Tour Itinerary 

Fully detailed daily itineraries are available only to registered tour participants

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Days 1, 2 based in Porto                   

The program starts Wednesday, September 25 in Porto at Hotel Vincci Porto, a modern, centrally located hotel in the emblematic and beautifully refurbished historic Fish Market building. Enjoy the lovely Rooftop Terrace with a spectacular view of the Douro River.

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NOTE: Registrants have the option to arrive a day early to acclimatize to the time change and/or to visit additional sites in Porto on their own. A number of rooms have been pre-booked at a discounted rate for this night. To book one of these rooms contact Culture Viewfinder before June 30  to avoid disappointment. email info@cultureviewfinder.com

 

Day 1   Central Porto                                                                         D

The tour kicks off at 1:00pm with a meet and greet at the hotel's Rooftop Terrace, where we also meet our guide and distribute the Whispers Sound System. Depart via trolley ride to the historic district for an Introduction to Porto walking tour , Whispers Sound System provided and returned to guide post-tour.

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The tour then moves uptown to the Bolhau District via taxi/uber where we meet industrial designer Gabriel Tan at his studio to learn the background behind his Origin Series works, before walking for a quick peek into the nearby historic Bolhau Market enroute to the Mantegaria Porto for a not-to-be missed famous Nata custard tart pit-stop.

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Return to the hotel via taxi/uber to refresh before gathering in the hotel lobby at 4:15pm

Depart via taxi/uber at 4:30 sharp for a tour of Graham’s Lodge followed by a Port Wine Tasting at Graham’s Cellars located across the Douro River in Vila Nova de Gaia, the historic home of Porto's famed Port purveyors.

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The evening is capped with a Welcome Dinner at the acclaimed Vinum Restaurant on site at Graham's Lodge.

Return to the hotel via taxi/uber.

 

Day 2 Leça da Palmeira Coast and Matosinhos              BLD

Breakfast at the hotel                                                                 

Please have all luggage packed and deposited at reception before breakfast.

Depart by coach at 9:15am for the Leça da Palmeira coast north of Porto.

The day starts with a guided tour of the Boa Nova Casa da Chá (Tea House), an iconic early work by Alvaro Siza Vieria, Portugal’s most renowned architect, followed by a brief tour of Siza's Tidal Pools. Then on to the renowned Matosinhos Port for a fresh fish and seafood lunch extraordinaire.

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Coach will depart directly after lunch for the Serralves Museum, considered amongst the top ten contemporary art museums in the world. After brief guided introduction to the history of the museum and the current featured exhibitions, grab a map of the 10 acre site and enjoy a 2 hour self-directed tour of the museum, the sculpture gardens, The Pink House, Museum shop, and the grounds.

Meet the coach at the appointed time at the museum entry gates as the tour moves out of town to our next destination.

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Arrive in Guimaraes  (1 hour north-east of Porto), known for its historic textile and shoe manufacturing and home to Contextile, an outstanding International Textile   Biennale featuring contemporary textile exhibitions, workshops, and commissioned public artworks--hosted at multiple venues across the city's central district.

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Settle into the hotel and relax before dinner.

Tomorrow will be dedicated at the Biennale. 

Dinner close-by the hotel (TBA).

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Day 3    Guimaraes                                                                            BL

Breakfast at the hotel

10:00am Start the day at the Biennale's International Juried Exhibition, where you will also receive your Biennale Passport (pass providing entry to all exhibits and site map), if you have time after this large exhibit, visit the nearby student exhibit before meeting for lunch (appointed time and restaurant TBA).

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After lunch enjoy a Self-Directed afternoon to visit Biennale exhibitions or explore the town, followed by a Free-Time dinner.

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Day 4

Biennale (am), pm depart for Serra da Estrela  BLD

Breakfast at the hotel

Please have all luggage packed and deposited at reception before breakfast.

Free-time morning: attend an additional Biennale exhibition or a workshop

Meet for lunch at appointed time/restaurant, prior to coach departing for the Serra da Estrela Mountains. 

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Our destination is a picturesque mountain town, home to an innovative textile factory and two boutique hotels founded by creative entrepreneurs who saved the historic factory from shuttering and rejuvenated the town by attracting a young workforce, which in turn has allowed the primary school and hospital to be maintained. The Serra da Estrela mountains are the highest elevation in Portugal and include a National Park and unusual rock formations making it a remarkable national landmark.

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Our hotel for two nights is a 5* Panoramic Spa Hotel perched several thousand feet above the town. We  settle into our rooms in time for Afternoon Tea (Self-serve daily 4:30 -6:00pm). Relax with a swim in the indoor/outdoor pool + sauna, on the patio, or in the lounge (included), or book a SPA treatment (must be pre-booked by July 12, additional cost required).

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8:30 Dinner in the excellent hotel restaurant.

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Day 5, Serra da Estrela                                                                BDL

In contrast to the hectic pace of Porto and Guimaraes, we take some time to discover the factory in town and the surrounding mountains at a more leisurely pace. 

Breakfast at the hotel

Coach departs at 9:30am descending into the town for a tour of the textile factory, followed by a brief visit to the factory shop.

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Enroute to lunch we stop briefly at a fascinating ancient stone house close by our lunch destination.

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Lunch will be casual (soup, salads, sandwiches) at a well-appointed ski lodge, the second hotel property owned by our creative couple. 

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Afternoon Options:

Participate in a 1.5-2 hour medium-level hike exploring the national park from the ski-lodge, lead by one of the hotel staff members (included), or return to the hotel for an afternoon of R+R at the hotel--swim/sauna (included), or a pre-booked spa treatment and/or drinks in the lounge (additional cost). The bus will return to collect the hikers at the ski-hotel in time for Tea at the Panoramic Hotel.

Self serve Afternoon Tea.

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8:00pm Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

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Day 6 Southbound to Alentejo and Lisbon                        BLD

Breakfast at the hotel

Please have all luggage packed and deposited at reception before breakfast.

Coach departs early (8:30am) to Alentejo province, Portugal's 'Breadbasket', abundant with Cork Oak trees, excellent wine and exemplary cultural attractions. Our destination is an incredible organic and sustainable winery for a tour and tasting, followed by lunch in their beautiful Michelin listed restaurant.

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In the afternoon explore some of the history and cultural destinations of the main town nearby. The tour visits the local Decorative Arts Museum (entry included), then the bus will deposit everyone at a lovely cultural square which will be the stepping off point for 90  minutes of free-time to visit the adjacent small Roman Ruin, the Miradouro (scenic photo-op) and/or a selection contemporary museums clustered near the square (entry fees not included).

 

Rather than stopping for a single overnight stay, the tour will continue on to Lisbon for a 4-night stay at the Double Tree by Hilton-Fontana Park. DoubleTree is Hilton’s boutique hotel brand in Europe, featuring bright public spaces and a modern vibe.

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Free-time Dinner

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Day 7 Lisbon                                                                                      BL

Breakfast at the hotel

9:00am Meet our guide in the hotel lobby and distribute the Whispers Sound System.

Coach departs at 9:15am for the Rossio District for the   Introduction to Lisbon walking tour. Whispers Sound System returned to guide post-tour.

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The coach will depart for a 90minute visit to the National Tile Museum, a four-storey gem filled with historic and contemporary exhibitions, followed by lunch at the acclaimed museum restaurant featuring regional Portuguese cuisine.

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Coach returns to central Lisbon to visit the flagship store of A Vida Portuguesa (A Portuguese Life), as well as their new concept store DEPOZITO (Deposit) a collaborations between A Vida Portuguesa and Portugal Manual, a crafts co-operative. Meet the lead buyer and learn about the creation of this unusual company and their innovative initiatives to raise awareness of historic Portuguese designers, Brands, and fine craft that have rejuvenated numerous industries and created programs for the transmission of disappearing heritage craft skills to a new generation. 

 

Options:

Free-time afternoon and dinner to explore Lisbon neighbourhoods, sights, shops and restaurants of your choice.

OR before you go....

Join the tour leaders for a visit to Jardim Bordallo Pineiro, an homage to Portugal's legendary wild and fanciful early 20th Century ceramics artist. Note: This garden was sponsored by La Vida Portuguesa.

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Day 8 Lisbon                                                                                      BL

Breakfast at the hotel

9:30am departure by taxi/uber (coaches are not permitted in the historical Alfama District), to a former Palace, now Decorative Arts Foundation, for a tour of their unique artisan workshops specializing in the finest 16th Century woodworking, marquetry, decorative metal, textiles and bookbinding techniques.

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Afterwards, take advantage of the Miradouro--scenic photo-op across the street before we depart by taxi/uber for our private lunch at Taberna Sal Grosso (Course Salt).

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Taxi a short distance to the private studio of internationally acclaimed glass and furniture designer Emmanuel Babled, where we will meet the designer, view his work and hear about his latest project in Tanzania. Two floors up the designer has personally funded a design incubator for new design businesses utilizing historic Portuguese materials and techniques.

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Pit Stop right downstairs at the incredible Gelato Therapy

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Free-time for the balance of the afternoon and dinner. 

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DINNER NOTE: the tour leaders will be at TIME-OUT Mercado Ribeira--the first and best of Lisbon's food halls featuring stalls by many of Lisbon’s finest chefs and unique shops. We will grab a table with shared seating. Tour members are welcome to drop by and join us while they peruse the market stall's for drinks, snacks, or dinner. Alternatively upstairs there is a classic Portuguese restaurant Pap Açorda with table service OR venture by taxi east along the river where there are numerous seafood restaurants. 

The Mercado is steps away from Lisbon's only architectural bookstore, as well as EDP Headquarters (Portugal's Electricity Utility) designed by Aires Mateus Arquitectos and well worth a visit. 

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Day 9                                                                                                   BLD

Breakfast at the hotel

Depart 9:30 by coach for the iconic Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum and Gardens, two museum buildings and 10 acres of gardens. The original museum building--Portugal's first modernist building, completed in 1969 by a trio of architects (Ruy D'Athougia, Alberto Pessoa and Pedro Cid)--houses  permanent displays of Gulbenkian's extensive personal collection of historic near and middle eastern textiles and ceramics, as well as 19th/20th Century art and furnishings and excellent international temporary exhibitions.

Culture Viewfinder has been invited by a Senior Curator at the museum to bring this tour group for a rare and exclusive visit to the museum's Textile Vault.  

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We then change gears and head  to the hilltop neighbourhood of Principe Real with 45 minutes free time to explore Rua Dom Pedro I--take in the shops or chill in the park with a coffee or a cool drink, before meeting under the giant Juniper Tree in the park to begin our descent by foot through the narrow streets towards the hip districts of Bairro Alto and Chiado. Our lunch destination The Taberna at chef José Avillez’s fantastic Bairrio do Avilliez (part food market, part multi-resto complex) located along our walking route.

 

After lunch our descent on foot continues downhill with a short tour of architect Alvaro Siza Vieira’s creative urban redesign (responsible for saving a significant section of Chiado destroyed by fire in the 1980’s), which ends at the landmark Elevador Santa Justa.

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Free-time for the balance of the afternoon. 

**Options: follow the Culture Viewfinder guide to Chiado and Baixa design shops and galleries, or head off on your own.

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Meet in the hotel lobby at 7:30pm to taxi/uber to our 8:00pm Farewell Dinner at a charming, intimate restaurant, tucked away in Bairro Alto District.

Group Photos

Free-time evening or return to the hotel by taxi/uber.

Note: the restaurant is only few short blocks away from Mantegaria Lisbon (famous Nata custard tarts) and/or the Rooftop Terrace (cocktails) at the Bairro Alto Hotel.

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Day 10                                                                                                       B

Breakfast at the hotel

independent check-out and departure (tour commitment ends).

 

 

 

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Day 3                                                                                                      BL

Breakfast at the hotel

Depart 9:30 by coach for the iconic Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum and Gardens, two museum buildings--1 housing Gulbenkian's personal collection of historic near and middle eastern textiles, ceramics and furnishings, and temporary exhibitions, the second featuring outstanding contemporary exhibitions (visit approximately 2 hours). 

We then change gears and head  to the hilltop neighbourhood of Principe Real with 45 minutes free time to explore Rua Dom Pedro I--take in the shops or chill in the park with a coffee or a cool drink, before meeting under the giant Juniper Tree in the park to begin our descent by foot through the narrow streets towards the hip districts of Bairro Alto and Chiado. Our lunch destination The Taberna at chef José Avillez’s fantastic Bairrio do Avilliez (part food market, part multi-resto complex) is located along our walking route. 

After lunch our descent on foot continues with a short tour downhill to the hidden gem of architect Alvaro Siza Vieira’s creative urban redesign (responsible for saving a significant section of Chiado destroyed by fire in the 1980’s), which ends at the landmark Elevador Santa Justa.

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The balance of the day and evening are Free-Time.

**Options: follow the Culture Viewfinder guide to Chiado design shops and galleries, or head off on your own.

Perhaps this is a good night take in a FADO performance. CV can book for a group in advance or provide a short list of FADO spots and you can take your chances. (additional cost).

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Day 4                                                                                                   BLD

Early Breakfast at the hotel

Bus departs early (8:15) to Alentejo province, Portugal's 'Breadbasket', abundant with Cork Oak trees, excellent wine and exemplary cultural attractions. Our first destination is an incredible organic and sustainable winery for a tour and tasting, followed by lunch in their beautiful Michelin listed restaurant. Next is a 2-hour stopover exploring the history and cultural destinations of the main town nearby. The tour will officially visit the quaint Decorative Arts Museum (entry fee included), however a free-time option is available to visit an adjacent area which features a small Roman Ruin and several other contemporary museums (entry fees not included). The  Bus will depart at at an appointed time and location to take us to our lovely Pousada hotel on the outskirts of town. Time to relax, swim, walk the grounds. Dinner at 8:00pm in the hotel dining room. 

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Day 5 Departure to Serra d-Estrela                                   BLD

Please have all luggage packed and deposited at reception before breakfast.

Bus departs post breakfast at 9:00am, heading north towards our destination in Serra d-Estrela (mountains and national park). 

A casual lunch and washroom stops enroute will punctuate the trip. The quality of Rest Stops vary, however at the very least, all offer hot drinks and fresh squeezed orange juice (not included). Water bottles and fruit will be available on the bus.

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Our destination is a picturesque mountain town, home to an innovative design studio, textile factory and two boutique hotels founded by creative entrepreneurs who saved the historic factory from shuttering and rejuvenated the town with a young workforce, increasing the population and saving the primary school and hospital. The Serra da Estrela mountains are the highest elevation in Portugal and include a National Park and unusual rock formations making it a remarkable national landmark.

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Our hotel for two nights is a 5* Panoramic Spa Hotel perched several thousand feet above the town. We  settle into our rooms before Tea which is provided in the late afternoon. Relax with a swim in the indoor/outdoor pool + sauna, on the patio, or lounge (included), or book a variety of SPA treatments (additional cost).

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8:30 Dinner in the excellent hotel restaurant.

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Day 6, Spend the day in an around the town.                  BDL

In contrast to the hectic pace in Lisbon we take some time to enjoy the town and the surrounding mountains. 

Breakfast at the hotel

Coach departs at 9:30 as we descend into the town for a tour of the textile factory, followed by a brief visit to the factory shop.

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Lunch will be casual (soup, salads, sandwiches) at a well-appointed ski lodge, the second hotel property owned by our creative couple. 

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Just outside the ski hotel gates is a fascinating ancient stone house, which we will briefly visit prior to lunch.

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Post-Lunch Options:

Return to the hotel for an afternoon of R+R, or 

participate in a 1.5-2 hour medium-level hike exploring the national park and mountain with one of the ski-hotel staff. The bus will return to collect hikers at the ski-hotel in time for Tea at the Panoramic Hotel

Self serve Tea.

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8:00pm Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

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Day 7 on to Porto                                                                             BL

Please have all luggage packed and deposited at reception before breakfast.

Depart by coach at 9:00am.

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Arrival in Porto for an introductory guided walking tour of the Central Historic District.

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Lunch in central Porto TBA.

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Continue on to the hotel, check into the Vincci Hotel Porto a lovely, light and modern hotel, in a renovated Fish Plant, with a wonderful rooftop terrace bar, located across the trolley tracks from the Douro River, beside the historic Trolley Museum and below the extensive Crystal Palace Park.

Free-time Dinner. Access to the historic district is a short Trolley Ride away--hold onto your hat. The drivers are determined to get you there in record time!, or via Taxi or Uber.

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Day 8 Leça da Palmeira Coast and Matosinhos                BL

Breakfast at the hotel

Depart by coach at 9:15am for the Leça da Palmeira coast.

A day north of Porto, starting with a guided tour of the Boa Nova Casa da Chá (Tea House), an iconic early work by Alvaro Siza Vieria, Portugal’s most renowned architect, then a very brief stop at Siza's Tidal Pools, followed by a visit to the Casa da Arquitectura, the new centre for architecture located in an arts compound within a repurposed winery and its warehouses. After a short introduction to the centre, you can choose to visit the key architecture exhibit on display, or a Porto Design Biennale exhibit within the compound. The centre shop also features, objects, books and prints by architects.

 

We return to the famous Matosinhos Port for a fresh fish and seafood lunch extraordinaire, before returning to Porto for a Free-time afternoon and dinner. 

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Day 9 Porto                                                                                      BLD

Coach departs at 9:30 am for the Serralves Museum, considered amongst the top ten contemporary art museums in the world. Brief guided introduction to the history of the museum, the current featured exhibitions and a map of the 10 acre site. 2 hours are allotted to tour the museum, the sculpture gardens, The Pink House,  and the grounds.

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Coach departs at 12:15 for lunch at the charming, mostly plant forward  Essência Restaurant.

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The coach takes us back toward central Porto to the district of Bolhão where we visit the studio of industrial designer Gabriel Tan.

Then either take a leisurely walk with the tour leaders to the rebuilt historic Bolhau Market and a Pit-Stop at Mantagaria Porto for one of their magical custard tarts and shot of Port (not included), or enjoy a short Free-Time afternoon.

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Meet in the hotel lobby at 4:15pm

The bus departs at 4:30 sharp for a tour of Graham’s Lodge followed by a Port Wine Tasting at Graham’s Cellars located across the Douro River in Vila Nova de Gaia the location of all of Porto's famed historic Port purveyors.

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The evening is capped with a Farewell Dinner at the acclaimed Vinum Restaurant on site at Graham's Lodge.

Group Pictures

Return to the hotel via uber or taxi.

 

Day 10                                                                                                       B

Saturday, September 17

Breakfast at the hotel, independent check-out and departure (tour commitment ends).

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Those continuing on to the Douro Valley Option will depart by coach after breakfast at 8:30am

see the 2023 Wine Architecture and Gastronomy itinerary.

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NOTE: Registrants have the option to arrive a day early to acclimatize to the time change and/or to visit additional sites in Lisbon on their own. A discounted rate for this additional night is available).