Portugal Escorted Tours 2024

Escorted tours to Portugal

Language: Portuguese
Currency: Euro
Time Zone: As per the UK
Tipping: A 5% to 10% tip is usual for restaurants if you're happy with the service, but check the bill to see if service charge has already been included. Taxi drivers don't expect a tip but a small one (about 10%) is appreciated.

It might be joined at the hip with Spain, but Portugal has it own identity thank you very much. From walled towns with dungeons and houses embedded into perilously steep cliffs to a village in the crater of a volcano, wherever you are on a Portugal escorted tour, you'll be almost guaranteed a good view. What's more, Portugal is relatively undiscovered in comparison to it's better-known neighbour, with its modest beauty all the more reason why coach holidays here are alluring.

Wherever your tour of Portugal takes you, you'll find more than port and pousadas. Travel to Oporto and North Portugal, the oldest region of the country, to sip Port in the place where it originated and set sail through the stunning Douro Valley, or visit Braga (dubbed the 'Portuguese Rome'), once home to many sanctuaries in the hillsides. Bom Jesus is fascinating, with well-kept gardens and as-far-as-the-eye-can-see views. A funicular driven by water pressure can be taken for another experience.

Explore charming Lisbon along the banks of the Tagus, where sounds of traditional Fado songs drift through the cobbled lanes, or head to the Algarve, another popular destination as the most South Western point of Europe, renowned for its mildly warm winters.

The islands are another opportunity to explore. The Azores appear to be far away tropical islands but are much closer to the UK than you may think with an average flying time of only four hours. The volcanic isles make for a peaceful retreat and if you travel at the right time, there's a unique opportunity to go whale watching. Madeira and its capital Funchal offer traditional sights, with alleyways, delicious food and cosmopolitan twist. Thanks to its popularity a few tours run to the island, allowing visitors to lust over this supermodel of the flora world with its tropical fruits, exotic flowers, gleaming parks and gardens fit for the Chelsea Flower Show.

All escorted tours to Portugal will include return flights or cruise travel, bed and breakfast accommodation at a good quality hotel, a full touring itinerary, tour and local guides to help you get the most from your trip and internal travel using an array of traditional methods. Some tours also incorporate neighbouring Spain.

Weather 

Thinking of travelling to Portugal? Check out the average temperatures for when you plan to visit courtesy of BBC Weather

 Tourist Office

To find out more about Portugal visit the official tourism website at visitportugal.com.

From history to hiking, there's plenty to do on an escorted tour of Portugal that isn't all linked to the Algarve. Here's our pick of the top few things to do:

Lisbon
Lisbon was once a springboard for explorers to discover the world, but now people come to explore the city itself with its Manueline architecture, mosaic pavements and colourful tiles adorning the front of almost every building. Tram Number 28 is a popular way of seeing the city and take visitors round the key attractions, but keep your eye on your belongings at its equally popular with pickpockets. Stop off at Lisbon's downtown on the to see the complex carvings of Jeronimos Monastery and Belem Tower, enjoy some trademark Portuguese Port or vinho verde or wander around the old quarters of Alfama, Castelo and Mouraria. Book a table at a restaurant around Bairro Alto to hear traditional Fado song waft through the balmy air.

Oporto
As the world famous home to port wine you'd be hard pushed to find a tour that visits Oporto without swinging by a port lodge to sample the region's finest produce. As well as having time at leisure to explore this attractively weathered city that nestling on a bank beside the River Duoro, visitors can set sail to see the town from another angle and the beautiful Duoro Valley.

Madeira
Madeira is an aesthetically pleasing paradise of flora and fauna, bursting with gardens and flowers. For that reason walking is big here and a number of footpaths and levadas (aqueducts) make it a great way to explore the picturesque island. Funchal is the island's focal point; Winston Churchill used to stay here, immortalising the city in some of his paintings.

Braga
Home to around 35 churches, one of which is the oldest cathedral in country, it's easy to see why Braga is known as the 'Portuguese Rome'. Manueline architecture and flower-lined walkways give it a certain charm and the main draw is Bom Jesus, a picturesque sanctuary at the top of hill affording amazing views. There are 170 Baroque steps to climb which are stunning in themselves. For a really magical view try to coincide your visit with sunset.

Tips and Advice

One of the benefits of taking an escorted tour is that you'll be in safe hands throughout your trip. However, to help you have an enjoyable holiday take a look at these useful tips and advice provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO):

Health and Travel Insurance
As with any holiday, it's advisable to check with your GP at least 8 weeks before departure to see whether any vaccinations or preventative measures are required.

Ensure that you have a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) before travelling. The GHIC isn't a substitute for travel and medical insurance, however it does entitle you to state provided medical treatment should it become necessary during your trip. The GHIC does not cover medical repatriation, on-going treatment or non-urgent medical treatment, so you should always make sure you have adequate travel insurance in addition to the EHIC and also access to funds which can cover the cost of any medical treatments and also repatriation. Most operators offer the chance to purchase travel insurance at the time of booking.

Some cases of Dengue Fever have been reported in Portugal, so avoid being bitten by mosquitos by taking insect repellent and consult with your GP before travelling.

If you do need to dial an ambulance while away call 112 and don't forget to advise your insurance company if you are referred to a medical facility.

Local Laws and Customs
 If asked by police, you must show identification. A photocopy of the data page of your passport is usually fine, although you may be asked to show the original.

Entry Requirements
If you are planning to visit Portugal, you must meet the following passport requirements.

Your passport must be:
- Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
- Valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

Please note: If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. These extra months do not count towards your passport validity.

Visas
You can travel to Portugal for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.
Please note that any previous visits you have made to the Schengen countries within the last 180 days will count towards your 90-day limit.

Passport stamping
Your passport will be stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through Portugal as a visitor. These passport stamps are used to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit in the Schengen area.

Any other nationality looking to visit Portugal should contact the local embassy to check visa requirements.