Dean Dalton Tours

The Splendors of Portugal, plus Optional Madeira, May 10 to 22, 2027

Travel with us to Portugal, from Porto to Lisbon! Along the way, discover the spectacular Douro Valley, several UNESCO sites, including Coimbra, Batalha and Alcobaça, and charming medieval towns such as Óbidos, Braga, and Guimarães while indulging in Portugal’s fascinating cuisine and world-class wines. We will include a symphony concert by the world-renowned Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon and a concert in Porto, if available. An optional three-day extension to Madeira will allow you to explore its capital, Funchal, during the island's most spectacular event: the yearly Flower Festival, celebrating springtime and the exuberance of the flowers in bloom at this time of the year.

Space is limited to 22 participants; reservations will be accepted on a first-come basis.

To pre-register for the tour, please click on the "reservation" link below and
enter the required information. We will send you a reservation form.
Your space will be reserved when we receive the signed form and deposit.

PRICES, per person

for the basic 12-day tour:

$5,685
sharing a double/twin
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$7,180
single occupancy

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for the Madeira extension:

$1,385
sharing a double/twin
♦
$1,880
single occupancy

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Prices are stated in
U.S. Dollars
calculated on an exchange rate of $1.20 to the Euro

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Prices include:

Accommodation in these
4- and 5-star hotels

Vincci Bonjardim
Porto
5 nights
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Montebelo Mosteiro de Alcobaça Historic Hotel
1 night
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Vincci Liberdade
Lisbon
5 nights

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Breakfast each day
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8 lunches or dinners
(drinks included)
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2 Wine Tastings
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Airport transfers
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Ground transport by
private coach
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Concerts at the
Casa da Musica in Porto
and by the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon
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Tours with expert guides as described to the right

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Prices for the Madeira Extension include:

Flight from Lisbon to Madeira
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Three nights at the 5-star
Barceló Funchal Oldtown
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1 included tour,
as described on the right
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2 Lunches
(drinks included)
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Wine Tasting
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Airport transfers

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Flight Issues

Both Star Alliance
(United, Lufthansa,
Air Canada, et al.)
and Skyteam
(Delta, Air France, KLM)
offer attractive, one-change itineraries from Houston
(and most major US hubs)
into Porto (OPO).

However, only Star Alliance can get you back from Lisbon (LIS) with a single change
(in Frankfurt, Newark,
or Toronto).
All the Skyteam connections require an overnight
on the return.

If you are participating in
the extension, all options
for the return require
two changes.

Only Star Alliance can get you back to the US from Madeira (FNC) without involving an overnight somewhere.
Those"same-day" itineraries
all require an early start.

Otherwise, whatever
airline you choose, you’ll have to overnight somewhere before flying on to Houston.

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THE ITINERARY, DAY-BY-DAY

Monday May 10 – Depart for Porto, Portugal
See below left for a discussion of flight options.

Tuesday May 11 – Arrival Day
Most flights arrive from early morning to mid-afternoon. We'll meet you at the airport and get you and your baggage to our hotel. Welcome Dinner.

Wednesday May 12 – Discover Porto
Get to know the city that gave Portugal its name. See the 19^th-century Bolhão Fresh Market; the white-and-blue tiled São Bento Train Station (with over 20,000 tiles that reflect the history of Portugal); the iconic Baroque Clérigos Church and Tower; and Santa Clara Church, boasting one of the finest examples of gilded woodwork in Portugal. In the afternoon, you can discover the famous Lello Bookshop, voted the most beautiful in the world (there is an urban legend that this bookshop is the inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter saga). We finish at the Luis I bridge, walking over for a panoramic view of Porto from the other side of the river.

Thursday May 13 – The Douro Region
We start with a guided tour of the 18^th-century Mateus Palace, a lavish Baroque residence designed by Nicolau Nasoni, now a museum with period furnishings and artwork, a heraldic hall, a winery, and a chapel. At the end of the tour, enjoy a glass of Mateus Rosé or Lavradores de Feitoria white wine.You’ll have time to explore the formal gardens at your own pace, famous for their manicured box hedges, a tunnel of cypress trees, and lakes.

The Douro Valley is the birthplace of Port wine, with steep, terraced vineyards and hot summers providing ideal conditions for indigenous grape varieties like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barroca. This afternoon, we visit the area’s emblematic estate, Quinta da Roêda, in Pinhão, for a wine tasting. “If the Douro is considered the gold ring of Portugal, Quinta da Roêda is its diamond” (19^th-century poet, Vega Cabral). The spacious terrace offers an idyllic setting to savor the view over the estate’s vineyards and the river Douro while enjoying another wine tasting. A buffet lunch of regional dishes, with wine, is included.

Our “day on the Duoro” concludes, gliding beneath the city's iconic bridges in a Rabelo boat. With a name that translates to "little tail" (for the long piece of timber extending from its stern that serves as a rudder), the traditional wooden Rabelo boat carried passengers and cargo (casks of Port wine) along Portugal's Douro River for centuries. You’ll even have an opportunity to experience another, unique perspective on Porto – from the Arrábida Bridge, Europe's only bridge climb.

Friday May 14 – Braga and Guimarães
Founded more than 2,000 years ago as “Bracara Augusta” under Emperor Augustus, Braga became a key Roman outpost and the capital of the empire’s Gallaecia region. We visit the Cathedral, historic center, and Bom Jesus do Monte. The baroque Stairway of the Five Senses leads to the UNESCO-listed sanctuary, a hilltop Catholic shrine. The 573 steps zigzag through landings embellished with ornate fountains and statues before you reach lush gardens, a neoclassical basilica, and the best vistas over Braga. Never fear! We skip the climb entirely by taking the 19^th-century funicular.

We go on to explore the medieval town of Guimarães, known as the "Cradle City,” since the kingdom of Portugal was born there following a famous battle in 1128. The city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers a wealth of architectural treasures, including the ruined Castle of Guimãraes with its tempestuous history and sweeping views, the opulent Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, and the 13^th-century Church of São Miguel do Castelo. Lunch is included.

Saturday May 15 – Free time in Porto
Porto's very fine concert hall, the Casa da Musica, often presents concerts on Saturday evening but the season has not yet been announced. We have budgeted for tickets but will refund you if no program to our taste is available.

Sunday May 16 – Coimbra and the Batalha Monastery
We drive to Coimbra to see the eponymous University, the oldest in Portugal; its Johannine Library, built between 1717 and 1728 on the ruins of a medieval prison, contains more than 50,000 volumes. The visit is preceded by a brief organ recital in St. Michael’s Chapel.

After lunch, we continue to Batalha Monastery, another UNESCO World Heritage site and the most significant building of Portuguese Gothic. Then, it is on to Alcobaça, where we overnight at the Montebelo Mosteiro de Alcobaça Historic Hotel.

Monday May 17 –Alcobaça Monastery and Óbidos; drive to Lisbon
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the monastery was founded in 1153 by Portugal's first king. It contains two masterpieces of medieval sculpture – the tombs of Pedro I (1357-67) and his love Inês de Castro, placed in front of one another. When Pedro was a crown prince, he fell in love with Inês, lady-in-waiting to his wife. His father disapproved of the relationship and had her murdered. When Pedro took the crown, he ordered the arrest and execution of Inês's murderers and demanded that she be recognized as Queen of Portugal. He brought her body to the Royal Monastery of Alcobaça, where two magnificent tombs were built so that he could rest next to his eternal lover forever.

Following the visit, we drive to Óbidos, a beautiful medieval hilltop town that until 1883 was an exclusive property of the Queens of Portugal. We’ll see the town’s important sites and sample Ginja de Obidos: an iconic Portuguese liqueur made with smooth, ruby-red sour cherries, served in a chocolate cup. Lunch follows before we continue to our hotel in Lisbon.

Tuesday May 18 – Discovering Lisbon
The morning takes us to the Belém district to see the St. Jerome monastery (a UNESCO gem known for its intricate Manueline style and tombs of Portuguese icons such as Vasco da Gama), the Belém Tower, Monument to the Discoveries, and the Old Factory “Pastéis de Belém,” famous for its custard tarts – which we will sample, of course! In the afternoon we discover the city center and the historical districts of Alfama, Bairro Alto, and Baixa.

We'd be happy to arrange a fado performance with dinner tonight (at additional cost), for those who are so inclined, in Lisbon's bohemian Bairro Alto neighbourhood. The fado house we suggest has one of the best restaurants in Lisbon with a menu inspired by traditional Portuguese cuisine.

Wednesday May 19 – Daytrip to Queluz and Sintra
Built in phases in the 18^th century by order of King Pedro III, husband of Queen Maria I, the National Palace of Queluz witnessed several important events in the 18^th and 19^th centuries in Portugal, notably the French invasions and the civil war. The architecture and decorative details reflect an artistic taste in which the Rococo, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles stand out and extend to the gardens. Called the “Versailles of Portugal,” the palace was used primarily as a place of entertainment for the royal family: concerts, bullfights, and fireworks were held there.It’s surrounded by a formal garden, with oak-lined avenues, fountains (including the Fonte de Neptuno, ascribed to Italian master Bernini) and a tiled canal where the royals went boating.

Lunch in Sintra is included, after which, you’ll have a free hour, either to take a tuk-tuk or taxi to the photogenic Castle of Pena or for strolling and shopping.

In the afternoon, we visit the Palace and Park of Monserrate, designed for Sir Francis Cook by the distinguished British architect James Knowles Junior. It is an example of mid-19^th-century eclecticism, adapted to the remains of the earlier building, ruined in the 1755 earthquake. It combines neo-Gothicism with substantial elements derived from the architecture of lndia. Monserrate is renowned for its gardens, largely the work of Thomas Gargill; a careful analysis of the natural microclimatic zones made it possible to sustain over 3,000 exotic species, collected from all parts of the world.

Thursday May 20 – Gulbenkian Foundation: Museum and Symphony Concert
Your morning is free and offers an opportunity for you to visit the Tile Museum (on your own).

This afternoon we have a private curator-guided visit of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum. Founded in 1956 as a bequest from the eponymous British-Armenian philanthropist who lived in Portugal from 1942 until his death in 1955, this is one of the world's most important private art collections. We’ll relax over a nice dinner at the nearby Ararate Armenian restaurant before attending tonight’s concert by the Gulbenkian Orchestra.

Friday May 21 – Free Time in Lisbon or optional daytrip to Évora
Today you may want to join an optional excursion to Évora, a UNESCO site and one of Portugal’s most beautifully preserved medieval towns, selected as European Capital of Culture in 2027. The guided tour will include the Roman Temple of Évora (1^st c. CE), one of the best-preserved Roman structures in Portugal, the Cathedral, and the Church of St. Francis, a magnificent building housing the famous Chapel of Bones (an estimated 5,000 corpses were exhumed to decorate the walls of the chapel). The included lunch will be at the Fita Preta Vinhos winery, based in the Medieval Manor of Morgado de Oliveira, dating to the 14^thcentury.

Saturday May 22 – Departures for Home or Continue to Madeira

MADEIRA EXTENSION

In Madeira, the entire month of May is dedicated to the beauty and fragrance of flowers – undoubtedly the most emblematic event of the island. Thanks to its subtropical climate, Madeira is often called the “Garden of the Atlantic;” its yearly Flower Festival boasts flower parades, flower carpets made from petals arranged in detailed mosaics, and an open-air flower market where you can admire and buy local plants, meet growers, and learn about Madeira's unique flora. In addition, there are cultural performances, folk dancing, and various events across its capital, Funchal.

Saturday May 22 –Fly to Funchal
This morning, we take a direct 2-hour flight to Funchal. We start out on the right foot, with a Madeira wine tasting at a family-owned winery, situated in an iconic historic building; we are also acquainted with Madeira wines’ unique winemaking process that involves oxidizing the wine through heat and ageing. We hope for a concert this evening by the Madeira Classical Music Orchestra.

Sunday May 23 –Explore Funchal
We discover Funchal's historic center, visiting the Cathedral of Sé and the Jesuit College, one of the most beautiful churches on the island. We continue to the lively artistic heart of Rua de Santa Maria to explore colorful street art and hidden architectural gems.

Monday May 24– Free Time in Funchal
One possibility is to explore the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, providing breathtaking panoramic views of the city, ocean, and surrounding mountains. Once a private residence of a British Consul and then a hotel, Monte Palace was transformed into a lush paradise with fountains, grottoes, follies, sculpture pieces and lots of exotic plant life. It now displays some 100,000 plant species and a rich fauna with swans, peacocks, flamingos, and beautiful works of art. From there, you can take a second cable car down to the Botanical Gardens. Opened to the public in 1960, it covers an area of 20 acres, five of which are landscaped and home to an endless number of species of trees and ornamental shrubs. There are more than 2000 exotic plants from all continents, some of them endangered in their lands of origin. There is a collection of around 300 exotic birds, including Blue and Yellow Macaw, Cockatoo, Parrots and Lory in the exotic bird park.

Another option would be a visit to the Museum of Embroidery and Handicraft. Also of interest is Bordal, the last Madeira embroidery factory open to visitors (guided tours are available).

Whatever you do with the day, we will all get together early this evening for one more “Zsofi dinner” before parting ways tomorrow.

Tuesday May 25 – Departures for home or further adventures