Discover Northern Portugal - Premium Adventure

Name: Discover Northern Portugal - Premium Adventure
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.9 (7 reviews)

7 reviews

Activity

Culture

Overview

From Aveiro to Porto: Explore the scenic landscapes and cultural highlights of the North of Portugal

Discover all that’s great about northern Portugal: the scenic waterways of the Ria de Aveiro, salt flats of Figueira da Foz, wines of the Douro Valley and Dão, and timeless majesty of Porto. Scenic tours by train and traditional moliceiro boat allow us to see the region from a different angle, while staying in a Premium hotel each night makes the trip extra special.

Key Information

Trip Code: ADN
Ways to Travel: Guided Group, Premium Adventures
Countries: Portugal
Carbon Footprint: 32.8kg CO2e per person per day

What's Included

All breakfasts, four lunches, four dinners and two wine tastings
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Expert tour leader, chosen for their experience and great customer feedback
Group arrival transfer available, departure transfers for any flight
Tipping for all hotel staff, local staff and drivers

Highlights

Experience North Portugal’s highlights: wine culture, stunning landscapes and superb cuisine
Cruise the Ria de Aveiro on a traditional moliceiro
Explore two Portuguese wine regions: the Douro valley and Dão
Join a marnoto
Take a scenic train ride through the Douro Valley to Pinhão
Finish in historic Porto with a guided walking tour

Itinerary

Discover Northern Portugal – Premium Adventure

First Destination: Aveiro
Next Destination: Porto

Meals included:Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Aveiro
Next Destination: Porto

Begin your adventure in coastal Aveiro, which is known as the Portuguese Venice for the network of canals that criss-cross the city. If you have a bit of time to spare, you can make use of the indoor swimming pool at the hotel.

Around 6pm, say olá to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big Portuguese welcome by arranging a group dinner together.

Want to explore further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Premium accommodation: Hotel Meliá Ria
Upgrade to a premium room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals included:Dinner

Transfer (approximately 40 minutes) to the Cais do Bico quay this morning. Here, we board a moliceiro, a traditional gondola-style boat, for a scenic two-hour cruise, exploring the channels and islands of the Ria de Aveiro, while learning about the region’s history and culture.

Arriving in Ovar, we disembark for lunch before a guided walking tour. Ovar is known as the City of Tiles, with many of the 19^th– and 20^th-century public buildings decorated in azulejo tiles. We follow the Azulejo Route for around 1mi (1.5km), exploring the historic streets at a gentle pace.

We then visit a pão de ló workshop, indulging in a culinary treasure as we sample the famous Portuguese sponge cake and see how it’s made. We then transfer (30 minutes) back to the hotel in Aveiro.

Premium accommodation: Hotel Meliá Ria
Upgrade to a premium room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Take a one-hour transfer to the city of Figueira da Foz this morning, where we visit the salt flats for a guided visit led by a marnoto (salt harvester) who shares the traditional methods of saliculture (salt production). Their ancestral techniques, which date to the 12^th century, are entirely done by hand and are differentiated according to the environmental conditions.

We then have a relaxing picnic lunch at an old farmhouse, now converted into a charming space with a wood-fired oven. It will be a light lunch where salt and flor de sal feature prominently, along with regional specialties from Figueira da Foz. After, we transfer (approximately 1hr 30min) to Viseu. You have the rest of the afternoon to unwind in the hotel pool and spa or explore this beautiful hilltop city.

Premium accommodation: Montebelo Viseu Congress Hotel & Spa
Upgrade to a superior room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Embark on a guided tour of Viseu this morning. Our 1hr 30min to two-hour tour takes in the highlights of the city, from the impressive Viseu Cathedral to the Solar do Vinho do Dão, the headquarters of the Dão Regional Wine Commission.

We then transfer (35 minutes) to Quinta Da Comenda, a farm that has been growing produce without synthetic pesticide or any chemical fertilisers since 1987. The quinta is a historic agro-vinicultural farm with roots that date to before the foundation of the country, as it belonged to D. Teresa, the mother of Portugal’s first king, D. Afonso Henriques.

Here we take a guided tour of the farm with the owners, before a picnic lunch of local delicacies and a wine tasting. After, we return to the hotel in Viseu, where we have the rest of the day free to explore.

Premium accommodation: Montebelo Viseu Congress Hotel & Spa
Upgrade to a superior room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Bid farewell to Viseu this morning and transfer (one hour) to the Douro, one of Portugal’s great wine-making regions. We head straight to the Douro Museum, which showcases the history of wine production in the region from a converted wine warehouse.

After Régua, we board a train to Pinhão where we have free time for lunch. It’s a scenic journey alongside the Douro River, where carefully cultivated slopes leading to the river are striped with terraced vineyards. We also see historic wine estates and grand manors. In Pinhão there is the option of a boat ride (additional cost) or a walk along the river.

Following a transfer (45 minutes) to the hotel, we have a dinner of Douro specialities.

Premium accommodation: Lamego Hotel & Life
Upgrade to a superior room with a valley view – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

We explore Lamego today, a small yet historic town in the Alto Douro region. Here, we tour the highlights, including Lamego Castle, the magnificent 12^th-century cathedral, and the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Sanctuary – an ornate two-spired church at the top of a baroque staircase with 686 steps.

After, we visit the village of Raposeira for a light lunch and wine tasting. We then have the rest of the afternoon free to enjoy the hotel facilities.

Premium accommodation: Lamego Hotel & Life
Upgrade to a superior room with a valley view – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

We transfer (1hr 45min) this morning to Porto, where take a guided tour of the historic centre. Our adventure takes us to the highlights, from the grand São Bento Station to the double-deck Luís I Bridge over the Douro River.

After lunch, we head to our hotel to check-in and then have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the city. There are various options you can choose, including a boat tour along the river, a visit to the Palácio da Bolsa, or a coffee at the Majestic Café, a Belle Époque establishment that opened in 1922.

At 7pm, we have a farewell dinner, an excellent chance to enjoy more great food and relive some of the adventures we’ve had together.

Premium accommodation: Moon & Sun Porto

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

The trip draws to end this morning, and the tour leader is available to provide recommendations if you have planned to extend your stay in Porto. If you’d like more time in this fascinating city, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, dates that suit you, 24-hour support, loyalty discounts, and peace of mind for delays or disruption.

Call us on 1 844 260 1517

Book Your Flights With Us

Window or aisle? Premium seat with extra legroom? Adding a stopover en route? We’ll sort the flights that fit your plans. With access to thousands of routes - major airlines and regional gems alike, we’ll help you fly from your preferred airport, at times that suit you. Secure your flights and trip together and enjoy peace of mind knowing everything's organized with one team here to help if plans change.

View Details

Accommodation

Premium hotels

Enjoy a selection of superb hotels on this Premium Adventure through northern Portugal, each selected for their style, location and excellent service.

Upgrade your room on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the itinerary – speak to your sales representative for more details.

Aveiro: Hotel Meliá Ria (nights 1-2)

Discover Northern Portugal – Premium Adventure

Begin the adventure at the waterside Meliá Ria in Averio. This Premium hotel has contemporary rooms, plus a modern Mediterranean restaurant with river views and bar serving cocktails. There’s also an indoor swimming pool for a quick dip, plus a spa and health club if you really want to treat yourself.

Viseu: Montebelo Viseu Congress Hotel & Spa (nights 3-4)

Discover Northern Portugal – Premium Adventure

Enjoy a five-star stay at this contemporary Montebelo hotel.There’s an outdoor swimming pool with views over the mountains, plus a restaurant-bar serving regional and international dishes. There’s also a wellness club with two heated indoor pools, one with hydromassage and waterfalls, plus two gyms.

Douro: Lamego Hotel & Life (nights 5-6)

Discover Northern Portugal – Premium Adventure

Occupying a hillside spot in the Douro Valley, the Lamego Hotel & Life offers plenty of scenic vistas, plus an orchard, vineyard and seasonal pool. The food menu at O Comendador is inspired by the travels of the estate founder 100 years ago, while 1926 Bar serves local wines, regional tapas and signature cocktails.

Porto: Moon & Sun Porto (night 7)

Discover Northern Portugal – Premium Adventure

Right next to the beaux arts buildings of Avenida dos Aliados, the Moon & Sun occupies an excellent position for exploring Porto. Head to the rooftop for views over the city, but make sure to visit the bar to pick up a cocktail first.

Worth knowing

The accommodation shown has been booked and agreed in advance; however, we may need to make changes to a property of similar or higher standard after you have booked. We endeavour to inform you of any changes in advance, which could, on rare occasions, be at late notice.

Essential Information

This trip is rated Activity Level 1 (Easy). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Walking: Although this itinerary is mostly based on sightseeing, please prepare for a reasonable amount of walking between sites. Walks involve some steep climbs and the ground can be uneven underfoot, with cobblestones commonplace in Portugal.

Weather: Portugal can reach the high 30Cs (around 100F) in summer.

Key information

Start hotel: Hotel Meliá Ria Hotel & Spa, Cais da Fonte Nova 5, 3810-200 Aveiro, Portugal
Phone: +351 234 401 000
Recommended arrival time: Welcome meeting and main briefing is at 6pm in the hotel reception
Airport: Porto Airport (OPO)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately a one-hour drive from the airport. Your options for this journey are:

Take an Exodus transfer
Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport which departs at 3pm. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer. If you can’t join the group transfer and would like to organise a private transfer, or would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.

Make your own way
You can reach the start hotel in Aveiro by taking the metro from Porto Airport (OPO) to Campanhã train station in Porto, which has hourly trains to Aveiro and the whole journey takes between 1hr 30min and two hours, depending on connection times. From Aveiro station, Hotel Meliá Ria is a 15-minute walk or a two-minute taxi ride.

Catching your return flight

The trip ends in Porto, approximately 20 minutes’ drive from Porto Airport. There are free transfers back to the airport to coincide with any flight departure time on the last day of the tour. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.

Portugal

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Portugal. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/portugal
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/portugal
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Portugal.html

All breakfasts, four lunches, four dinners and two wine tastings are included.

Porto and the Douro Valley are known for their excellent wines and the delicious regional cuisine, which makes use of the natural resources found here. All meals have strong links with the land and sea, often prepared following old traditional recipes. Portugal also has some of the best fish in the world, and in this region a lot of the fish comes from the Douro River.

Although meat and fish dishes are typically the focal point of Portuguese cuisine, vegetarian and vegan options have become more widely available in recent years, particularly in cosmopolitan cities such as Porto. Please let us know of any dietary requirements in advance so we can best accommodate your request.

Portugal has a fairly mild climate. It can be rainy and windy during autumn and winter, but spring and summer see temperatures hit 35C (95F) in the north. Departures in March, April and October have a higher chance of rain and cool temperatures, especially at night, so it is important to pack warm clothing and rainproof gear. Between May and September, chances of rain are slimmer and days will be long and hot.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.