10-Nights Country Roads of Portugal, a Women-Only Tour

Country Roads Of Portugal, A Women-Only Tour
Tantalize your senses during this 11-day guided women-only tour through Portugal. On this small group tour, a Local Expert will show you Lisbon's historic downtown and Belém Quarter. From the hilltop perch of Monsaraz, see across the Spanish plains beyond Alqueva Lake — and meet a local boat captain, who will regale you with tales of water adventures during a cruise on its calm waters. In Tomar, choose to explore the Templar Castle's awe-inspiring rotunda with a Local Expert, or visit the Synagogue of Tomar during a guided walk through the city's cobblestone streets. Indulge in a Farm-to-Table dinner in the Douro Valley that will feature locally sourced ingredients, and taste a port produced onsite. Taste port wine at Antónia Adelaide Ferreira’s cellars, and stroll through Porto, a World Heritage town, before relaxing in your five-star hotel in the city’s cultural center.


Dining Summary

• 3 Dinner (D)
• 10 Breakfast (B)
• 2 Lunch (L)

Choice Highlights

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Tomar: Explore Tomar’s Templar Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, first built in the 12th century and later expanded by the Order of Christ. As you move through the complex, you’ll see the Charola, a circular chapel linked to the order’s early ceremonies, along with the defensive structures that shaped the hilltop site.
• Tomar: Walk through Tomar’s center to the 15th-century synagogue, one of the few surviving examples of its kind in Portugal. This former place of worship now houses a small collection related to the Jewish community that lived in the town before the expulsion.

Authentic Dining

• Lisbon: Join your Travel Director at 18:00 for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant and the opportunity to mingle with your fellow travelers.
• Monsaraz: Enjoy a memorable Alentejo Highlight Lunch at local restaurant Sem Fim, once an olive mill. Indulge in dish-after-dish of the tastiest tapas in a vibrant setting.
• Lisbon: Shared experiences and memories are often the foundation for special bonds and friendships. Toast your travels with wine and good cheer during your dinner at a restaurant in Lisbon, devoted to the enjoyment of regional cooking.

Insight Choice

• Tomar: Explore Tomar’s Templar Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, first built in the 12th century and later expanded by the Order of Christ. As you move through the complex, you’ll see the Charola, a circular chapel linked to the order’s early ceremonies, along with the defensive structures that shaped the hilltop site.
• Tomar: Walk through Tomar’s center to the 15th-century synagogue, one of the few surviving examples of its kind in Portugal. This former place of worship now houses a small collection related to the Jewish community that lived in the town before the expulsion.

Insight Experiences

• Monsaraz: Join a local boat captain for a tranquil cruise on Lake Alqueva. Relax and enjoy calming waters, picturesque views and tales of river life.

Make Travel Matter

• Évora: Take part in a wine tasting that introduces Alentejo varieties grown on the Relvas family estate. As you taste the wines, you’ll hear how the family manages its vineyards with reduced water use, reforests areas with native species and supports local education through scholarships in the surrounding villages. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Top Rated Highlights

• Lisbon: Explore Lisbon with a Local Expert, focusing on the Baixa district rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake and the broad Pombaline layout that shaped the Lower Town. Continue through the Belém Quarter to view landmarks linked to Portugal’s maritime era, including the Monument to the Discoveries and the Belém Tower, both positioned along the Tagus.
• Évora: Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site guided by your Local Expert and see the famous Roman Temple. While sightseeing, witness the fascinating cathedral and be charmed by its mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
• Monsaraz: Surrounded by cork oaks and vineyards, wander through the castle ruins to admire the incredible view over the Spanish plains that contrast with the blue of one of Europe's largest artificial lakes.
• Fátima: You’ll visit the Sanctuary of Fátima, centered on the reported apparitions of 1917. The site brings together major places of worship such as the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Chapel of the Apparitions, set around a vast open square used for major pilgrimages.
• Coimbra: Explore Coimbra with a Local Expert in a city that served as Portugal’s early capital. The walk brings you through steep lanes linked to the old royal palace, past long-standing student cafes and towards the upper town where academic life has shaped the streets for centuries
• Coimbra: Visit the University of Coimbra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with roots in the 1200s. Inside the baroque library, you’ll stand among carved shelves and painted ceilings built to protect rare volumes, including works central to Portugal’s early scientific and literary study.
• Guimaraes: Wander through Guimarães’ medieval center, where narrow lanes link small squares shaped around the original castle and palace. The quarter holds stone-fronted houses, arcades and courtyards that reflect the town’s role in Portugal’s early formation, with buildings that have remained in use for centuries.
• Obidos: Walk inside Óbidos’ medieval walls, you’ll follow a street pattern that reflects its origins as a Roman settlement later granted as a royal wedding gift in the 13th century. You’ll move through lanes lined with whitewashed houses and small churches, and sample ginja, the local cherry lique