Portugal Pousadas Culture and nature self drive | 22 days
Portugal is the perfect holiday destination if you dream of beautiful whitewashed villages set on low cliffs overlooking perfect sandy coves. Explore the many medieval castles, rolling land, and the roaring Atlantic surf. Tast local wines on terraced vineyards overlooking a the picturesque Douro river.
Portugal is a sun destination in the South of Europe and is sharing space with Spain on the Iberian peninsula. During the holiday season the beaches in the south are flocked with sunbathing people. Leaving the coast for an inland journey, will show you the rich cultural history of the by gone Portuguese empire. It began with the Portuguese exploration of the world during the 15th century and it lasted longer than all the other modern European empires. Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Christians all left their mark on the Iberian nation. Outside the cities, Portugal’s beauty unfolds in all its startling variety. Foodies will love the typical dishes of the Alentejo Region and wine lovers enter a walhalla once they reach the Douro Valley.
You can see the dolphins in the waters of Setúbal, enjoy a 49km long cycle trip over an old railway track, or sleep on a floating house boat on the biggest man-made lake of Europe. Go hiking and look for wolves amid the granite peaks of Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês or take in the pristine scenery and historic villages of the little-explored Beiras.
Like the Paradores in Spain, Portugal has its Pousadas. Pousadas form a network throughout Portugal and are ideal for a self drive tour. The charming, luxurious hotels are housed in castles and monasteries, or located in places ‘of great beauty’.
This self drive route comes with 15 tips for tours, like cooking classes, organic wine tours, garden tours, and boat tour to the oyster beds of the Algarve and more.