Portugal Real Food Adventure, featuring Galicia
8 days
From
$ 2363
Duration8 days
Delight your tastebuds on this enticing tour of Portuguese cuisine. Taste 'pesticos' (Portuguese tapas) in Santiago de Compostela, capital of Spain's Galicia region and famous for marking the end of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail. Discover the proud fish-mongering heritage of the port city of Vigo. Step across the border to uncover the flavours of Portugal, featuring African, Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern influences thanks to centuries of invasion and trade. Sip your way around the Douro Valley, a stunning region responsible for introducing the world to port wine, and enjoy a home-cooked dinner and a farmstay in the Alentejo region – fast gaining a reputation as a hotspot for Portuguese gastronomy. Finish up with glass of Ginjinha (wild cherry liqueur) in the charming city of Lisbon.
This tour is operated by
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Duration: 8 daysService level: Standard
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Starts in: Santiago de CompostelaPhysical Grading: Light
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Ages: 15+
Tour Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1: Santiago de Compostela
Start place: Santiago de Compostela
Hola! Welcome to Santiago de Compostela, the capital of northwest Spain’s Galicia region. The city is famous for being the final destination on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. You can arrive at any time during the day, as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. Please check with hotel reception or look on the reception noticeboard for where and when the meeting will take place. If you're going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. Have your insurance and next of kin details on hand as we'll be verifying them at this meeting. After your welcome meeting, get to know your fellow travellers over a traditional Galician meal. For seafood lovers, pulpo a la gallega (Galician style octopus) is highly recommended!
Meals: D
Day 2: Vigo to Porto
Travel to Vigo on a morning train, leaving around 9:30am and arriving an hour later. The vibrant city of Vigo is found on the banks of the Ria de Vigo (Vigo Bay), one of the most important bays in the Rias Baixas region. Not surprisingly, the city has a proud fishing history, with a rich bounty of seafood at its fingertips. The city is one of Europe's most important producers of shellfish. Take a ferry ride to a seafood market, then take part in a Galician cooking class, culminating in a delicious lunch. In the late afternoon, you will be transferred over the border and into Portugal. Arrive in the charming city of Porto by evening (approximately 1.5 hours) and enjoy a free evening to explore.
Meals: B, L
Day 3: Porto
Stretching along the banks of the River Douro, Porto is one of Portugal's most romantic cities. Known for majestic bridges, medieval riverside district with its cobbled streets, merchants’ houses and cafes, Porto is also well known for one more thing; surprise surprise – Porto is the birthplace of the fortified wine, port. Start your day with coffee and pastries on a guided food walk. Sample local specialties including bacalhau (cod) and finish with a sip of the city's namesake drop. The afternoon is free to enjoy. Perhaps pull up a chair in one of Porto's atmospheric tavernas.
Meals: L
Day 4: Douro Valley
Enjoy a full-day tour of the Douro Valley. See the beautiful landscapes of the Duoro River region on a relaxing drive around the villages of Sabrosa and Pinhao, home to the stepped terraces and vineyards where port is made. Visit two wineries, learn about port production and enjoy a tasting or two of this signature wine of the region. Enjoy a lunch at a traditional restaurant before returning to Porto in the late afternoon.
Meals: L
Day 5: Alentejo Farmstay
Travel south to Lisbon by train (approximately 3 hours), then take a private vehicle to an agriturismo located near Arraiolos in the Evora district (approximately 1.5 hours). Surrounded by undulating wheat fields dotted with grazing cows, this is the perfect way to experience the Alentejo. This area is renowned for its cork plantations, vineyards and celebrated products, including the coveted Azaruja sausage, made from black Alentejo pigs (more commonly known as Ibérico pigs in Spain). Perhaps take a pre-dinner walk around the property, then enjoy local hospitality with a farm-cooked dinner.
Meals: D
Day 6: Evora to Lisbon
Wake early and enjoy a tour of the agriturismo's on-site distillery and small cheese-making facility. Then take a trip to the UNESCO-listed city of Evora, capital of the Alentejo region. Marvel at the ancient Roman Temple of Évora and the Cathedral of Évora, a massive Gothic structure begun in the 12th century. Continue on to Lisbon, arriving by early evening. Toast your arrival with a glass of the city's favourite cherry liqueur.
Meals: B
Day 7: Lisbon
Get acquainted with this beguiling city on an orientation walk. Along the way, stop in at one of the city's iconic eateries for a tasting of (arguably) the country's best Portuguese custard tarts. Celebrate this final night of your Food Adventure with dinner accompanied by fado, a genre of Portuguese soul music that originated from Africa and has evolved to suit the streets of Lisbon. The show will be accompanied by petiscos, Portugal's answer to tapas!
Meals: D
Day 8: Lisbon
Your Real Food Adventure ends this morning. There are no activities today and you are free to leave at any time, provided you take into account the hotel's internal check-out time.
Inclusions
Included
- Vigo - Fish Market Tour and Cooking Class
- Porto - City Tasting Tour
- Douro Valley Day Trip
- Alentejo - Farm-cooked Meal
- Evora - Day Trip
- Fado Show & Dinner
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Transport
Train, Private Vehicle, Public bus, Ferry -
Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Farmstay (1 nights)