starting at €504 total, not per person
• 8-hour private driving & walking tour
• skip ticket lines
• our guides take you inside the monuments
• reservations required
around alfama
3-hours
alfama quarter
castelo de S. jorge
miradouros
and more...
popularity ★★★★★
discover the humble, majestic, sacred and profane combined to defy scale and opulence
We start our adventure in the jewel-box village of Obidos, where we wander the picturesque and car-free medieval streets lined with geraniums and wisteria. We also pass through the old Jewish quarter where a community of craftsmen flourished between the eighth and twelfth centuries, while Obidos was under Arab rule.
Then we make an essential visit inside the tiny Church of Santa Maria of Obidos, built on the site of a former mosque until the first King of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques captured Obidos in 1148. Inside is a sculptural masterpiece- the Renaissance tomb of Joao de Noronha who was the16th century governor of Obidos. On the opposite wall is rare a 17th century painting by Josefa de Obidos, one of the few female European painters of the time, who blended the sacred and profane with sensuality and mysticism.
In Alcobaca we explore the ornate Dominican Abbey of Santa Maria, founded in 1153 to commemorate a victory against the Moors. Today, it is Portugal's largest church and a UNESCO designated monument for its well preserved Cistercian Gothic art. Inside you will discover the tombs of Pedro and Ines de Castro, a tragic and macabre love story that has become the “Romeo and Juliette” of Portugal.
We finish our excursion in historic village of Batalha, with its grandiose Monastery of Santa Maria of Victory in Batalha, which pays homage to the Portuguese victory at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. Considered Europe's greatest Gothic masterpiece because of its commingled Portuguese Manueline style architecture. The complex took over 100 years to build, spanning the reign of seven kings. The Monastery defies scale and opulence for any other of its time, and represents the unimaginable odds of victory that Portugal managed to seize at Aljubarrota.
The tour includes time for a 1-hour lunch break at an authentic, local restaurant at the expense of each guest. Our guides are happy to make suggestions during the tour for a variety of restaurants that will meet your taste, budget and interests.
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why do we use a dedicated driver and a separate guide?
We provide a luxury modern vehicle with heat and air conditioning, a driver, and an official guide who can take guests inside the monuments. Unlike budget tour operators, our guides won’t leave you to wander the interior of the sights on your own with no explanations of what you are seeing. Many budget tours have the guide double duty as the driver. This is something we would never do, and you will have a dedicated driver for 3 reasons.
sintra half-day
4-hours
national palace
pena palace
sintra village
and more...
popularity ★★★★★
1. We don't want guests to wait for a guide to find a parking place before they lead guests inside the monuments.
Parking can be hectic and there are often waits during the high season.
2. We don’t want our licensed and insured drivers to be distracted by conversation. Because Portugal has the highest
accident fatality ratio per capita in the EU. It is very important that we keep our guests safe on the narrow mountain
coastal roads, while our guides explain the sights, culture and landscape.
3. The weather conditions in the Atlantic mountains makes a very unpredictable micro-climate. The temps can
change very quickly with rain, wind, fog, or hail. We like our guests to have the convenience of leaving their unused
personal items, packs, coats, or umbrellas inside of the vehicle with the driver monitoring it all times. Vehicle
burglaries are common in the parking lots of monuments in Portugal.
obidos & batalha
8-hours
obidos village
alcobaca
batalha
and more...
ADD SERVICES
A stop for a taste of the famous Obidos Ginjinha, cherry liquor.
INCLUDED
Skip the ticket lines with an official tour guide.
Round-trip transfer in a luxury vehicle with a dedicated driver at all times.
Authorization to enter sights.
VAT tax.
.
WALKING LEVEL
85% level ground with few upstairs and inclines. 15% in vehicle. No elevators. Some cobblestones on tour route. Must be able to walk at casual pace for at least 30 minutes without resting.
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INFORMATION
Wear comfortable athletic shoes. Bring windbreakers or umbrellas.
There are stops for clean restrooms, and food & beverage breaks if needed.
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MEETING POINT
Hotel, apartment, or ship dock.
Meetings at hotels or apartments located outside of Lisbon can effect tour price because of fuel and time expenses.
.
START TIMES
Tuesday to Sunday, year round.
Morning: 9:00am, or 9:30am, or 10:00am
No additional start times available.
.
TICKET FEES
Entry fees vary by season and age, but average a total of €15 per person for all the sights that we visit.
.
EXCLUDED
Ticket fees are additional.
Lunch is additional.
Audio headsets when required for parties of 12 or more. Headsets are €3.00 per person.
major highlights
important details
closures
Óbidos:
• Church of S. Maria, Matriz de Óbidos: Tomb of Joao de Noronha and a passionate
painting by Josefa de Obidos.
• Historic center: Medieval streets lined with artisan shops and flowers.
• Jewish quarter: Discover the buildings unique to this era and people in Obidos.
Alcobaça:
• Abbey of Santa Maria: A massive testament to Cistercian Gothic art, and the most famous
"Romeo and Juliet" love story of Portugal.
Batalha
• Monastery of Santa Maria of Victory in Batalha: Europe's greatest Gothic masterpiece
and a victory of unimaginable scale for Portugal.
Beware of budget tours
We use authorized guides, and you will skip ticket lines. Many budget tour operators do not take their guests inside the monuments, because they do not have authorization as guides, and they cannot skip the ticket lines. They will simply park outside and wait while guests wonder the inside the sights on their own.
Mondays
January 1
Easter Sunday
December 25 and 31
