Pure Portugal

November 21 to December 1, 2019

Escorted by Paula & Travis Stewart

Our Itinerary

Day 1 | Thursday, November 21

Canada to Lisbon

Travel from Charlottetown (or other gateways) to Lisbon, Portugal

Day 2 | Friday, November 22

Arrival in Lisbon

Arrive in Lisbon. We will meet our guide and then transfer to Belem Carter where we will have breakfast as the historic Pasteis de Belem ($) where sweet pastries have been made and sold since 1837, following an ancient secret recipe from the monastery.

With full bellies, we will continue our visit in the Quarter of Belem - from where the Portuguese Caravels sailed off to make their epic maritime discoveries. We will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of "Mosteiro dos Jerónimos" (Jerónimos Monastery) and will also see the Monument to the Discoveries (exterior) and Belém Tower (exterior), which represent the most luxurious and prestigious times of the Portuguese monarchy.

At the end of our visit we will head to our hotel (HF Fénix Garden, Lisbon) for check-in. Lunch and the afternoon will be at leisure. We will meet up again for dinner at a local restaurant (drinks - $).

Day 3 | Saturday, November 23

Sintra

After breakfast at our hotel, we will then leave the Lisbon area and head towards the romantic town of Sintra, with its charming palaces. You will feel like you've walked back in time as we wander the narrow streets of Sintra, which are full of small shops selling Portuguese tiles and ceramics. It's other-worldly feel is one of the reasons the village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will have lunch at a local restaurant in Sintra (drinks - $). After lunch we will go to the centre of the village where we will find, the Sintra National Palace, a Moorish-style building with conic chimneys, Manueline style windows, and tile panels. We will return to Lisbon and dinner will be at leisure.

Day 4 | Sunday, November 24

Arrábida

We will depart our hotel after breakfast to enjoy a visit to the ocean and the mountains. First, our guide will take us to Palmela – once a fortress that was conquered by the Portuguese – where the castle is now a gorgeous "Pousada" (an incredible, re-imagined hotel). We'll visit Setubal on the Sado River, an important fishing port that once specialized in processing and exporting sardines. From the ocean, we will head into the Arrábida mountain range to enjoy beautiful views over the Atlantic Ocean. Our tour will continue as we head to Azeitão, where we will visit the most famous wine cellars in this region to taste local wines. We will return to Lisbon for an afternoon and dinner at Leisure.

Day 5 | Monday, November 25

Lisbon to Óbidos | Nazaré | Fátima

Our first stop today, after breakfast and loading our luggage, will be the medieval walled town of Óbidos. We will then continue to Nazaré, an attractive and picturesque fishing village with busy narrow streets where we will find fishermen and women wearing typical multi-colored costumes. We will have lunch here (drinks - $) and then head to the Monastery of Batalha, which was erected in commemoration of the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota and is the burial church of the 15th century Aviz dynasty of Portuguese royalty. We'll arrive in Fátima to check into our hotel and have dinner at leisure. We will overnight in Fátima for one night at the Hotel Genesis.

Day 6 | Tuesday, November 26

Fatima to Coimbra and Porto

After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit the Catholic shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, one of the most famous in the world. We will continue on to Coimbra on the Mondego River. Coimbra is home to the country's oldest and most prestigious university and its historic centre is wonderfully atomspheric with dark cobbled lanes and the Old Cathedral of Coimbra. We will have lunch at leisure in Coimbra and continue on to Porto where we will stay tonight at the HF Tuela Porto Hotel.

Day 7 | Wednesday, November 27

Porto

After breakfast at our hotel in Porto – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – we will have a half-day city tour. It is the city of Porto that originated and named Port Wine and Portugal, and is famed for its riverside hills, medieval alleys, historic monuments and churches, and an enchanting atmosphere. The wide boulevard of Avenue dos Aliados is one of the centre streets of Porto and is surrounded by impressive neo-classical buildings.

We will visit the Saint Francis Church – the most prominent Gothic monument in Porto – built between 1383 and 1425. We will have lunch at a local restaurant (drinks - $) and then you will have the afternoon to explore. Why not visit the Estaçao de Sao Bento – the main train station in Porto – to view the 20,000 decorated azulejo tiles, which date from 1905-1916. Close to Avenida dos Aliados is Torre dos Clérigos, a Baroque tower and a symbol of Porto that dates back to the 18th century. Not far is Lello bookshop, with its neo-gothic façade, and Carmo church, with its splendid architecture. We'll stay in Porto tonight.

Day 8 | Thursday, November 28

Porto

Today after breakfast, our guide will take us on the Six Bridges Cruise on the Douro River. We'll visit a wine cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia for a wine tasting before having lunch at leisure. We'll have the afternoon at leisure before dinner at a local restaurant (drinks - $). Overnight in Porto.

Day 9 | Friday, November 29

Porto

We’ll start with a hotel breakfast and then you'll have two options:

A full-day excursion to the Douro Valley ($) that includes a stunning panoramic view from Alto Douro, lunch, a tour and wine tasting at two different estates, and a one-hour cruise.

OR

A full day excursion to Minho, Braga and ($). You'll start off in Braga, one of the oldest religious cities in the world, where you'll visit the "faith triangle" sanctuaries: the Cathedral, the Sameiro Sanctuaries, and Bom Jesus. After a delicious lunch, you will continue on to Guimaraes and explore its unique historical centre, which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Return to Porto for dinner at leisure and your overnight.

Day 10 | Saturday, November 30

Return to Lisbon

Today, we will transfer from Porto to Lisbon for our last night in Portugal. Lunch and dinner will be at leisure.

Your Tour Escorts: Paula & Travis Stewart

This tour will be escorted by the co-owners of Stewart Travel Group, Paula & Travis Stewart. Having escorted many groups to destinations in Europe and the Caribbean, and having travelled around the world, Paula & Travis know how to take care of all of the details.

“Our clients are the most important part of our business. We want to make sure that everyone feels welcome and just like part of our family when we travel. We’ll make sure to take care of all of the details so that you can relax and enjoy every moment. We really hope you can join us.”

- Paula & Travis

Questions? Contact any member of the Stewart Travel Group team.
We'd be pleased to assist you!

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Paula Stewart Trusted Senior Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (902) 388-7511	Travis Stewart Trusted Senior Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (902) 626-7515
Frances Gertsch & Kelvin Jones Trusted Travel Advisors (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (902) 940-4499	Jessica Chaisson Trusted Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (902) 314-1591
Julia MacCormack Trusted Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (902) 598-8231
NEW BRUNSWICK
Krista Trecartin Trusted Senior Travel Advisor (506) 454-5736 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (506) 471-4257	Terri Clarke Trusted Senior Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (506) 631-7621
Kelley Gowan Trusted Senior Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (506) 461-4575	Glen Earle Trusted Senior Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (506) 343-1108
Wendy Doran Trusted Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (506) 647-4962
NOVA SCOTIA
Tara Turner Trusted Senior Travel Advisor (902) 894-9389 | 1-844-660-7329 Cell: (902) 292-7623	Kevin & Michelle Hayward Trusted Senior Travel Advisors (902) 543-4948 | 1-844-660-7329