The Portugal Experience

Colorful Porto on the Douro River

2026 Trips: May 15 – 22; May 22 – 29; September 18 – 25; September 25 – October 2 (Women’s Week)

2027 Trips: September 17 – 24; September 24 – October 1

We were excited to introduce this destination to European Experiences travelers for the first time in 2025. This seven-night Experience focuses on Northern Portugal, the oldest part of the Portuguese nation, offering a wide diversity of cultural, historical, and religious sites; areas of natural beauty; and culinary traditions.

After meeting in colorful Porto (above) for a food walking tour on our first afternoon and evening, we’ll base for our week in the charming town of Guimarães, providing easy access to the inland areas of Northern Portugal. The historic center of Guimarães is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Colorful houses in the historic center of Guimarães

May and September are ideal times of year for our Experience trips, months with cooler but pleasant temperatures. September is the time of the grape harvest too. With the help of our local partner, we’ll share less-discovered and less-touristed spots with you during this special week.

Northern Portugal

Human occupation in this area began thousands of years ago. The area was conquered by the Romans around 136 BC, and the Roman city of “Bracara Augusta” (now Braga) dates back to 16 BC. Guimarães was founded in the 9th century and is called the “birthplace of Portugal” because the first king of Portugal was born there and several major political and military events that led to the independence and the birth of a new nation took place nearby.

Guimarães is just 20 minutes’ drive from Braga, the third largest city in Portugal and known for its architecture and cultural and religious sites. Guimarães amd Braga are both important stops on the Portuguese Way path, one of the many pilgrimage routes connecting to the famous Camino de Santiago de Compostella.

The Bom Jesus do Monte Sanctuary in Braga

The North is considered the purest, most beautiful, and most traditional region of Portugal, with a landscape dominated by mountains, rivers, and canals. Rivers, canals, boats, and navigation are very important to history, commerce and culture of Northern Portugal. We’ll enjoy a boat trip on the Douro River during our week, allowing us to see off-the-beaten path places, nature, and a way of life not visible from roads. The Douro River valley —a UNESCO World Heritage site—is especially spectacular, with steep, terraced vineyards rising up the hillsides from the meandering river.

The Duoro River valley

The unique food and wine of Northern Portugal will be a highlight of our week. Northern Portugal is famous worldwide for its fortified, sweet port wines, but the region also produces exceptional red and white wines. The wines complement the rich and flavorful Portuguese cuisine: breads, cheeses, sausages, cured meats, soups, stews, fresh fish and seafood, and luscious desserts. Olive, almond, and fruit trees border the wine terraces in the Douro Valley, so these ingredients also feature prominently in the cuisine. We’ll definitely enjoy memorable meals here!

We stay in a small, authentic, locally-owned 4* hotel in the historic center of Guimarães, typical of our other European Experiences accommodations. We’ll be close to eating places and shopping that you can enjoy during your free time.

Historic house in Braga with tiled facade

Experiences in Northern Portugal

The Portugal Experience follows the same approach as our other Experience trips, including a variety of immersive experiences that are authentic and away from crowds.  Our Experiences during this week will include:

• A guided tour of Guimarães and its historic center. We’ll visit the Guimarães Castle and the Paço dos Duques de Bragança, a medieval palace housing a rich collection of historical treasures.
• A guided tour of Braga’s historic center, exploring the city’s rich cultural, historic and architectural heritage.
• Visits to important pilgrimage sanctuaries overlooking the valleys of Braga and Guimarães.
• A day in the famous Douro Valley. We’ll have a private visit to a prestigious wine estate, sampling some of the finest local wines that convey the tradition and flavor unique to the Douro Valley. We’ll learn the story of the origin of Port, the fortified wine produced only in the Douro Valley. Later we’ll have a private boat cruise on a remote and less-traveled stretch of the Douro River, offering views of breathtaking landscapes.
• Visits to the nearby town of Ponte de Lima,exploring the Roman bridge that Legionnaires crossed and a Camino pilgrimage stop.
• An optional flat hike on Penha Mountain.
• An optional embroidery workshop with a local artisan.
• A visit to one of Portugal’s leading textile factories.
• A special visit to a working monastery and wood workshop.
• A day back in Porto, where we’ll complete our understanding of the history and production of Port wine, including a visit to a traditional cellar. We’ll enjoy lunch in the typical fisherman’s neighborhood and enjoy a walking tour, and free time.
• A guided visit of a private modern art collection in a country manor house.
• Memorable meals of local specialties in a variety of settings, including a food walking tour, a gastronomic meal, simpler family-style meals in rustic restaurants, a garden picnic on the grounds of a country manor house, and a special BBQ lunch in a private home. Our farewell dinner will feature live Fado music, very important to the Portuguese culture, at a special private meal.
• Time for relaxing and exploring on your own.

Traditional Moliceiro boats on the canal in Aveiro

Arrival and Departure

Our meeting place is the city of Porto, about 40 minutes from Guimarães and the second largest city in Portugal. After meeting in the mid-afternoon and an initial get-acquainted session, we’ll enjoy a food walking tour of Porto with a local guide, learning more about Porto during our walk. This is a fun way to enjoy our first meal together, and the food will bring Porto to life! Then we’ll drive to our home base in Guimarães, where we’ll check into our hotel for the week.

We’ll return the group to Porto late on the last morning of our week.

We’ll confirm our meeting/drop-off point in Porto and the specific timing for our meeting a few months before the trip.

We highly recommend that you spend time before or after our week in Lisbon, the charming and lively capital city of Portugal. There are direct flights between Lisbon and North America as well as flights to other major European cities. You can reach Porto from Lisbon by plane or train. (There are many trains every day, a journey of about three hours.) You’ll spend some time in Porto during our week, and you might also want to spend another night or two in Porto at the end of our week.

Leader:  Jennifer Dugdale

Prices: $5,350 USD per person double occupancy; $5,850 USD single occupancy of a double room