Circuits/Suggestions to discover Portugal

A. North of Portugal - 3 Circuits, departure from Oporto

B. Center of Portugal- 3 Circuits, departure from Lisbon

C. South of Portugal- 3 Circuits, departure from Faro

 

A. North of Portugal

Starting from Oporto, you can choose:

1st Circuit - Through hills and valleys

Green hills and unique natural surroundings are typical of the north of Portugal.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• Montesinho Natural Park and its quaint medieval village of Vinhais; Chacim, with its legend of jus primae noctis (the local nobleman taking the woman on her wedding night);
• The cured ham and sausages of Chaves;
  Golf, with a unique view, at Estela;
• The visit to the cellars where the famous port wine is produced;
• A cruise on the River Douro;
• A journey on a historic early 20th-century train follows the Douro along one of the most beautiful routes in Portugal.

Pousadas on the circuit: Viana do Castelo, Bragança, Alijó

Interactive Map: North 1st Circuit

 

2nd Circuit -  The route of the stars

From the coast to the countryside, discover (in Portugal) the charm of the Estrelas.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• The best egg-based desserts are the ovos moles (egg yolks, sugar and often including port) from Aveiro
• The beaches of Murtosa and the traditional houses and boats;
• The Roman ruins of Conimbriga – which show that Conimbriga has been populated since the Neolithic Age
• Hand-painted Coimbra faïence (Centuries 15-18) - (City of Coimbra and the famous library)
• The most popular Portuguese cheese, the Queijo da Serra, is a sheep’s cheese produced in the Serra da Estrela region, where the highest point in mainland Portugal is located;
• The city of Viseu and the River Douro

Pousadas on the circuit: Torreira/Murtosa, Condeixa-a-Nova, Vila Pouca da Beira            

Interactive Map: North 2nd Circuit

 

3rd Circuit - At the Birthplace of the Nation

Guimarães, the city where Portugal was born, is a place full of history and culture.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• Amarante Golf Club;
• Guimarães, Portugal’s birthplace, has a magnificently well-preserved historical centre;
• Ponte de Lima, a lovely little town with a Roman bridge and medieval towers;
• The cuisine of this region is renowned for dishes such as cod, sweetbreads, octopus and lamprey;
• Vigo and Santiago de Compostela, Spain right on the doorstep.

Pousadas of the circuit: Braga, Guimarães (N. Sra. Oliveira), V. Nova Cerveira, Viana do Castelo

Interactive Map: North 3rd Circuit

 

B. Center of Portugal

Starting from Lisbon, you can choose:

1st Circuit -  In the tracks of the Romans

The Romans left many remains in the region of the Beiras and Alentejo – visit them and travel through time.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• Piodão, the so-called Crib-Village, one of Portugal’s ten Historical Villages, and Serra do Açor;
• The Serra da Estrela, with its famous rugs and so many other articles made of pure wool;
• Elvas, a town founded by the Romans, who left many traces of their presence there, such as its castle;
• The famous Elvas plums in syrup, normally accompanied by Sericaia (a very popular regional dessert);
• The Serra de São Mamede Natural Park; its wealth of flora and fauna make it fascinating from the point of view of the natural heritage and the conservation of nature.

Pousadas of the circuit: Proença-a-Nova, Vila Pouca da Beira, Sousel/ Elvas

Interactive Map: Center 1st Circuit

 

2nd Circuit - Overlooking the plain

Along peaceful byways we make our way to the Alentejo, rediscovering, in nature, long-forgotten shades of colour.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• Borba, a town famous for its cheeses and wines;
• The Roman ruins of AMMAIA in Marvão;
• A journey on a hundred-year-old tram between Praia das Maçãs and the Serra de Sintra;
• The Tibornas, typical desserts from Vila Viçosa, are among the offerings of the convent desserts; these are all rich in egg yolks, as the old convents used to rear so many chickens that they had to find a use for the eggs afterwards;
• The Palace of Queluz, known as the Versailles of Portugal because of its gardens, filled with fountains, lakes, ponds, statues and waterfalls.

Pousadas of the circuit: Elvas, Marvão, Vila Viçosa, Queluz

Interactive Map: Center 2nd Circuit

 

3rd Circuit - Stone in its splendour

Lisbon, the capital, welcomes you with open arms and shows you the way to the Alentejo and its unforgettable dams and nature reserves.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• Sintra – fabulous town, famous for its aristocratic palaces scattered around the hills, and for its cheese cakes
• The Quinta da Marinha Oitavos Golf Club is the first golf course in Europe, and the second in the world, to be recognised as a Certified Signature Sanctuary - Gold. 
• The wonderful beaches of the Alentejo coast - Zambujeira do Mar, Vila Nova de Milfontes, Porto Covo – where, at table, the shellfish is king,
• Beja, where you can find displays of precious archaeological remains.
• Vila Viçosa, where stone continues to be the major source of wealth.

Pousadas of the circuit: Queluz, Beja, Vila Viçosa, Sousel.

Interactive Map: Center 3rd Circuit

 

C. South of Portugal

Starting from Faro, you can choose:

1st Circuit - The Navigators Route

It was from Sagres, over 500 years ago, that Prince Henry the Navigator launched the Portuguese caravels in search of new worlds.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• Sagres, the westernmost site on the windward side of the Algarve, from which, over 500 years ago, Prince Henry the Navigator launched the Portuguese caravels in search of new worlds, with an extremely rich historical and cultural heritage.
• Parque da Floresta Golf Club,
  Regional Algarve desserts – “doce fino” and “Dom Rodrigos”
• Évora, museum city of Roman origin, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage City.
• Lace embroidery (Azinhal)

Pousadas of the circuit: Sagres, Santa Clara-a-Velha, Beja

Interactive Map: South 1st Circuit

 

2nd Circuit - In the mild waters of the Alentejo

From here we set out to discover the beaches of the Costa Vicentina, and rivers and dams surrounded by stunning green countryside.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• Beaches of the Costa Vicentina, all the splendour of nature still unspoilt.
• Alcácer do Sal, region of rice fields, the best rice is produced here.
• Monsaraz, an authentic Alentejo town, one of the most charming places in Portugal.
• Alqueva, the largest artificial lake in Europe, on the River Guadiana,
  Pizões, a Roman villa, and São Cucufate,
• In the Alentejo, the most popular dishes are pork, cod and mutton.

Pousadas of the circuit: Santa Clara-a-Velha, Beja

Interactive Map: South 2nd Circuit

 

3rd Circuit - The road west

We set off from Faro en route to the westernmost town in the windward Algarve, Sagre.

Suggested Cities/Attractions:

• The island of Faro and other more isolated ones
• Monchique, home of artisans (lavender honey, strawberry-tree brandy, mountain sausages, stools and chairs …)
• Serpa – famous for its cheese and popular handicrafts
• In Sagres, as in nearly all the rest of the Algarve region, the local specialities are casseroles of fish or shellfish.
• Milreu – the most important Roman ruin in the whole of the Algarve

Pousadas of the circuit: Beja, Santa Clara-a-Velha, Sagres.

Interactive Map: South 3rd Circuit

 

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