Our first full day in Porto will begin with a nice cup of coffee or tea if you prefer. Remember there will always be coffee and tea at our accommodation for you to begin the day with the right foot! It is up to you to have breakfast at home (as you will have a fully equipped kitchen and supermarkets nearby) or you can go to one of the many cafeterias the city offers. We have a lot of suggestions and so does the digital map we have provided you with! After breakfast, we will head out and start exploring the "Undefeated City". Today we will cover the historical centre but we will leave the busiest areas for a late-night visit when we can enjoy them at our own pace. We will start with the obvious and see the main landmarks, so you know where they are (and understand how important they are when it comes to the history of the city) and you can then decide what to visit during your free time. What we really want to show you today are the little alleyways, the different views of the Douro river, the colours of Porto, the rooftops, the tiles and all the stories that hide behind. This will not be your typical walk where you get dates and names that you will forget after a couple of hours. This will be a more intimate walk where you will find out what is not on Wikipedia. We want you to understand how the history of the city has shaped its culture and reality. We would love you to join us for lunch at our favourite “petiscaria” and enjoy some “Portuguese tapas” (so you understand the concept but forget “tapas”, we are in Portugal). The afternoon is free for you to further explore. Porto is walkable but you can always use the transport card we have given you and take the tram, subway or bus. What about tonight? Who knows! We love spontaneity. Remember, travel is an art, not a science!

Today after breakfast, we will head north to the beautiful National Park of Peneda Geres for our first “Escapade”. Although we always encourage the use of public transport, today we will be taking a van for logistical reasons. Our 1.5-hour drive to Portugal’s only National Park (considered by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve) is one you will not forget. The panorama will quickly change from the charismatic urban appearance of Porto to the picturesque Portuguese countryside. Once we reach our destination and our lungs fill up with the cleanest air, we will meet our guide for the day (warning: one of the most endearing characters you will cross paths with). From here we will venture further into the park where we will be learning some fascinating secrets about the local fauna and flora. It may sound simple, but as we also follow a 2000-year-old Roman path, nature and history will connect and will give you a whole different perspective on our place in this world. At the end of our path, the most epic “picnic” ever will take place. The selection of local Portuguese delicacies and the forest & lake view from high above will not disappoint you! After our adventure in nature, we will head back to Porto. This activity takes around 6 hours in total, so we should be back with enough time to relax and plan our next move. Remember that late-night walk we mentioned before? Tonight might be the night! Do you want to join us for a walk and see the lights of the impressive Luis I bridge? We could take some wine with us and sit down by the Douro river. Just saying.

Shall we plan an easy day like locals do (that’s what we are)? Enjoy a free morning and enjoy your own way. This afternoon we will hop on a train and head towards the neighbouring town of Gaia (20 minutes). This time, Miramar could be our chosen location - Here we can go for a swim, a stroll through its iconic dunes, and witness the impressive “Capela do Senhor da Pedra”, a 17th-century chapel built on a rock (formerly a pagan worship spot) surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic. After recharging our energy, we will witness a breathtaking sunset! We could end the day with delicious codfish at a local tavern or head back to Porto and find other local delicacies. Boa noite!

Bom dia! It’s time to dig a bit further and understand the roots of Portugal. There is no better place to do that than Guimarães. A UNESCO World Heritage site with an impressive medieval old town! To get there we will get on a train from Porto Campanha and after 1 hour we will be in the hometown of the first king of Portugal, Afonso I “the Conqueror”. Here you will understand how the County of Portugal (yes, county and not country) achieved independence from the Kingdom of Galicia and how family disputes between Afonso and his mother Teresa played a key role in this. Its castle, the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança, the twisted little streets, charming squares, and its stone and metalwork are only some of the ingredients that make this city fascinating. Its food and wine scene will not be overlooked and we will pop into one of its traditional restaurants for some northern delicacies. Once we are happy with our Wander About in Guimarães, we will head back to our base in Porto. As you already know, we have lots of suggestions for the evening. Join us or explore at your own pace.

Well, a visit to this part of Portugal would not be complete without exploring one of its most beautiful wine regions. Shared by Portugal and Spain, the Douro river (Duero in Spanish) has blessed us with some of the most exquisite wines in the Iberian Peninsula. Apart from its amazing wines, the Douro region is just breathtaking with its terraces full of vineyards grown along the river. This day we will venture by train (3-hour ride) into the heart of the Douro Valley; we can ensure you it will be one of the most beautiful train rides you will ever do. We will first walk around the little town of Pinhao, a charming spot surrounded by hills covered in vineyards. Our walk will ultimately take us to a neighbouring winery where we will learn and taste some of the local wines with an expert. We will next head towards the river where we will get on board a traditional vessel to cruise along the Douro, whilst we taste some more local “fermented grape juices” and just admire the sheer magnitude of the valley. At this point we will be loving life, but also pretty hungry. For lunch, we will sit in one of our local spots. Fresh and delicious food is all we are revealing at this point...oh, also some wine. On the way back, enjoy the most pleasant “train siesta” or just keep admiring the views.
 

A new day, a new plan. Today is our last full day together and we want to make it a colourful one. That’s why we will hop on a train (1-hour ride) to get to Aveiro with its canals and “moliceiro” boats. Let's wander around and have a coffee and some “ovos moles”, a sweet local speciality that will boost our energy levels. We could then get on a bike, as it is the best way to experience the lagoon and if we are lucky, spot some herons and flamingos. We could also head to the stunning beach of “praia da Barra”, located only 10 km away from Aveiro. Here we have both quiet waters for those looking for a relaxing dip and good surfing spots (there is a school for those looking to learn). We will head back to Porto in the afternoon to get ready for our farewell night. Tonight we are going to one of our favourite restaurants (we have many) for a superb dinner. There is only one goal: to have the best possible time and thank everyone for sharing this experience. Drinks and music will be waiting after our dinner to keep celebrating life and say goodbye to Porto the way it deserves!

Today we experience that sour-sweet feeling. It is certainly sad saying bye but it is great knowing we have new friends from different corners of the world. This morning we leave our home for the last week and get ready for our next adventures. Please let us know if we can help you somehow!