PAST TOURS
Portugal / Lisbon Design Tour
10 days and 8 nights • November 2006
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| Day 1 |
- Depart USA for overnight flight to Lisbon
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| Day 2 |
- Arrival in Lisbon with private transfers to Four Seasons Hotel (The Ritz Lisbon), the premier hotel in Lisbon.
- Hotel: Although in a modern building, the hotel interior emphasizes works of art, historical fixtures and antiques. The hotel has an indoor pool and spa. We will spend four nights here. Buffet breakfast daily.
- Optional: A tour of the Four Seasons suites created by the Foundation Espirito Santo Silva (see below) and a visit on our own to the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian which houses masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum purchased by the Gulbenkian family in the 1920s is only open until 5 p.m. during November. We have a full agenda and time does not permit us to include this gem of a museum in the regular itinerary.
- A scenic ride on the city's historic trams will take us to a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant in the historical district - depart hotel at 8 p.m.
- Please note: many of the sites we will be seeing throughout our tour are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. www.portugal.org/tourism or www.unesco.org
Lisbon
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| Day 3 / 4 |
- Lisbon
- Two full day Lisbon tours emphasizing architectural history and design are planned. Part of the tour will be a walking tour of the oldest, historical areas in Lisbon. A private minivan will take us in a drive through Lisbon to see architectural and historical sites throughout the city. Highlights will include Foundation Espirito Santo Silva, a museum and restoration school for Portuguese Decorative Arts; and the Gulbenkian's new contemporary museum holding a vast art collection; Casa Museum Dr. Anastacio Goncalves; the National Tile Museum, Musuem of Arte Antiga; the expressive Tagus River bridges; Orienta Train Station designed by Santiago Calatrava.
- Lunch can be taken at local restaurants or museum cafes as we go long.
- Dinner free.
Portuguese Museum-School for the Decorative Arts
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| Day 5 |
- Sintra - Cascais - Estoril
- Full day tour outside of Lisbon to Palacio Nacional da Queluz, a rococo palace similar to Versailles; the Gothic and Arabic designed Sintra (Pena Palace and Town Palace), the summer residence of the royal family.
- Lunch on own at a seafood restaurant in the Lisbon hills.
- Return to Lisbon via scenic seaside towns of Cascais and Estoril.
- Dinner free.
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Cascais |
Estoril
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| Day 6 |
- Lisbon - Obidos
- Depart Lisbon for Mafra (to view the outside of the famous Monastery), and then onto historical Caldas da Rainha and the medieval town of Obidos. We will see unique monasteries, cathedrals and walled medieval villages.
- Lunch free.
- Afternoon tour of Obidos, a medieval walled city.
- Our hotel Casa das Senhoras Rainhas for two nights is in the historic city center.
- Dinner free.
Obidos |
| Day 7 |
- Obidos - Nazare - Coimbra - Batalha
- A full day tour will take us to surrounding areas of Obidos - Alcobaca with a visit to its monastery, Nazare a colorful fishing village, Coimbra the site of one of the oldest universities in Europe and a brief visit to its baroque library, and onto Batalha to see another monastery.
- A visit to the Palace Hotel do Busaco, a former royal hunting lodge in a national park is included.
- Lunch and dinner free.
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Nazare
« Alcobaca Monastery |
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| Day 8 |
- Porto
- We depart Obidos and head north to Porto a city famous for its Gothic and Baroque architecture and Port wine.
- A half day tour is planned for us in the afternoon to see the Serralves Museum housing a renowned modern art collection, and the Quinta da Macieirinha manor house with gardens overlooking the Douro River.
- Lunch and dinner free.
- Hotel: Pestana Porto
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Porto and the Douro River
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| Day 9 |
- Our tour begins this day to Guimares to visit the palace of the Dukes de Braganca and onto Braga to visit the cathedral.
- In the afternoon we will return to Porto and visit the Bolsa Palace, the Casa da Musica (Rem Koolhaas) and the St. Francisco Church.
- Lunch and dinner free.
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| Day 10 |
- Departure from hotel with private transfers to airport.
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