This is a wonderful exploration of the beauty, charm, and history of Portugal with a small group. You'll be immersed in the natural scenic beauty, discover the culture and long history, while enjoying high-quality hotels, delicious food and wine. You'll see castles, palaces, fortresses and points of interest, including the most westerly point of continental Europe.  We begin in the capital, Lisbon, to see the best sights and attractions of historic Lisbon, Cascais, and Sintra.  Next we drive along the Portuguese Riviera to the Silver Coast, and ultimately visit Porto, the second largest city and home of port. You will enjoy full days yet with a relaxing pace to experience the energy of this beautiful country.  Your hosts have been enjoying Portugal for over a decade -- and are delighted to share it with you.

Welcome to Lisbon - Lisbon is the oldest city in Western Europe, founded by the Phoenicians as Allis Ubbo  (Safe Harbor) over three thousand years ago (1200 BC).  

Lisbon is one of Europe’s most charming, timeless, and elegant cities. 

It is modernized while maintaining its history, very clean, and one of the safest cities in the entire world.

Today is arrival day in Lisbon. You will be met and transferred to our highly-rated hotel right in the center of the activity, restaurants, and shops. We'll take you to a Welcome lunch to meet your fellow travelers... and then begin to see the local sites.

We'll explore Rua da Prata or “Street of Silver”... archaeologists have excavated a 2,000 year-old Roman street directly underneath us, with ancient shops and cafés like what we’re enjoying right now.  Lisbon is old – a thousand years old by the time of Rome. Of course, in addition to the history - much of Lisbon is modernized.

Tonight, we'll enjoy delicious Portuguese cuisine -- everyone loves it!

You’ll enjoy the panoramic view from the top of St. George’s Castle. In Portuguese it is called Castelo de São Jorge and overlooks the city. The hill was used by indigenous Celtic tribes, then by Phoenicians Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and finally the Portuguese themselves. 

Lisbon is considered the “capital of the Portuguese Discoveries” and this monument honors the explorers.  The Tower of Belém is a key landmark of Portugal, built in the early 1500’s at the height of Portugal’s great Age of Exploration. We’ll enjoy breathtaking views along the Tagus River, across from the World Heritage Site of the Monastery of Jerónimos, one of the most magnificent buildings in Europe… and it houses the tomb of Portugal’s greatest explorer, Vasco da Gama.  It is a solemn moment to be in the presence of such epic history. 

 Then there is the incredible Museu de Marinha, or “Navy Museum” which houses original ships from Portugal’s Age of Exploration.  Now, it's time to enjoy a great Portuguese lunch and continue with our day...

 We'll see the extraordinary museum, Museu dos Coches, “Museum of the Carriages” from times when there were only horse-drawn carriages. They carried royalty and the elite in Europe. Each one has a story to tell you. These are not replicas, they are the real deal. 

We head up the coast to enjoy Cascais - the jewel of the Portuguese Riviera.  You'll see classic architecture and year-round beach goers on the pocket beaches along the famous historical Cascais-Estoril Promenade.

We drive up the coast where we can stand at Cabo da Roca, the most Westerly tip of land on Continental Europe. Then to our favorite oceanside restaurant to enjoy lunch overlooking a the surf -- afterwards we head to check in to our hotel in beautiful historic village of Sintra, a World Heritage site.

We have two full days to explore the historic village of Sintra this extraordinary village is a World Heritage Site of Sintra. We visit the magical fairy-tale Pena Palace, the hilltop summer residence of the Portuguese royalty during the 19th century.  There is a castle, a national palace, and charming shops to explore. Then we'll have dinner at a wonderful restaurant and relax.

We’re staying a classic hotel in a perfect location with a panoramic view -- walking distance to everything in the village. We can explore the Quinta da Regaleira with beautiful expansive gardens and their famous Initiation Well. Then we see the  Palace of Monserrate which has a history that goes back to 1540, and was completely renovated over the centuries to its current pristine condition. 

We drive up the Silver Coast to the historic walled city of Obidos, known as the "Wedding Present City" because it was a gift King Dinis gave to Queen Isabel on their wedding day in 1282. All of Obidos has been declared a national monument. The Medieval Castle of Obidos now encircles the modern city. It is still inhabited and has many shops, celebrations, and often Renaissance musicians playing.

 When we arrive at Coimbra, we visit Biblioteca Joanina, named after its founder, King John V of Portugal, who began construction on the library in 1717, during the onset of the Age of Enlightenment in Europe. Located at the University of Coimbra and it is among the oldest in Europe with over 70,000 volumes. 

Today we arrive in the second largest city in Portugal, Porto. It is the main city of the Northern region of Portugal and has a distinctly different type of charm than Lisbon. Porto is known for port, business, and the Douro River wine region. The city has a different vibe than Lisbon, and has more commerce. We have these two days to explore, sample and enjoy all that Porto has to offer. Here are a few highlights.

We have these two days to explore, sample and enjoy all that Porto has to offer. We must begin with learning how port is made, how it's different from wine, and then enjoy tasting various types of Port.

São Francisco Church, originally built in 1244 and expanded over centuries, is known for its lavish baroque interior with ornate gilded carvings.  The narrowest church is a sight to see, and then there's the palatial 19th-century Palácio da Bolsa, ("Palace of the Purse") formerly a stock market, was built to impress potential European investors.  

 We head south toward the Lisbon area and overnight in Cascais for a relaxing afternoon. We’ll have our Farewell Dinner tonight.  By now you will have fallen in love with Portugal.  Tomorrow you'll be driven to the airport at the time for your flight.

Dr. Jack Wheeler, called the “real life Indiana Jones” by the Wall Street Journal has traveled to all 193 countries on all seven continents. He’s had two parallel careers: one in adventure and exploration with Wheeler Expeditions; the other in the field of geopolitics. He received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Southern California, focusing on Aristotelian ethics.  His adventures began early. The youngest Eagle Scout at age 12, climbed the Matterhorn at age 14, swam the Hellespont at 16,  live with Amazon headhunters at 16, hunted a man-eating tiger in Vietnam at 17, and started an export business in Vietnam at 19. He wrote The Adventurer’s Guide (New York: Mackay, 1975), described by Merv Griffin as “the definitive book for anyone wishing to lead a more adventurous and exciting life.” He has three “first contacts” with tribes never before contacted by the outside world: a clan of Aushiri in the Amazon, the Wali-ali-fo in New Guinea, and a band of Bushmen in the Kalahari. He retraced Hannibal’s route over the Alps with elephants; led numerous expeditions in Central Asia, China, Tibet, Africa, the Amazon and elsewhere, including 21 expeditions to the North Pole; and has been listed in The Guinness Book of World Records for the first free fall sky-dive in history at the North Pole. His company has conducted exclusive expeditions to dozens of countries across the globe. Jack continues to design bespoke expeditions each year to unusual destinations. On a personal note, in the early 80’s he married Ms. Rebel Holiday in St Tropez, France, and their two grown sons are also living adventurous lives and leading expeditions: Brandon Holiday Wheeler and Jackson Holiday Wheeler.  Rebel Holiday has traveled to 87 countries and has co-led expeditions for 3 decades. She has lived in 5 countries, speaks three languages (English, Spanish, and Portuguese.) She's involved in business and the arts. Wherever she goes in the world, Rebel is most interested in people and cultures. She is passionate about cuisine. She currently enjoys sharing the beauty of the world.