Visit Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto, Sintra, Batalha, Guimaraes and others.
Following is our suggested itinerary, please note that you may extend the number of nights in each city, as well as select the hotel of your choice and choose from different sightseeing tours.

Day 1: USA - Lisbon
After your transatlantic flight from the United States, pick up your rent a car and drive to your hotel. After check in, you will have the morning free. In the early afternoon, we recommend that you take ?Tourist Lisbon? to give you an overview of the enchantment and secrets of this city, which as the local poet, Fernando Pessoa, has written, ?dreams of the sea?. The city has given its heart and soul to the deep surge of the Atlantic since the beginnings of its history. According to the majority of historians, the Phoenicians founded the city over three thousand years ago. Probably because of the initial influences of these ancient maritime founders, Lisbon seems to have always had its sights set on the sea rather than on the interior regions of Portugal. The establishment of colonies and commercial establishments around the world, from India and China to Angola and Brazil, brought in prosperity that its hard working people displayed in churches, palaces and fortresses. After your guided tour, you will have the rest of the day to further get to know this fascinating city. You might want to visit some of its top quality museums, such as the Antique National Art Museum, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the National Museum of Decorative Tiles. If you wish to see how a two thousand year city can adapt to modern times without losing a bit of its personality, be sure to visit the Park of the Nations, constructed specifically for the Universal Exposition of 1998. Overnight stay.
Day 2: Lisbon - Sintra - Cascais - Estoril - Lisbon
We recommend that you spend the day visiting the highlights near the city. There are three obligatory visits for any visitor to the area. The National Palace da Pena is a 19th century fortress encrusted in a mountain. It is built over the remains of a 16th century monastery, and is one of the most beautiful spots on the Iberian Peninsula. Built by Prince Ferdinando de Saxe Coburgo, it is a happy combination of all architectonic styles found in the country. At the foot of the Palace is situated the small village of Sintra, which seems to have been taken from a fairy tale as it is full of evocative corners and narrow passageways that create a labyrinth around Royal Palace, this one of the 14th century. The short drive from Sintra to Cascais will take you along a lovely but complicated highway. You are about to enter one of the most famous summer havens in Europe. What was a fishermen?s village has been largely converted into a Mecca of relaxation for sun worshippers. Top quality hotels, new, wide avenues, this once quiet village has been transformed. The neighboring village of Estoril has one of the most famous casinos in Europe and attracts the requisite Jet Set. After strolling its impeccable maritime walkway, you will leave Estoril behind and within minutes be back in Lisbon. Once in the city, we recommend a stroll about the city?s multicolored streets and a stop at one of the restaurants around the Rossio Plaza to savor some of the gastronomical delights of the country. The vibrant nightlife of this port city is another of its hidden enchantments. Overnight stay.
Day 3: Lisboa - Obidos - Alcobaca - Batalha - Coimbra
Today you will be driving north. The entire country runs parallel to the Atlantic, and the influence of the sea on the country is reflected in the fact that the majority of its inhabitants live along the coast or close to it. Less than an hour?s drive will bring you to the medieval village of Obidos. This lovely village contains numerous treasures within its walls, but undoubtedly the most interesting way to enjoy a short stopover is to stroll about its cobbled streets and imagine the life as it was lived by its inhabitants in the 12th century. To recuperate forces, you may want to take refreshment in the old castle, now converted into a pleasant ?Pousada?. A short distance away, you will come to Alcobaca. This lovely Cistercian abbey was constructed thanks to a vow made by the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriquez, based on his desire to recuperate Santarem from the hands of the Moors. The beauty of this solemn structure is uncontestable, but many visitors, especially those of a romantic inclination, come specifically to view the tombs of the Castilian Doña Inés de Castro and the Portuguese King Don Pedro, protagonists of a tale of love both tragic and beautiful that has captured the hearts of all Portuguese. Not far away is another monastery, that of Batalha, which, as with Alcobaca, was constructed in fulfillment of a vow just before battle. This time the king was Joao I, and the adversary were the Castilians. Both of these monasteries have been named Humanity Patrimony Sites by UNESCO, for their beauty and originality. Batalha was begun in a flamboyant Gothic style and finished in a ?manuelino? style, an architectonic tendency only found in Portugal. A short drive by 4-lane highway will bring you to Coimbra, a lively city on the banks of the Mondego River. Check into the hotel selected for overnight stay.
Day 4: Coimbra
You will have the entire morning to explore this beautiful city, which has played a vital role in Portuguese history and culture, as it houses the oldest university (founded in 1290), and from which have graduated the most illustrious names in the country?s history. The University is the monument most visited in the city. In addition to the classrooms and Chapter Halls, what draws the most attention is the surprising and magnificent library. It was built in the 18th century by King Joao V, who financed its construction and the acquisition of over 35,000 books and incunables of extraordinary value, with the richness derived from the recently discovered gold mines of Brazil. In the Santa Cruz Monastery are to be found the tombs of the first kings of Portugal, Afonso Henriques y Sancho I. Nearby, you will find the Old Cathedral, to be distinguished from the New, which was founded as a Jesuit church in the 16th century. The former, of Gothic construction of the 12th century, was the first cathedral built in the country after the separation from Castile. Overnight stay.
Day 5: Coimbra - Aveiro - Porto
A half hour?s drive from Coimbra will bring you to Aveiro, a city that has been called the Portuguese Venice, and not without justification. This lovely city is constructed on lakes and swampland and for this reason is crossed by canals on which ply strange colorful crafts called ?Moliceiros?. Its monuments of all periods and styles, its streets full of modern buildings and lovely cafes, and its colorful canals are added value to a city that today is the third industrial center of the country, after Porto and Lisbon. A short section of highway will bring you to the second most important city and the economic motor of the Portuguese economy, Porto. After checking into the hotel selected, you will have free time to enjoy the rich local gastronomy in any of the restaurants overlooking the impressive Duero River. Overnight stay in Porto.
Day 6: Porto
First thing in the morning, start your visit of the city. But be prepared. The city is full of inclines and demands a certain effort to explore. But it is more than worthwhile, as is reflected by the entire old section of the city that has been declared Humanity Patrimony Site by UNESCO for its beauty. Palaces, churches, passageways full of flowers, are a constant in the labyrinth of streets in the old quarter. One exquisite scene after another creates an ambience of seemingly unreal beauty. If you are not too tired after your walk, you can take advantage of the afternoon to further explore. You should not miss the Stock exchange (Bolsa) building and the San Francisco Church, in whose crypt you can contemplate the earthly remains of nobles, monks and nuns in what amounts to a rather macabre display. Nor should you miss a visit to one of the bodegas where ?Port?, the wine that has given this city worldwide recognition, is elaborated and aged. The majority of the bodegas are on the other side of the Duero River from the principal part of the city, in a zone known as Vila Nova da Gaia. In this exclusive region, there are more than 58 companies dedicated to the production of Port, a certain number with names which are sure to be familiar. Overnight stay in Porto.
Day 7: Porto - Guimaraes - Braga - Porto
Today you will begin the day driving north, but only for a few miles. Certainly, a visitor to Portugal must stop at the historical birthplace of the country, especially when it is only a short distance away. Guimaraes, which in the 10th century was only a monastery with a defensive tower surrounding a humble abode, was transformed in the 12th century into the capital of the country. It was here in 1110 that the Castilian princess Teresa gave birth to Alfonso Henriques who with time, and after a difficult struggle, including against his mother, became the first king of Portugal. This small town with hardly ten thousand inhabitants maintains its aspect of a medieval village. History is written here at every corner and on every wall. You will now drive towards the sea again, towards Braga, the religious capital of the country. What was an important Roman city, Bracara Augusta, has been transformed over the centuries into the religious center of the Portuguese Catholic Church. In its solid Romanesque Cathedral are to be found the tombs of the parents of the first Portuguese king, the Castilian Teresa and the Frenchman Enrique de Borgoña. This village has much to enchant visitors but perhaps the best is just to stroll about its narrow, cobblestone streets. In less than an hour you will be back in Porto. Overnight stay.
Day 8: Porto - Lisbon
Today you will return your car before heading to the Porto train station to catch the express for Lisbon. The distance is approximately two hundred miles and will provide you with a good opportunity to relax and assimilate all that you have seen over the last few days. Without any doubt, Portugal, which has influenced Europe like few other countries and yet is one of the least known countries on the continent, contains some of the most beautiful and interesting sites in Europe. It is truly incredible that such a small, relatively impoverished country as it was should have been the first to send its sailors to such lands as Siam, China and Japan and after create an Empire that rivaled that of any other on the European continent. After arrival at Lisbon, you will check into the hotel selected. You will still have the evening/night to enjoy a dinner or have a coffee, reputed to be the best in Europe, in one of the century old cafes such as the Nicola or Brasileira. Overnight stay in Lisbon.
Day 9: Lisbon ? USA
At appropritate time, depart to the airport for your flight home. End of services.