Beautiful Portugal breaths heritage, ancestral tradition and pride in culinary customs. Strolling one historic block you can “time-travel” 500 years both architecturally and gastronomically in Oporto, Lisbon and beyond.
You see, since Roman times vibrant Portugal and her unique customs, friendly locals, sunny landscapes, wine, olive oil, seafood, and sea breezes have attracted savvy foreigners.
In fact, the Romans and Moors loved Portugal so much they stayed over 1000 years! Conquering a country is hard, but a once-in-a-lifetime Portugal luxury tour is easy with our expertise on your side.
“Vibrant, yet once overlooked, Portugal offers lovely Lisbon’s seven hills, Porto an idyllic river city, the lush Douro river wine valley, timeless tradition of medieval towns or Mediterranean climate, grottos, red-cliffed coast and active fun of the Algarve Coast.“
A typical day of the “Portuguese good life” on our private luxury trips might look like this:
As the sun shimmers off Atlantic like the scales of a shiny fresh fish, you notice the contrast of delicate flowers and green vines hanging from a heavy black ornate wrought-iron balcony just as the yellow street car rambles up over the cobblestones towards the exotic Moorish castle.
Your charming expert guide has just departed and you and your small group of family or friends are enjoying delicious dining al fresco on a hillside terrace, still protected by medieval Moorish castle with a bit of passionate fado music nearby.
Perhaps you toast the good life with a lovely Duero Red while tasting artisan Portuguese cheeses and gourmet ham. This alfresco meal followed a fascinating private guided cultural tour and stops for tasting petiscos (Portuguese tapas), and at an Art Nouveau café for coffee. Maybe tips for shopping for artisan goods or private coastal boat excursion.
There are many options for unique exclusive experiences in Portugal that we can arrange, based on your interest. We are of course delighted to arrange reservations for a fine dining, with a view if available or for special local cultural events.
Wow, why does Portugal have such an exotic mix of attractions?
Once Europe´s richest country, Portugal´s empire stretched from the Americas to Asia for some 200 years. During this Golden Age, incredible works of art and architecture, much of which you can still see, were completed. You can still note the exotic ambiance in details of the designs, cuisine and culture that are unique to Europe.
Lisbon is no doubt the Paris of Portuguese language world and old world capitol for over 100 million people. It has been a centre of culture in Iberia since the Roman Emperors were venerated here and as a capitol once ruled and empire stretching from the Americas to Asia.
In Portugal where we travel frequently, we have seen a marked improvement since the 2008 economic debacle. Lisbon and Oporto have both been revitalised and are more vibrant. There is a bit less red tape to do business and young people are coming home more optimistic and with new creative energies. We are fortunate to travel there often and enjoy in depth as you can too. That is why we can offer you a much deeper, intimate way to experience Portugal personally and exclusively…. so you avoid the mass-market tourist traps that permit the world nowadays.
So when is the best time to go to Portugal, you might be wondering?….
We believe that 2017 is an ideal time to enjoy the best of Portugal. The climate allows for near year-long travel. The rustic Alentejo region does get quite hot in July and August but the coastal destinations of Lisbon, Oporto and the Algarve cliffs and beaches down south are very popular with Europeans due to the milder temperatures,
In any case, it is not just Europeans who love Portugal as a luxury travel destination. … the secret of Portugal is spreading across the USA and Asia as you read this. So if you don´t want to settle for the leftovers, best to book ahead.
Our Discerning Luxury Portugal Travel and Tours are Made-to-Fit.
What does your personalized private Portugal vacation adventure look like?…
• Access our savvy network: local experts, chefs, vinters, entrepreneurs, art historians & artist
• Stress-free private touring at your pace without hurry or worry.
• Discover superb culture and art and UNESCO historic heritage
• Enjoy exquisite Portuguese cuisine & wines….not tourist traps
• One-of-a-kind experiences & encounters that few travelers discover
• Personal service and concierge care of our team in Portugal
• Beautiful Moorish architecture + exquisite artisan tiles,
• Vintage trolleys in the historic Alfama district, sophisticated Bairro Alto and Lapa districts of Lisbon
• Romantic bougainvillea, moasics, red terracotta roofs, wrought iron balconies + Art Nouveau cafés
• Gourmet tastings of artisan cheeses, vinos and petiscos
• Specialty shops with handmade luxury crafts tiles, gold, antiques, linens, rugs, furniture. and more. • Emotion of a memorable fado performance at the top local club.
• Meet talented artist & artisans in local studios
• Explore Roman Empire ruins and archaeological sites
• Ancient Roman aqueduct and megalithic monuments of Evora
• Sea breezes, vistas and memorable meals at select places
• Walk among castles and gardens of lovely Sintra
• Historic fun and beauty of whitewashed town of Obidos
• Red cliffs, trails and beaches of the Algarve
• Rolling hills of cork forests, tiny medieval villages, + prestigious wineries of rustic Alentejo region
• Moorish castles and Templar Knights fortresses
• Fine wine tasting and touring by boat up Douro Valley
• Historic Jewish sites in medieval villages,
• Unique architectures, wine culture and coastal sunsets of Oporto
How do we work?… How do we create our private luxury tours of Portugal?
It starts with a fun no-obligation conversation (often by Skype, FaceTime or phone) and mostly us listening to better understand what you are into and what you prefer to avoid.
