This is one private circuit through Portugal, built from the tours we already run and joined together, so you keep the same vehicle and the same driver-guide on every tour day. You choose the length: 7 days cover Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, the Douro Valley, Fátima and the Algarve, 10 days add Évora and Monsaraz and two free days, and 12 days add a free day in Porto and a day in Arrábida and Azeitão.
Every option starts with our 2 day Lisbon and Sintra tour, continues north to Porto and the Douro Valley, returns to Lisbon via Fátima, and ends in the Algarve with the Benagil sea caves. The longer options add Évora and Monsaraz, Arrábida and Azeitão and free days. Some options include free days, so you can rest, walk at your own pace or simply stay where you are.
The vehicle is just for your group, air-conditioned, with Wi-Fi on board, and its size depends on how many you are. We take up to 21 people, in up to three vehicles, each with its own driver-guide. We collect you anywhere in Lisbon, or at the airport, on the first day.
Trip Highlights at a Glance
- 3 options, 7, 10 or 12 days, all starting in Lisbon
- The same driver-guide and vehicle on every tour day
- Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, the Douro Valley, Fátima and the Algarve, plus Évora, Arrábida and free days in the longer options
- For 2 to 21 people, in up to three vehicles
- Airport transfer the day before or after the tour is our gift
Duca has run private tours in Portugal since 2003, and our driver-guides know these roads and stops well.
Itinerary
Lisbon and Sintra
Lisbon
We collect you anywhere in Lisbon, or at the airport, and start in Belém, with the Manueline landmarks and the Monument to the Discoveries on the riverfront. We drive up to Cristo Rei, across the river, for the view over the city. Back in the centre, your driver-guide walks you through the ruins of the Carmo Convent and the streets of Chiado, down to Praça do Comércio. The day ends with sunset at Nossa Senhora do Monte, the highest viewpoint in Lisbon.
Sintra and the coast
Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle and Quinta da Regaleira with its Initiatic Well. We stop in the village for local pastries, then drive to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, and follow the Atlantic coast to Boca do Inferno and Cascais. Entrance and a guided visit to one Sintra monument of your choice are included, most often Pena Palace.
Porto, the Douro Valley and Fátima
Lisbon to Porto via Óbidos, Nazaré and Alcobaça
We head north to Óbidos, a walled medieval town you explore on foot, then to Nazaré and the Sítio viewpoint over the beach, and to the Monastery of Alcobaça, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where we visit the church. We reach Porto in the late afternoon and leave you at your hotel. Overnight in Porto.
Free day in Porto (12 day option)
No driving and no plan. We are glad to suggest places if you ask. Overnight in Porto.
The Douro Valley
We drive east from Porto into the Douro Valley, with terraced vineyards on both banks. A wine tasting at a quinta, looking over the vineyards and the river, then a river cruise among the vineyards, and a wine tasting and an olive oil tasting at a second quinta. We drive back to Porto for the night.
Porto, Fátima and back to Lisbon
A morning of guided sightseeing in Porto: the Ribeira district, the Dom Luís I Bridge and the historic centre, a river cruise under the city's bridges and a Port wine tasting in a traditional cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia. In the afternoon we drive south with a stop at the Sanctuary of Fátima, with the esplanade, the Chapel of Apparitions and both basilicas, all free to enter. We reach Lisbon in the early evening.
Évora and Monsaraz (10 and 12 day options)
Évora and Monsaraz
A full day of about 10 hours. A cork factory, a traditional pottery village, Évora (a UNESCO World Heritage city) with the Roman Temple, the Medieval Cathedral and the Chapel of Bones, and Monsaraz, a fortified hilltop village over the Alqueva lake. Entrance to the Chapel of Bones is included; the Cathedral is inexpensive and paid on site. The order of the stops can change on the day.
Arrábida and Azeitão (12 day option)
Arrábida and Azeitão
A winery visit in Azeitão with a tasting of 3 wines, a stop in the Arrábida Natural Park for the views over Tróia and Comporta, and a stop in Setúbal. We stop for lunch, not included. About 6 hours 30 minutes. The minimum age for this day is 18, because of the wine tasting.
The Algarve
Lisbon to the eastern Algarve
About three hours on the road to Vila Real de Santo António, then the beach at Altura, the village of Cacela Velha and the old town of Faro. Overnight on the coast.
Algarve cliffs, Benagil caves and back to Lisbon
We start with a walk along the Seven Hanging Valleys cliffs at Algar Seco, stop in Carvoeiro and board the boat in Portimão for the trip to the Benagil sea caves (75 to 90 minutes, shared boat). Then Praia da Rocha, Ponta da Piedade near Lagos and Dona Ana beach, before the drive back to Lisbon, by the motorway or the slower west coast road.
Free day in the Algarve (10 and 12 day options)
A day without driving, with the coast on your doorstep. Overnight in the Algarve.
Free day in Lisbon (10 and 12 day options)
Free day in Lisbon
A day without driving. Lisbon has plenty to do on foot, and we are glad to suggest places if you ask.
What's included?
- Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle on every tour day, sized to your group
- The same dedicated driver-guide on every tour day (not guaranteed for airport transfers)
- Bottled water
- Wi-Fi on board
- Insurance required by the Portuguese Tourism Board
- Entrance and a guided visit to one Sintra monument of your choice
- Only on the days they appear: two river cruises, three wine tastings and one olive oil tasting in Porto and the Douro Valley; entrance to the Chapel of Bones in Évora; a shared boat trip to the Benagil caves; a 3 wine tasting in Azeitão
- The driver-guide's overnight stay and meals on the nights away from Lisbon
Exclusions
- Hotels and accommodation for the participants
- Meals and drinks for the participants, except the tastings listed above
- Entrance tickets other than the ones listed
- Airport pickup and drop-off on the days of the tour
Please note
Pickup on the first day is anywhere in Lisbon or at the airport. Please send us the pickup address after booking. The vehicle is not wheelchair or stroller accessible, and not set up for pets. The experiences on the tour, such as the boat trip to the Benagil caves, are shared with other travelers. A private version costs extra, for example a private boat to the Benagil caves, and can be requested when you book. Boat trips depend on sea conditions. The vehicle and driver-guide stay private to your group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which option should I choose?
The 7 day option covers Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, the Douro Valley, Fátima and the Algarve with the Benagil caves, and has no free days. The 10 day option adds Évora and Monsaraz and two free days. The 12 day option adds a free day in Porto and a day in Arrábida and Azeitão. If you are unsure, write to us with your dates and what matters most to you and we will suggest one.
Can I change the route or the length?
Yes. These are the three options we offer online. If you would like another length, a day in Seville or fewer free days, write to us and we will send you a quote.
Is the same driver-guide with us for the whole circuit?
Yes, on every tour day you have the same driver-guide and the same vehicle. This is not guaranteed on airport transfers.
Are airport transfers included?
No, airport pickup and drop-off are not part of the tour days. If you land the day before the first day of the tour, or leave the day after the last day, the airport transfer is our gift.
Are hotels and meals included?
No. Hotels, and meals and drinks for you and your group, are not included, except the tastings listed in the itinerary. The driver-guide's overnight stays and meals on the nights away from Lisbon are already in the price.
How many people can travel together?
From 2 to 21 people. Up to 7 people travel in one vehicle, 8 to 14 in two vehicles and 15 to 21 in three vehicles, each with its own driver-guide.
How much does it cost?
The price is per person and depends on the option and on the size of the group. The price is per person and depends on the option and on the size of your group. The Price from box next to the description shows the starting price for each option, and the Book now calendar shows the exact total for your group before you pay.
What happens on a free day?
There is no driving and no plan. You can rest, walk at your own pace or stay where you are, and we are glad to suggest places if you ask.
Is there an age limit?
The Arrábida and Azeitão day in the 12 day option includes a wine tasting, so the minimum age for that day is 18. Infants can't travel on laps, so please tell us the ages when you book and we will have a seat ready.
