Lisbon Relax Tour

04 Nights/ 05 Days (Lisbon)

DAY 01: Arrival at Lisbon Airport

Private transfer to the hotel

Check-in and time at leisure

Private half-day tour to Lisbon

LISBON, THE CITY OF THE DISCOVERIES

Of all Lisbon, Belém most clearly evokes the era of the Discoveries and Portugal´s maritime expansion. It was from Belém that caravels would depart and arrive throughout the 15th and 16th centuries. King Manuel I ordered the construction of the Monastery of Jerónimos (Hieronymos) and the Tower of Belém as symbols of the wealth and splendor of the times.

Classified as World Heritage, they are among the very best examples of the "Manueline" architectural style; a Portuguese interpretation of the gothic.

No visit to Lisbon is complete without trying Belém Pastries. These are the famous cream cakes made from puff pastry filled with milk, cream, vanilla, and... nobody quite knows. That is just how it is. The recipe for Belém Pastries is one of the best-kept secrets in Portuguese gastronomy.

Overnight in Lisbon

DAY 02: Day Tour to Sintra & Cascais

Breakfast at the hotel

Private Day Tour to Sintra & Cascais

THE ENCHANTED VILLAGE OF SINTRA

Located right on the central-western Portuguese coast, just a short drive from Lisbon. Sintra, UNESCO World Heritage since 1995, is steeped in history and offers some of the most exquisite natural and architectural sites in the country. Here, at the northern-most extent of the protected Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, history, archaeology, architecture, and natural beauty combine to create a compelling and enduring centerpiece that has enjoyed centuries of popularity.

Visit one of the most surprising of all Sintra’s monuments, Quinta da Regaleira, which was built in 1904 e 1910, in the last days of the Portuguese monarchy as well as the magnificent Pena Palace!

Some time at leisure will be given for the guests to explore the beautiful village with its narrow streets and beautiful parks, and to do some shopping! Do not forget to taste the typical regional pastries, the “Travesseiros de Sintra” or the famous “Queijadas”.

On the way back to the hotel, there is still time for a visit to Cabo da Roca which is, as described by the famous Portuguese poet Luís de Camões, the place "where the land ends and the sea begins". It is the westernmost point of mainland Portugal and continental Europe.

Overnight in Lisbon

DAY 03: Tour to Evora, Estremoz and Arraiolos

Breakfast at the hotel

Private Day Tour to Evora, Estremoz and Arraiolos

EVORA

Topped by an imposing cathedral, Évora is laid out over a gently sloping hill rising out of the huge Alentejo plain. It guards its historic center with a vast outer wall and represents a valuable cultural legacy that UNESCO has classified World Heritage.

The city, with its narrow streets of Moorish origin contrasting with squares where the light floods in, holds two millennia of history. Conquered in 59 B.C. by the Romans, they named it "Liberalitas Julia". In this period, Évora gained great importance as can be witnessed from the remains of that time: the ruins of a fine temple dated towards the end of the second century, various parts of the wall, and the gateway more recently called Dona Isabel in addition to the remains of thermal baths below what is now the Municipal Council building.

ESTREMOZ

A white and noble city, Estremoz can be divided into two separate areas that testify to its different stages of development: the group of medieval houses near the castle and, outside the city walls, the modern town.

Estremoz has a rich cultural heritage, in which clearly the major feature is the castle with its medieval walls and the former thirteenth-century citadel, which now houses the Pousada de Portugal Rainha Santa Isabel.

Estremoz became particularly famous for the quarrying and trading of its high-quality white marble. In fact, the region makes a 90% contribution towards Portugal's being the world's second-largest exporter of marble.

Equally famous are the region's red clays, which gave rise to the traditional figures that are found in all the city's craft shops.

ARRAIOLOS

Arraiolos is a pleasant Alentejo town, whose foundation dates back to the second century BC. The medieval castle was built at the orders of D. Dinis (1279-1325), although the town soon spread beyond its walls. An important part of the town's artistic heritage is the sixteenth-century Salvador church, with some extremely beautiful paintings.

The name of this town is well known internationally thanks to the famous Arraiolos carpets, which are produced here by the local craftsmen and women, having been referred to in documents as long ago as the sixteenth century. Some art historians have devoted themselves to studying and characterizing this art, which has continued to grow in importance over the years.

Overnight in Lisbon.

DAY 04: Tour to Obidos and Nazare

Breakfast at the hotel

Private Day Tour to Obidos and Nazare

THE MEDIEVAL TOWN OF OBIDOS

The delightful town of Óbidos, with white houses adorned with bougainvilleas and honeysuckle, was captured from the Moors by the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, in 1148. D. Dinis later presented it to his wife, Queen Santa Isabel. From then until 1883, the town of Óbidos and the surrounding land were always the property of the queens of Portugal.

Encircled by a ring of medieval walls and crowned by the Moorish castle rebuilt by D. Dinis, Óbidos is one of the most perfect examples of our medieval fortress. It s in olden times, the town is entered through the southern gate of Santa Maria, embellished with eighteenth-century azulejo decoration.

Inside the walls, which at sunset take on a golden coloring, one can sense a cheerful medieval ambiance of winding streets, old whitewashed houses bordered with blue or yellow, Manueline embrasures and windows, reminding us that King D. Manuel I (sixteenth century) carried out major works here, and masses of colorful flowers and plants.

NAZARE AND THE PORTUGUESE TRADITION OF FISHING...

A typical fishing town, where one still sees the fish-sellers and the carapace (horse mackerel) laid out to dry all over the streets.

The Sítio district, at the town's highest point (accessible by a funicular – can be included), is, without doubt, the best viewpoint in the area.

The Nazaré people's connection with the sea is reflected in the local handicrafts, in particular the nets, buoys, baskets, and traditional puppets dressed in the typical costumes of seven skirts, as well as in the cuisine, with its emphasis on fish and shellfish dishes, such as Caldeira das (fish casseroles), soups, açorda (purée of bread, herbs, and garlic) and the dried horse mackerel.

Overnight in Lisbon

DAY 05: Departure

Breakfast at the hotel

Private transfer to Lisbon airport

Flight back

Inclusions:

Accommodation

04 nights at Hotel Lisboa Plaza 4* (Lisbon) – 01 Superior Double room

Daily buffet breakfast at the hotel

Tours & Special Experiences

Private arrival and departure transfer w/ driver only

Private tours as mentioned in the program (w/ driver & guide)

Entrance fees to monuments during tours