Page 14 - Portugal, Spain & Morocco

Portugal Off the Beaten Path
10 days
Lisbon, Sesimbra, Arrabida, Setubal, Evora, Arraiolos, Estremoz, Marvão, Castelo de Vide, Castelo Branco, Linhares da Beira, Viseu, Vila Real,
Day 1: Lisbon
Upon arrival at Lisbon airport you’ll be met by our representative and trans- ferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to rest and relax. Overnight in Lisbon.
Day 2: Lisbon, Sesimbra, Arrabida, Setubal, Evora
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Departure to the south, crossing the Tagus by the suspension bridge: Ponte 25 of April. Arriving at the fishing town of Sesimbra, you will find a sheltered hill near a bay, at the top of which is the castle, offering a wonder- ful view of the sea. Continuing to Setúbal, you will cross the dazzling Natural Park Arrábida, encircled in the West by numerous small beaches of fine sand and transparent waters. In Setúbal, have a lunch break and revel in fresh fish or the local specialty: the f ried cuttlefish. Continue to Évora, a city set amid the beautiful plains of the
Alentejo. Overnight in Évora. [B]
Day 3: Evora, Arraiolos, Estremoz, Marvão
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. The city is classified World Heritage: bright, surrounded by ramparts, it houses a beautiful monumen-tal complex including the Roman temple of Diana, the imposing Romanesque- Gothic cathedral, the church of São Francisco and its myste-rious Chapel of Bones. Heading north to Arraiolos, a small very typical town in Alentejo and well known for its famous tapestries. Departure to Estremoz, nicknamed "the white city" due to its block of houses of this color, but also to be one of the largest exporters of white
marble in the world. Finish the day at the medieval and walled village of Marvão. Overnight in Marvão. [B]
Day 4: Marvão, Castelo de Vide, Castelo Branco, Linhares da Beira, Viseu
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Departure to Castelo de Vide, a typical village of Alentejo, with small white houses, winding streets and flowers. Head towards the region of Beira Baixa, on Castelo Branco, where you can see the Episcopal Palace Garden, emblem of the city and example of
Portuguese Baroque. Then continue to one of the historic villages of Portugal: Linhares da Beira. Medieval village of the 12th century, it possesses a unique architectural diversity, inherited from different eras, and also known as the paragliding capital of Portugal. Finally, in the center of the country, standing on a plateau sur- rounded by chains of mountains and rivers, the city of Viseu, crowned by its imposing cathedral. Overnight in Viseu. [B]
Day 5: Viseu, Vila Real, Amarante, Guimarães
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Departure to the region of the Douro Valley, the first wine region in the world to be demarcated, having its landscape classified as World Heritage
PORTUGAL Downtown Providing Fascinating Travel Experiences
14 For prices and other details visit www.holidayswithdowntown.com