- Discover the highlights of Portugal, from storied cities to picturesque countryside
- Explore historic Porto, raising a glass together in a traditional port wine cellar
- Visit an 18th-century winery above the Douro and Tedo rivers for lunch and a wine tasting
- Discover medieval Óbidos and the old university city of Coimbra
- End the adventure in Lisbon, exploring the enthralling capital with our expert guide
![Lisbon Sunset](https://res.cloudinary.com/enchanting/q_80,f_auto,c_lfill,x_w_mul_0.49,y_h_mul_0.49,g_xy_center,w_360,h_270/exodus-web/2021/12/42403.jpg)
Highlights of Portugal
Reviews
Add your own reviewSample of the cities of Northern Portugal
This trip covered the cities with the most attractions and sights in Northern Portugal. Our guides Catarina and Marianna were wonderful and caring. Both spoke perfect English and shared a lot of historical information. Both were always available on WhatsApp during our free time. The tour allowed us to see many cities in just one week. We were kept on the move from city to city, but there was plenty of free time. The old towns were so interesting and unique. Strolling on the stone sidewalks and glancing at the tiled buildings is a memory I will never forget. Sintra’s palace and gardens were also a highlight. The wine tastings were very enjoyable. Portugal’s food is incredible and I tried many new dishes. I combined this trip with Walking Portugal’s Coasts and Beaches, which made a perfect holiday of historic sights and coastal beach scenery.
Most Inspirational Moment
Having lunch in the Duoro Valley in a winery staring at the vineyards and sampling wines
Thoughts on Group Leader
Marianna and Catarina are the two nicest guides I've ever had! They were extremely caring. Both were very knowledgeable about the sights & history. I do wish they were with us more often. I would have liked them to accompany us to dinner on more nights.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Wear comfortable walking shoes with good traction. There is the potential for a lot of walking in the cities during your free time. The polished stone sidewalks get slippery if it rains. Add on at least one day in Porto at the beginning and at the end in Lisbon. There is so much to see in both cities.
Comments from Dave and Mary
Good introduction to central Portugal. Moving on after one night at each location quite tiring. Extra time at each end of Porto and Lisbon necessary to give the cities justice. Could do with more time in Douro valley to enjoy the benefits of the hotel and location.
Most Inspirational Moment
Douro valley hotel and location was exceptional.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent, although sometimes more information would be of benefit.
Advice for Potential Travellers
See summary.
Not Recommended
I had heard a lot of great things about Exodus. However, the local company in Portugal did not live up to expectations. This was a fast-moving tour. We were in a different city (sometimes 2) each day and the guides did not give us the best of each city. Instead, we spent an hour (of the precious 3 hours we had each day) in a a cafe! One can assume this is because THEY needed a break. There was so much to see and we wandered aimlessly. It became a joke that when they would tell us how beautiful something was in a particular city, that meant we were not going to see it. I mean, who is going to be back to visit anytime soon. Also, their knowledge was not up to par. When we were visiting the Monastery in Batalha, there were these portraits on the wall and I asked who they were and the response I received were “they are not significant.” REALLY? I’ve been in enough churches in Europe to know that EVERYTHING has significance! The knowledge of these guides was so awful, it was almost comical. I realize new people have to be trained, but they should not be trained at our expense, as this was an expensive trip. They should pay their dues as local guides, giving local tours so they can learn how to be guides. These women were absolutely terrible. I felt like a friend had offered to show me Portugal and given their limited knowledge, that would have been exactly what I got – limited knowledge. But, I paid for this trip. And so did others. And we paid handsomely. Also, the nightly meetings were stupid. Just post an itinerary. No one wants to be in a meeting after a long day. The trip to Sintra was a disaster. They left us without coming up there with us. They should have been with us. We had no idea where to go or what we were looking at – we needed a guide! Plus, the whole issue with having to pay 12..50 more for the bus was really stupid. We all felt very nickled and dimed. That should have been handled much differently. Do not use Exodus for this particular tour in Portugal. You will regret it. It is far too expensive for what you get. You would be better off going on your own. You would see more and learn much more. They also weren’t very good about keeping tabs on the group. They didn’t wear logo’d clothing or have a flag or anything. We mostly kept track of each other to be sure no one was left behind – isn’t that their job?? And most of the restaurant recommendations were horrible. Very unimpressed.
Most Inspirational Moment
NONE
Thoughts on Group Leader
Terrible, uninformed, ditzy
Advice for Potential Travellers
Do not book this particular tour with Exodus. Perhaps other local companies are better, but this one is not worth your hard earned money
We would like to thank Stacey for taking the time to leave a review, although we are very sorry to read of her disappointment with several aspects of her trip to Portugal. At Exodus we take the roles of our tour leaders very seriously and provide each one with comprehensive training before they are assigned to lead our tours; for this departure, Stacey’s group was led by our experienced leader Carlos, who receives very positive feedback from our clients, as well as Catarina, who has led alongside him on past trips with success. While they were accompanied by a trainee leader who was shadowing this trip to gain experience, we have not found on previous departures that similar arrangements have detracted from our clients’ experience, as our regular leaders guide these trips as normal.
We would note, having reviewed the feedback forms from clients on Stacey’s departure, that the majority of respondents rated both the itinerary of the tour and their overall trip experience as being either ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’. Further, the general feedback we received from the group about Carlos praised him as helpful and knowledgeable, and mentioned that Catarina was a personable and enthusiastic leader. We do, of course, continually monitor all our leaders’ performances to ensure they meet our high standards, but from the feedback we have received on this occasion we are confident that Carlos and Catarina led this trip effectively. However, we understand that this does not reflect Stacey’s experience, which we very much regret.
We are further apologetic that Stacey did not appreciate the free day in Sintra; we find from experience that our clients often like to explore this location at their own pace, and from previous feedback we have obtained about this tour we find that this excursion is generally very well received. However, we understand that some other group members from Stacey’s departure mention in feedback they have submitted that they would have preferred some guidance on-site in Sintra in addition to information provided by our leaders beforehand, and we are considering making a change in this regard to improve customer experience.
While we feel confident that this trip provides an enjoyable and insightful tour of Portugal for our customers based on the feedback we continue to receive from our groups, we would once again like to express our regret that Stacey was left disappointed, and will of course closely bear her comments in mind going forward.
– Emma Cambers, Exodus Product Manager
Portugal at a glance
A very busy trip with not very much free time.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved Porto even though it was very busy with tourists. The included lunch at the port winery overlooking the Douro and Teda rivers was excellent with plenty of vegetarian options and nice wines. The tour beforehand was entertaining.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had Carlos Santos and Flavio as our leaders/drivers. They were both efficient, friendly, helpful and safe drivers. Carlos took me to a late night chemist when I needed some medication for a bad cough. He did this when we were actually settling into the restaurant for dinner - we still got back in time to eat! Flavio would always find out answers if he didn't know the answer immediately. We had a very enjoyable group dinner on Thursday with both of them as this was the last evening they would have been with us. The food was good - lots of veggie choices - Carlos played guitar and we all sang along. One small criticism is that some of the evening briefings were rather long.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I have raised this issue with Exodus already. The group flight home is very late. We were collected from our hotel in Lisbon at 5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and I walked into my house at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning. Exhausting. I would have liked a bit more time to look round Obidos. We were there for two nights but went to Sintra to visit the Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle. Pena Palace was extremely busy, it took about an hour to get in and then you just had to shuffle round due to the amount of people inside.
Highlights of Portugal
Although described as a fast paced tour(which it was), it was a good introduction to visiting Portugal with many highlights as well as vising some lesser known parts. As someone who had not been to Portugal before and as it is so easy to get to from the UK, it was a taster for maybe visiting the country again and exploring other regions.
Most Inspirational Moment
With all these tours, it is difficult to highlight just one moment that was inspirational, especially on a short tour like this. Lisbon was very inspiring especially as we stayed on for an extra 3 days as was our short stay in the village of Ferraria de Sao Joao.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Goncalo was an excellent guide who always made sure we were away early to avoid the worst of the crowds. This was particularly important in the case of the Pena Palace in Sintra. He explained the history of the various sites very concisely which kept our interest and he would always try to accommodate any of our requests.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The Fado evening was very good indeed being in a small establishment in the Alfama district of Lisbon so was not only authentic but was a very pleasant farewell evening, Strongly recommended. Also, I would certainly recommend staying on in Lisbon for some extra days as there is so much to do and see and the atmosphere is very appealing.
Start
Finish
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Saturday Saturday
05 Oct 2024 05 Oct 2024
Saturday Saturday
12 Oct 2024 12 Oct 2024
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Land Only Trip Price 2 035 €
Optional Single Supplement
+408 €
Available upon Request
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This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and is now fully booked, although we may have people holding spaces without payment. Please contact our Sales team for further information.
View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
02 Nov 2024 02 Nov 2024
Saturday Saturday
09 Nov 2024 09 Nov 2024
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
05 Apr 2025 05 Apr 2025
Saturday Saturday
12 Apr 2025 12 Apr 2025
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Land Only Trip Price 2 095 € Book with 523 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +444 €
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
03 May 2025 03 May 2025
Saturday Saturday
10 May 2025 10 May 2025
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Land Only Trip Price 2 335 € Book with 583 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +516 €
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
31 May 2025 31 May 2025
Saturday Saturday
07 Jun 2025 07 Jun 2025
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Land Only Trip Price 2 335 € Book with 583 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +516 €
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
14 Jun 2025 14 Jun 2025
Saturday Saturday
21 Jun 2025 21 Jun 2025
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Optional Single Supplement +516 €
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
06 Sep 2025 06 Sep 2025
Saturday Saturday
13 Sep 2025 13 Sep 2025
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Land Only Trip Price 2 335 € Book with 583 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +516 €
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This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
20 Sep 2025 20 Sep 2025
Saturday Saturday
27 Sep 2025 27 Sep 2025
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Land Only Trip Price 2 335 € Book with 583 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +516 €
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
11 Oct 2025 11 Oct 2025
Saturday Saturday
18 Oct 2025 18 Oct 2025
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Land Only Trip Price 2 095 € Book with 523 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +444 €
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
25 Oct 2025 25 Oct 2025
Saturday Saturday
01 Nov 2025 01 Nov 2025
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Land Only Trip Price 1 975 € Book with 493 € deposit
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
11 Apr 2026 11 Apr 2026
Saturday Saturday
18 Apr 2026 18 Apr 2026
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Land Only Trip Price 2 275 € Book with 568 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +492 €
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
02 May 2026 02 May 2026
Saturday Saturday
09 May 2026 09 May 2026
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Land Only Trip Price 2 515 € Book with 628 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +570 €
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View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
23 May 2026 23 May 2026
Saturday Saturday
30 May 2026 30 May 2026
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Land Only Trip Price 2 515 € Book with 628 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +570 €
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This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
13 Jun 2026 13 Jun 2026
Saturday Saturday
20 Jun 2026 20 Jun 2026
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Land Only Trip Price 2 515 € Book with 628 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +570 €
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This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
05 Sep 2026 05 Sep 2026
Saturday Saturday
12 Sep 2026 12 Sep 2026
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price 2 515 € Book with 628 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +570 €
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
19 Sep 2026 19 Sep 2026
Saturday Saturday
26 Sep 2026 26 Sep 2026
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price 2 515 € Book with 628 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +570 €
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
10 Oct 2026 10 Oct 2026
Saturday Saturday
17 Oct 2026 17 Oct 2026
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price 2 275 € Book with 568 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +492 €
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSaturday Saturday
07 Nov 2026 07 Nov 2026
Saturday Saturday
14 Nov 2026 14 Nov 2026
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price 2 215 € Book with 553 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement +492 €
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesWould you like to include flights with your booking?
- ATOL protected
- Competitive flight prices
- Full refunds in the event of FCDO cancellations or major disruption at your UK departure airport
- Specialist support to rearrange flights and transfers
- Regional flights available from many UK airports
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