Portugal (Lisbon, Porto, Battle Monastery, Nazaret, Fatima, Sintra)

Oporto, Nazaré, the Shrine of Fatima, Battle Monsatery Lisbon and Sintra.

​​If you want to make the most of your time here this is a unique opportunity to visit our much loved neighbouring country! Portugal borders Spain to the north and the east, while in the west and south it's surrounded by the Atlantic ocean. It's a diverse country with great natural and artistic gems you won't forget.
​For an incredible price you'll be able to visit Oporto, Nazaré and it's beach, the Shrine of Fatima, Battle Monastery, Lisbon and Sintra. We'll spend a night in Oporto and two in Lisbon and we'll have guided visits to see the monuments and learn about the history and for those who want to we'll make sure we party lots!

​We'll leave Valencia and travel through the night to make the most of the day in Oporto.

​Day one: Oporto, Guided visit, Party in the city centre

​We'll arrive in Oporto in the morning and leave our luggage in the hostel. In the morning there will be in oportunity to do the boat tour on the Douro river to see all incredible brifges of the city and do a wineries tour in the very worldwide known Porto wine.

Then we'll have a guided visit of historic centre to learn the history and see the monuments.

​Oporto will make a long lasting impression on you and not only for its wines. Get ready to enjoy this city full of charm, color, wonderful bridges and panoramic views of the Douro. Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Situated in the north and near the mouth of the Douro River in a very special location. It's an unforgettable city with beautiful bridges and colourful streets full of history and nostalgia which you'll never forget. We'll visit the Cais da Ribeira (Muelle de la Ribera) which is an UNSCO heritage site. It's a kind of promenade, but fluvial in this case that captures the essence of Portuguese decadent style with its uneven and colorful houses, with clothes hanging in their open facades and seagulls flying over this special marine atmosphere. The streets are labyrinthine and charming, it's worth getting lost in them and enjoying a good wine on one of the  many terraces.

We'll also have an oportunity to see one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. The library Lello was what inspired J.K. Rowling when describing the Hogwarts library, and here several scenes from the Harry Potter series were filmed. It is beautiful, but is always full of muggles!



In the highest part of the city together with the ancient walls is the cathedral with a mix of different architectural styles. In the square uou can even see the the pillory from which they hanged murderers. The views of the city from this square are really impressive.

We'll have a short boat trip on the Douro to see its characteristic bridges. The most famous and busiest is the bridge of San Luis, designed by a disciple of Eiffel, so you will the familiar structures of iron and metal. On the top level there is a tramline and on the lower level are pedestrians and other vehicles.

Across the bridge is Vila Nova de Gaia, the town thats home to the port wine cellars. We'll taste the wine in the cellars while enjoying a panoramic view of the Douro!
In the evening we'll party in downtown Oporto. Oporto is a very touristy town so there is always a great atmosphere in the streets, terraces and squares. Also, you'll discover the happiness and liveliness of the Portuguese people. The Portuguese love to party almost as much as the Spanish !!



Day two: Shrine of Fatima - Battle Monastery - Nazaré and it's beach - Lisbon - Party

This day will be quite intense with lots of excursions.
We'll visit one of the most famous Marian shrines in the world: the shrine of Fatima.
On our way to Nazare we will stop in Battle Monastery.
Next we'll visit Nazaré where, you'll be able to enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. We'll arrive in Lisbon in the evening and if you have the energy... we'll party!



The Shrine of Fatima, located in the Cova da Iria, parish of Fatima (Portugal) is one of the most famous Marian shrines in the world. The story goes that in 1917 three shepherd children, Lucia de Jesus, Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto, witnessed several apparitions of the Virgin Mary under the oak tree while praying. The Virgin asked them to build a chapel in that place, which currently looks after an image of Nossa Senhora. That simple chapel grew over time and today it's two huge basilicas that are able to accommodate more than five million pilgrims from around the world who come each year.

The Battle Monastery - The Monastery of Batalha (Convent of Santa Maria da Vitória) was built as a thank you to the Virgin Mary for the victory of the Portuguese troops to the Castilian troops in battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. The convent took 2 centuries to be built during the reign of 7 kings and has become the symbol of Portuguese pride. It is one of the best and most original examples of late Gothic architecture in Portugal (indoor visit is NOT included in the trip price).

Nazare beach is also charming and incredible, it's one of the most visited sandy areas in Portugal with a clear blue sea where you can relax or have some fun if the waves are big enough! Nazaré is a typical fishing village with charming and authentic taste, because it's managed to retain its characteristics and traditional customs. Even today fishermen fish at night and in the morning to sell their fish on the beach. The food is fantastic and despite being such a tourist town, prices are very cheap. Like in the rest of the country this area has prehistoric remains, and also has a sarcophagus belonging to the period of Roman rule. In addition to this, Nazaré has made headlines several times thanks to the the famous surfer Garrett McNamara, who made a world record at the Praia do Norte with the highest wave surfed in history in 2011. The bar was set at 23.7 meters but that year, on the beach, he was able to beat it when surfing a wave of 30.48 meters. The new record is awaiting official confirmation. If the weather is good, you can take a dip, but be advised that the water's a tad icy☺

After we'll go to Lisbon and we will be there for the dinner time. Of course we will party as well!



Day 3: Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira, Cape Roca, Beach - Party

Lisbon is Portugal's capital and its largest city. Its in a great location at the mouth of the river Tagus which has made it one of the most influential cities for domination of the Atlantic. There are many reasons to visit Lisbon: its history, its trams, its monuments, bridges and even more that will make you want to come back.

We'll leave Lisbon early and head to Sintra. Sintra was declared a World Heritage Site in 1995. This villa near Lisbon is of Celtic origin, in the fifteenth century it became a holiday residence of Portuguese monarchs and nobles because of its natural environment. Sintra has a unique charm that makes it one of the most beautiful places in Portugal. Its architecture, palaces and gardens, castles and forests make it a must-see destination.

We'll have oportunity to visit the jewel of this area: Quinta da Regaleira (indoor visit not included in the trip price)
This palace is perhaps the most mystical place in Sintra. Built by a Portuguese aristocrat, Antonio Carvalho Monteiro, millionaire and philanthropist, it's surrounded by gardens, a small lake, a greenhouse, several towers and a beautiful chapel.

Cape Roca was formerly regarded as the point of the known world as it's the westernmost point of Europe. In the souvenir shops you can buy a certificate attesting to your passage through the westernmost point of the continent. It's about 18 km from Sintra, in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park . There is an impressive viewpoint at the top of the 140 metre high cliff with a spectacular view of the jagged coastline over the ocean. Here you'll aslo find a pillar where the exact coordinates of the place are inscribed.

And during the evening we'll party!!! Lisbon is a city that you have to see in the evening too!!



Day 4 in Lisbon: Guided tour - Return to Valencia

In the morning we'll have a tour through the center of Lisbon to get to know its history and monuments. We'll visit the Tower of Belem, the monument of discoveries, Vasco de Gama bridge, and the square of Commerce.

You'll be impressed by the Tower of Belem: a fortress of white stone, thats both small but vast, rugged and elegant, surrounded by water, like an island or a large boat leaving the port and starting a great journey in the ocean. In fact, you have to get to it over a walkway, as if climbing the stairs to a ship. Its union with the sea can also be seen in marine motifs adorning its facade. Their guns point to the four cardinal points, because throughout history, Lisbon has been an impregnable and extremely well guarded city.

Nearby is the Jeronimos Monastery, where Vasco da Gama prayed before embarking on his great journey and where all the sailors did so before crossing the Atlantic. Inside you'll feel as if you are under a huge sky of arches and vaults with special lighting for its stained glass windows with incredible colors. The columns seem to ressemble a large forest, perhaps imitating the Amazon that the Portuguese sailors discovered.

Commerce Square is a large square where products were sold at market that were brought from the Indies. It has a triumphal arch and monuments of historical figures such as Vasco de Gama.



After the visit of the city of Lisbon, we will start our journey back to Valencia. We will travel all night to get to our houses, or direct to the University or work around 08h00 in the morning (always depends on traffic on the way).