Portugal

Events & Festivals Portugal

Madeira Carnaval, Funchal, March - it’s about fantasy and no figure or costume is out of place.
Moorish Nights, Cacela Velha, July - recreates the ambience of the Arab presence in the region from the 10th-13th centuries.
Medieval Journey to Santa Maria da Feira, July-August - watch the fearless knights take part in exciting jousting tournaments.
Columbus Festival, Vila Baleira, September - a fun and cultural event which celebrates the bygone days of the Portuguese discoveries.
Festa Das Fogaceiras, Santa Maria da Feira, January - young people dressed in white carry breads and cakes on their heads in decorated baskets.



Day 1 Lisbon
Arrival at the Lisbon airport and transfer to Coimbra.

Day 2 Coimbra - Piodão (100km/1,30h) - Seia (70km/1,30h)
Visit one of the oldest universities in the world, its magnificent baroque library and ancient atmosphere, the black cape of the students and the melancholic fado music. The next stop is the historical village of Piódão. Its isolation enabled the preservation of cultural features that date back to the Middle Age and a highly community-based social scheme. Explore its houses, placed in a natural amphitheatre. In contrast to these dark colours, the local church is painted in an immaculate white. Continue to Seia. Visit Seia’s parish church of Romanesque origin and its imposing 18th-century palace, the Casa das Obras.

Day 2 Seia - Linhares da Beira - Castelo Mendo (70km/1h) - Almeida - Castelo Rodrigo - Marialva (60km/1h) - Trancoso
Departure to Linhares da Beira an ancient Medieval town, inhabited since the Roman period. Testimonies of that era are still to be seen, such as several tombs, a part of the Roman path and part of a building called today Fórum de Linhares. Its castle has played an important role in the defence of north region during the early years of Portuguese nationality. Continue on to the Historical Village of Castelo Mendo. A very authentic village, surrounded by a landscape of wide valleys and simple stone houses. So peaceful to imagine that in former times the medieval castle and walls were military bastions. Continue to Almeida, one of the pearls of Portuguese military architecture - the hexagonal shaped walls of Almeida´s fortress, built in the XVII century. Only 7 km. From the the Spanish border , Almeida played a very important role from Medieval ages to the XIX century. The next stop for a visit is Castelo Rodrigo. Situated at the top of an isolated hill, the village offers a splendid view over the surrounding fields and mountains. This ancient fortified village preserves vestiges of human presence that date back to Palaeolithic era. Lunch. The journey continues in direction to Marialva, that will take you back in Medieval times. Arrival at Trancoso.

Day 3 Trancoso - Belmonte - Sortelha - Covilhã
A walking tour in Trancoso. Visit to the Castle. Departure towards Guarda for a visit. The journey continues to Belmonte, transformed into a fortified mansion by the family of navigator, who discovered Brazil in the year 1500. Adjacent to the castle are the narrow alleys of the old Jewish quarter. The town of Belmonte is indeed very much involved in the history of Portuguese Judaism, and it still shelters today the largest Jewish community in the country. These Jews have perpetuated their traditions along the centuries. Continue to Sortelha, a historical village made of granite, from the houses to the pavement of the narrow streets, as well as the walls of the 760m high castle. Sortelha has still kept its strong circular walls that surround the village as a ring.

Day 4 Covilhã - Castelo Novo - Monsanto (60km/1h) - Idanha a velha - Castelo Branco (60km/1h) - Lisbon (230km/2,30h)
Departure to Castelo Novo, a harmonious design and well-preserved urban structure. The streets reveal former manor houses - stone , small wooden verandas and vestiges of Roman paths. Continue to Monsanto, an authentic Portuguese village. The appearance of this fortified village has not changed in centuries. It has kept its tiny narrow streets carved in the rock. The next stop for a visit is Idanha-a-Velha and its interesting collection of archaeological remains from a Roman city established in the 1st Century B.C.

Day 5 Lisbon
Transfer to the Lisbon airport.