Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. EUROPEAN LEADERS: Intrepid trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. We also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. EUROPEAN HOTELS: Hotels in Europe often don’t have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together/apart. Rooms can be rather small, especially by American or Australian standards. Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don’t provide kettles or fridges. Hotel (5 nights), Guesthouse (1 night), Farmstay (1 nights)

Others

Santiago de Compostela - Market visit and tasting tour Porto - City Tasting Tour Douro Valley - Wine Tasting & Lunch Coa Valley - Home-cooked dinner Alentejo - Farm cooking class Lisbon - Leader-led orientation walk Alentejo - Local producer visit and olive oil tasting Lisbon - Market Visit Lisbon - Pasteis de Nata tasting in Belem

Meals

7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners

Transport

Private Vehicle , Public bus , Metro , Tram

Not included:

Flights

International flights are not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Others

Other activities and services not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Santiago De Compostela
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Santiago De Compostela

Hola! Welcome to Santiago de Compostela – the capital of northwest Spain’s Galicia region. If you arrive early, maybe walk the streets of the Old Town, known for its distinctive Romanesque, gothic and Baroque buildings. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. After, maybe get to know your fellow travellers with an optional dinner of traditional Galician favourites. For seafood lovers, try the pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus).
Day 2 Day 2: Porto
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Porto

This morning, you’ll head to a local market in Santiago de Compostela – one of the city’s most popular attractions (alongside the cathedral). Follow your leader as they share tastes of local delicacies around the market. If you like, you can grab some extras for the public bus journey this afternoon, travelling over the border into Portugal. Arrive in the charming city of Porto in the late afternoon – known for its medieval riverside district with colourful houses bordering the Douro River, this is one of the country’s most romantic cities. Tonight, you’ll head out for an included dinner of a plant-based version of Porto’s favourite dish, the francesinha.
Day 3 Day 3: Porto
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Porto

Taste your way around Porto this morning, exploring its majestic bridges, cobbled streets, merchants’ houses and cafes. From the grand fountain in Praca dos Leoes, head to a local café for coffee and pastel de nata (the famed Portuguese custard tart). Walk through the Clerigos, S. Bento and Se quarters before popping into a bar for a cachorrinho (a spicy bread and sausage mouthful) accompanied by a cold beer. Continue through the Ribeira District, sampling local specialties like bacalhau (dried, salted cod) and a glass of rosé. Round out your explorations with a sip of the city’s namesake drop (port) and a selection of petiscos (Portuguese tapas). The afternoon is free for you to explore at your leisure. Maybe pull up a chair in one of Porto’s atmospheric tavernas and order another glass of port.
Day 4 Day 4: Douro Valley - Coa Valley
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Douro Valley - Coa Valley

Take a scenic drive by private vehicle this morning to the Douro Valley. Arrive at Quinta da Pacheca (winegrowers since 1738) for a picnic and wine tasting. Over a couple of glasses of local wine (and a port, of course), you’ll share an assortment of olives, sausages, dried fruits, traditional salads, regional cheeses, apple tartlets and more. Travel on to the Coa Valley – known for the combined efforts of passionate locals to rewild the area, starting with the reintroduction of ancient cow breeds. Here, you’ll stay in an historic guesthouse atop a hill, overlooking the village and surrounding fields. Tonight, enjoy a home-cooked dinner of the best local produce.
Day 5 Day 5: Alentejo Farmstay
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Alentejo Farmstay

Relax into the day with no plans until a late morning departure. You might like to explore Castelo Rodrigo (the surrounding village) or go for a hike in the countryside. Then hit the road for the Alentejo region – surrounded by wheat fields dotted with grazing cows. Stop at Castelo Branco to stretch your legs and spend some time exploring the historic town. Maybe grab some lunch and people-watch or walk around the Jardim do Paco Episcopal (a popular baroque garden). Continue to your farm stay in Alentejo – this area is renowned for its cork plantations, vineyards and the coveted Azaruja sausage made from black Alentejo pigs. You’ll be greeted with a local tipple and a tour of the farm, which has been in the family for the last six generations. You’ll see what’s it like to live at the farm, before some free time to settle in, take a swim in the pool or amble around the property, enjoying the peace and quiet. Then, guided by your host, prepare a meal of regional specialties from the best fresh produce. On the menu might be pork with clams, baked goats cheese, soup with cod or cheesecake flavoured with local honey and lemons.
Day 6 Day 6: Lisbon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Lisbon

Say goodbye to the farm and head to a local olive oil producer for a tasting (a bottle of this locally produced oil makes an excellent souvenir!). Continue to Lisbon, popular for its pastel-coloured buildings and the Sao Jorge Castle. Enjoy some free time when you arrive to find some lunch, then head out on a leader-led orientation walk to get your bearings and see the city’s highlights. As you make your way, take a moment to try some ginjinha, a sweet cherry liqueur that originated in Lisbon. Afterwards, make a detour to Loja das Conservas, a quirky deco store selling canned fish from 17 different national canned fish outlets for you to taste and explore! Tonight, you’re free to explore the city’s nightlife or find a great spot for dinner – your leader will have some great recommendations for local restaurants or where to find the best live fado show (a genre of Portuguese soul music that originated in Africa and has evolved to suit the streets of Lisbon).
Day 7 Day 7: Lisbon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Lisbon

This morning, visit the local market Mercado da Ribeira, a vibrant food market offering fresh produce, local delicacies, and artisanal goods. This afternoon, after some free time for lunch, you’ll visit one of the city’s iconic eateries, Pasteis de Belem, for pastel de nata – established in 1837, these are arguably the country’s best! First made in the 16th century by nuns, this mixture of crispy pastry and creamy filling is Portugal’s best-known dessert, so why not take every opportunity to treat yourself (and maybe some extras for later?). Tonight, maybe head out for an optional farewell dinner with your group.
Day 8 Day 8: Lisbon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Lisbon

Today, there are no activities planned and your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to spend more time in this gorgeous city, just speak to your booking agent.

8 days tour

Portugal Real Food Adventure, Featuring Galicia

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Portugal Real Food Adventure, Featuring Galicia

Day 1: Santiago De Compostela

Day 2: Porto

Day 3: Porto

Day 4: Douro Valley - Coa Valley

Day 5: Alentejo Farmstay

Day 6: Lisbon

Day 7: Lisbon

Day 8: Lisbon

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