Explore the UNESCO-listed town of Sintra and visit the Royal Palace of Sintra, instantly recognisable by its twin conical chimneys. Step through chambers lined with ornate azulejos, where Moorish, Gothic and Manueline details mingle in this remarkably preserved royal residence.

Set among forested hills with views toward the Atlantic, Sintra’s cool microclimate fostered centuries of courtly retreat. The palace’s intimate salons and grand halls reveal Portugal’s layered story of monarchy, craftsmanship and cultural exchange.

Visit one of Europe’s oldest universities and step inside the Biblioteca Joanina, a baroque masterpiece famed for gilt woodwork and shelves of rare volumes. From the hilltop courtyards, enjoy sweeping views over the Mondego and the city’s terracotta roofs.

Hear about timeless academic traditions—black student capes, solemn ceremonies, and the haunting strains of fado de Coimbra. Entrance to the university complex is included, offering a privileged look at Portugal’s historic seat of learning.

Join a guided city tour through Porto’s tangled medieval lanes to the riverside Praca da Ribeira and the iron span of the Dom Luís I Bridge. See the cathedral and slender bell tower skylines that rise above colorful riverfront houses.

Cross the Douro to a port wine lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia to learn how foot-treading in granite lagares, careful blending and long barrel aging shaped this fortified wine. Conclude with a comparative tasting of classic styles.

Trace the sinuous Douro through terraced vineyards of the Alto Douro, where schist slopes and olive groves frame a shimmering river. In Pinhão, board a traditional boat to cruise the River Douro and admire Pinhão’s azulejo-clad station depicting harvest scenes.

Visit a working estate to visit a local Quinta and sample regional DOC wines and ports. Learn about granite lagares, seasonal foot-treading and the UNESCO-listed landscape that has refined viticulture here for centuries.

Experience Porto from the water as you cruise beneath the six bridges aboard a traditional rabelo boat. Glide past Ribeira and Gaia’s riverfronts while passing the sweeping Dom Luís I Bridge and the elegant Maria Pia Bridge, designed by Eiffel’s workshop.

This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour. The relaxed sailing (around 50 minutes) offers prime angles for photography, revealing the city’s granite quays, tiled facades and ever-changing light along the Douro.

Visit the Pena Palace, a 19th-century fantasia of Romantic architecture with domes, turrets and vibrant tiles crowning a forested ridge. Wander the Park of Pena, where exotic trees and winding paths frame hilltop panoramas over the Atlantic and the Sintra hills.

This optional visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to timed-entry availability. Your Tour Manager can advise on tickets during free time in Sintra.

Discover Portugal’s capital on a guided panoramic tour that spotlights riverside Belém. Pause at the Monument to the Discoveries with its caravel-prowed figures, admire the late-Gothic Belém Tower, and see the church of the Jerónimos Monastery, famed for maritime-themed Manueline stonework.

The route also embraces the grand arcades of Terreiro do Paco (Praca do Comércio), where the Tagus breeze, bright yellow facades and echoing tram bells evoke Lisbon’s mercantile spirit and the enduring legacy of the Age of Discoveries.