of the expected sites and personal experiences with local people. This morning we'll twist through Coimbra's maze of narrow lanes to its steeped-in-tradition, 700-year-old university. I believe some things could have been left out and others added. Portugal is its people; what an opportunity to connect with so many on so many levels! The University of Coimbra's old Library brought me a sense of serenity and peace.". Then we'll wander through their forest of cork oaks, learning how the bark is harvested and how it's being regulated today. Light walking: 24 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Your Rick Steves guide will take you on an intimate adventure that connects you with the Portuguese people, from salty harbors to sun-baked farms to lovingly tended vineyards. Wine, food, people!". ), "The surprise lunch in Nazare was amazing, the men and women fado group in Lisbon were wonderful, and a professional Opera singer singing in an outdoor alcove in Alcobaca was an unexpected delight.". "The cork farm visit was astounding, as was tour of the Douro valley vineyard.". It helped tremendously that one of us tested negative throughout, so important provisions like carryout food and wine could be easily obtained throughout our week there. Her reccomendations were spot on. Local food is high on my list, and I have been quite satisfied with that aspect on other RS t. The tour was good and our guide, Maria was great.
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