Your Days, Your Way - Portugal by Design with Choice Touring by Globus
Video: Choice Touring by Globus
Your Days, Your Way.
Love to tour but fancy a bit more freedom? With the introduction of Choice Touring by Globus, travel enthusiasts now have a whole new way to cure their curiosity. This exciting new touring style of travel for select Europe and North America tours promises all the wonder with a touch of whim and all the fun with the infusion of flexibility.
In addition to guided sightseeing at the must-see sights, Choice Touring by Globus presents YourChoice Excursions, a selection of curated experiences in key and off-the-beaten-path destinations – included in the package price – so you can tailor your tour to your own interests and passions as you please. Nature walk? Boat cruise? Wine flight? How you roll is up to you. No added expenditures. Just a wide-ranging menu of included excursions for you to design your own discovery, pick how you play, and make your own memories.
With seven Europe Choice Touring itineraries, we invite you to choose your own “must dos” across Europe, from the Lowlands and Highlands of Scotland to the postcard-perfect scenery of Switzerland and hilltop towns of Tuscany to the seascapes of Spain.
Photo: Fado Performance in Portugal
Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon
Welcome to Lisbon! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 2: Lison - Santarem - Tomar
Lisbon: Guided sightseeing includes a photo stop at Belem Tower and the Monument to the Discoveries.
Santarem: Orientation includes the Church of the Holy Miracles.
Day 3: Tomar
Tomar: Guided sightseeing includes the Convent of Christ. YourChoice Excursions will include one of the following activities of your choice:
Taste: Tapas This!
Walk through the charming city of Tomar and be amazed by the monumental, artistic and religious buildings. Hear the secrets held by these remarkable sites, including the castle of the legendary Knights Templar. Along the way stop at three local taverns in the historical part of the city to taste local specialties.
Stroll: Wax Poetic in Portugal
Take a short drive from Tomar to the poem village of Constância. Take a stroll to visit the Parish Church, and the Camões vegetable garden. Explore the River and the Maritime Arts Museum, then board a boat to see one of Portugal's jewels of military architecture the castle of Almourol, standing tall on a small island in the middle of the river Tagus. Learn about the symbolism of Templars as you promenade your way through the castle grounds.
Photo: Traditional Portuguese Tapas
Day 4: Tomar - Dornes - Coimbra
Dornes: Orientation walk of the village and free time.
Coimbra: Visit the University. Dinner with regional specialties at a local restaurant.
Day 5: Coimbra
Coimbra: YourChoice Excursions include one of the following activities of your choice:
Clap: Fancy Some Fado?
Discover Coimbra through the ancient and winding streets of its medieval center, Savor the unique heritage of the city's confectionery culture in a region filled with monasteries and convents that created some of Portugal's most signature specialty sweets. Your walking tour arrives at a local home to enjoy the soul of Portuguese music deep in the heart of the city. Try to resist being moved by the rhythmic and soulful strains of the Fado de Coimbra!
Sip: Bubbly Below Bairrada
Discover the Bairrada region in the ancient province of Beira Litoral. Stretching along Portugal's central coastline, it is blessed with an Atlantic climate of mild and rainy winters and summer sea winds that create the perfect place for prized Portuguese wines. Discover two wine producers continuing their tradition of more than 90 years of wine-making as you visit their wine cellars to tempt your taste buds with their award-winning sparkling wine.
Day 6: Coimbra
Coimbra: YourChoice Excursions include one of the following activities of your choice:
Float: Art Nouveau in Aveiro
Take a canal cruise on the Ria de Aveiro to explore the four waterways of the city known as the Portuguese Venice. Float along the main source of Aveiro's wealth and heritage, and discover the city's heart and soul while crossing its serene water roads. Passing by the City Center, you'll discover the colorful buildings that reflect the delightful Art Nouveau movement in this city where the past and present blend to reveal a remarkable landscape! A light lunch at a local restaurant is the perfect ending to this artful adventure.
Taste: The Sweet Side of Portugal
Satisfy your sweet tooth in a tiny town halfway between Lisbon and Porto and indulge in Pastéis de Tentúgal. These irresistible thin, flaky pastries filled with rich egg custard and dusted with powdered sugar were created by the resident Carmelite nuns in the 16th century! Hear the history of Tentúgal as you learn how its favorite confection is made, while enjoying a perfectly paired glass of wine or cup of tea.
Pedal: Rolling on the River
In the morning, we will steer in direction of the sea and make a small stop at the Environmental Interpretation Centre to make a bicycle tour, that will take you to discover areas of great natural beauty, such as paddy fields, marshes, reed beds and rushes. The presence of "Rio Antuã" and "Esteiro de Salreu", connected by a network of ditches, allows communication between all habitats, explaining the high levels of biodiversity that exist.
Photo: Castle at Coimbra
Day 7: Coimbra - Mafra - Lisbon
Mafra: Orientation walk includes the Monastery.
Lisbon: Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 8: Lisbon
Your vacation ends with breakfast in the morning.