Lisbon Trip Overview
Portugal boasts many cities that are worth your interest. Along with the capital, various towns scattered from north to south offer a great base to indulge in the country’s past and its unmatched charm. Among such places are centrally located Coimbra and a bit northern thrown Porto. A 10-hour long full day tour organized in a private luxury car with a personal driver-guide will enable you to explore the best of genuine Portugal with an exquisite cultural touch.
The driver will pick you up at your location and assist you throughout the tour. Roll up your sleeves to take pleasure in a perfect fusion of the Middle Age-inspired ambiance and a bona fide Portuguese atmosphere waiting for you in Coimbra and Porto.
After getting overwhelmed with all the charms of Coimbra and Porto presented in various forms and size, you will be taken to your location safe and sound.
Additional Info
* Duration: 10 hours
* Starts: Lisbon, Portugal
* Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Lisbon, Central Portugal, Portugal
Portugal boasts many cities that are worth your interest. Along with the capital, various towns scattered from north to south offer a great base to indulge in the country’s past and its unmatched charm. Among such places are centrally located Coimbra and a bit northern thrown Porto. A 10-hour long full day tour organized in a private luxury car with a personal driver-guide will enable you to explore the best of genuine Portugal with an exquisite cultural touch.
The driver will pick you up at your location and assist you throughout the tour. Roll up your sleeves to take pleasure in a perfect fusion of the Middle Age-inspired ambiance and a bona fide Portuguese atmosphere waiting for you in Coimbra and Porto.
After getting overwhelmed with all the charms of Coimbra and Porto presented in various forms and size, you will be taken to your location safe and sound.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: University of Coimbra, Paco das Escolas, Coimbra 3000-370 Portugal
The second largest education institution on the Iberian Peninsula and the oldest university in Portugal, the Coimbra University is the first stop of the tour. Established in 1290 in Lisbon and relocated to its current place in 1537, the university stands as a symbol of Coimbra’s cultural life. It welcomes students from all around the world and stuns visitors with its enchanting building and marvelous library duly recognized by UNESCO.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Old Cathedral of Coimbra (Se Velha de Coimbra), Coimbra Portugal
Not far from the university you can witness the city’s cathedral. The imposing Romanesque building dates back to the 12th century and offers the one and only survived example of the Reconquista period in Portugal. The Roman decorations are also conspicuous inside, while the altarpiece in Gothic style made by Fleming artists is going to leave each guest in awe. The cathedral enjoys beautiful doorways deriving from the 16th century.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Velha, Rua das Parreiras, Coimbra 3040-266 Portugal
The ruins of the St. Clare Gothic Monastery (14th century) feature the next stop on our itinerary. Opened recently to the public after a multi-year restoration process visitors can discern eye-catching architectural peculiarities resonating with the Alcobaca Monastery. Many paintings, sculptures, and metalwork alluding to its historical wealth and kept at the Machado de Castro Museum today are also worth your attention.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: University of Coimbra, Paco das Escolas, Coimbra 3000-370 Portugal
In order to distract yourself from the rich architectural heritage pay a visit to the University-based botanical garden founded in 1772-1774 and making an integral part of the Natural History Museum at present. Spanning over 13 hectares, the entire area divided in terraces offers a great base for exploring various plants and rare bird or animal species. This green oasis perfectly blends with the surrounding cultural ambiance.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Penedo da Saudade, Coimbra Portugal
Another green-inspired area awaits you in Penedo da Saudade. Merging with the city’s skyline, the garden is tightly associated with the legend of the king D. Pedro mourning the loss of his wife. Since then the garden has been transformed into students’ beloved place in Coimbra giving birth to the novel genre of Fado with numerous scripts over there.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Torre dos Clerigos, Rua Sao Filipe Neri, Porto 4050-546 Portugal
After soaking up Coimbra’s past, it’s time to dedicate full attention to the marvels of Porto. The first in a row definitely is the Clerics Church and its striking tower built by Nicolau Nasoni in the 18th century. The beautiful Baroque ornamentation makes it an extraordinary example of the Portuguese architecture. Standing 75.6m high and dominating over the entire city, the tower welcomes you in its six-story interior with 240 steps.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Igreja de Sao Francisco, Rua do Infante Dom Henrique, Porto 4050-297 Portugal
The old town of Porto is filled with various attention-grabbing monuments among which the St. Francis Church is worth a short visit. This impressive Gothic building has on display a truly impressive interior decoration covering the surface completely in gilt woodwork. The latter includes the magnificent altarpiece with the “Tree of Jesse”. The interior decorations are crowned with the saint’s statue.
Duration: 30 minutes
Pass By: Avenida dos Aliados, Av. dos Aliados, 4000 Porto, Portugal
The sublime jumble of history, architectural legacy and the most space-filled area of the Allies Avenue in the heart of Porto is praised by tourists and UNESCO alike. The avenue is divided into several segments from the enchanting city hall building to the Liberty Square with its apex in the Pedro IV equestrian statue. The entire area pays tribute to the first-ever European treaty between Portugal and Britain and the liberal ideas of the country’s ruler. A stroll along the ornate buildings in Baroque and Neoclassical styles with the obvious French beaux-art connotations is going to be rather rewarding. Many cafes around will enable you to soak up the local atmosphere.
Stop At: Porto Cathedral (Se Catedral), S/N0 Terreiro Se 3 Centro Histórico, Porto 4050-573 Portugal
For more cultural focus swing by the Porto Cathedral. This masterpiece of architecture comprises Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque tendencies revealed respectively on its exterior and greets the guests inside with a silver altarpiece dating from the 17th century. The Gothic cloister embellished with Baroque azulejos appears to be no less impressive.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Sao Bento Railway Station, Praca Almeida Garrett, Porto 4000-069 Portugal
Sao Bento railway station is a must-visit destination for any tourist when in Porto. Built in the 1900s on the site of a Benedictine monastery the three-story edifice stuns its visitors with a myriad of azulejo tiles inside concocted by the then preeminent master Jorge Colaco. The various scenes in white and blue tones depict the history and everyday life of Portugal and seem to create some perfect material after being photographed.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Ribeira Square, Praca da Ribeira, Porto 4050-513 Portugal
The old town opening to the Duoro has few equals in Porto and throughout the country. The rows of the red-roofed colorful houses in typical Portuguese style are going to fill your journey with some exotic vibes. Indeed, the main challenge here is wandering through the intricate streets and alleys making you familiar with various local sights like Casa do Infante, Palacio da Bolsa and the old town square. The engineering marvel of the Dom Luis I Bridge connecting the two historic districts is the pinnacle of Ribeira’s innate charm. And where else could you better spend your precious time if not at any of riverfront cafes and restaurants allowing your days and nights to blur together.
Duration: 1 hour
