Vintage Portugal

Northern Portugal is undoubtedly a region of natural beauty, from the serene landscape of hillside vineyards lining the winding river banks of the Rio Douro to the lush inland forest of Bucaco. This tour permits exploration of the region staying in some wonderful historic residences which have only recently been converted into fine hotels.

We visit the historic city of Coimbra, whose university, founded in 1290, is one of the oldest in the world. Bucaco Forest is Portugal’s most famous and most revered woodland, featuring over 700 species of trees, exotic plants, waterfalls, lakes and gardens. Lamego, home to one of the country’s most important
religious shrines, is a delightful Baroque town with a central square laid out as a public garden surrounded by elegant 17th-century buildings.

Accommodation includes the Quinta das Lagrimas in Coimbra, possibly the country’s most romantic historic hotel. Dating from the 14th century the Quinta and its gardens have over the years entertained several Portuguese kings, many
celebrities and our very own Sir Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington. The Hotel Urgeirica, situated in the foothills of the spectacular Estrela mountain range, is a popular with international athletes due to the vicinity’s outstanding air quality, and the atmospheric Casa da Calçada, formerly the house of the local squire, is situated in the centre of the ancient town of Amarante, whose cluster of balconied houses overlooking a central river create a picture-postcard image.