Lisbon, Porto and the Douro

Eight nights that move up the country from Lisbon to Porto and then inland to the Douro. Pena Palace opened privately while it is closed to the public, the Gulbenkian collection with one of its own guides, six Symington ports in Graham's Vintage Room with vintages back to 1985, and a day as a winemaker among the Douro quintas.

Length: Eight nights
Pace: Three stays
Style: City, food and wine, walking
Route: Lisbon and Sintra to Porto to The Douro Valley

Lisbon and SintraThree nights
PortoTwo nights
The Douro ValleyThree nights

A tumble of red-tiled rooftops and white houses running down to the river in Lisbon.

Days 1 to 4 · three nights

Lisbon and Sintra

Belém for the Jerónimos Monastery and its tower, and the beaches of Cascais. In Sintra, a private visit to Pena Palace while it is closed to the public, requested in writing at least 10 working days ahead. In the city, Rossio, the church of São Roque, the castle and the cathedral, and a private guided visit to the highlights of the Calouste Gulbenkian Collection, booked two weeks ahead, with artisan shops if you want more. A day on the Setúbal peninsula can be arranged, joining the cheesemaking at a family-owned traditional cheese factory in Azeitão and tasting the cheeses, then a private visit to José Maria da Fonseca, Portugal's oldest table wine company, founded in 1834 and now in its seventh generation, with a rustic lunch.

Where you stay

Penha Longa Resort

Penha Longa sits within the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park and weaves a 14th-century monastery and chapel into the resort. Its 204 rooms and suites look over the park or the golf course, and there are seven places to eat, several pools and a kids' club.

Days 4 to 6 · two nights

Porto

North by private car, stopping in Coimbra for the Joanina Library, entered at the time set on the ticket, and lunch. In Porto, a food walk along the waterfront and time at the spa. At Graham's 1890 Lodge, a guided cellar tour and six Symington ports in the Vintage Room, among them Warre's 1985, Dow's 1994 and Graham's 2007 vintages, then a four-course dinner at Vinum built by the chef around your choices from the cellar.

Where you stay

Vinha Boutique Hotel

Vinha stands on the banks of the Douro in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto, in a manor house with 16th-century windows and a newer wing of suites over the gardens and water. Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa leads its two restaurants, with two bars and a pool bar besides.

The Douro river flowing between terraced vineyard hills under a cloudy sky.

Days 6 to 9 · three nights

The Douro Valley

An hour and a half inland. A bicycle ride towards Amarante or a visit to Guimarães, a private tawny tasting, the village of Provesende and a downhill walk to Pinhão. A day as winemaker at Six Senses, with grape stomping in season and the sommelier's tastings in the Wine Library. A private boat to lunch on a wine estate, a quinta visit with a cooking demonstration. Between Régua and Pinhão, a private tour and premium tasting can be arranged at Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, whose cellar dates from 1764, then a private visit and regional lunch at Quinta do Crasto, in the same family for more than a century, and dinner at DOC. Then the drive back to Porto airport.

Where you stay

Six Senses Douro Valley

Six Senses Douro Valley is a 19th-century manor high on a hill in Samodães, above vine-covered terraces with the Douro at its foot. There are kitchen gardens and vineyards, a Wine Library with its own terrace, and a spa with 10 treatment rooms, a heated pool and a yoga pavilion.

Arranged on request

Pena Palace, closed to the public

Parques de Sintra opens Pena and its other palaces for private visits at times when they are closed, on written request at least 10 working days ahead.

The Gulbenkian with its own guide

A private guided visit to the highlights of the Calouste Gulbenkian Collection, or to the modernist building and garden, booked at least two weeks ahead.

Graham's Vintage Room

A guided cellar tour, six Symington ports including Warre's 1985, Dow's 1994 and Graham's 2007 vintages and the 20, 30 and 40 year old tawnies, and a four-course dinner at Vinum; booked 72 hours ahead.

Winemaker for a day

At Six Senses Douro Valley, a day making wine, with grape stomping in season and tastings of Douro vintages guided by the resort's sommelier.

Quinta Nova and Quinta do Crasto

A private guided tour with a premium tasting at Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, whose cellar dates from 1764, then a private visit and regional lunch at Quinta do Crasto, held by one family for more than a century.

Cheese and wine in Azeitão

On the Setúbal peninsula, a hand in the making at a family-owned traditional cheese factory, then a private visit to José Maria da Fonseca, founded in 1834 and now in its seventh generation, with a rustic lunch.

Subject to availability.

Ways to make it yours

Monserrate, Queluz or the National Palace of Sintra, each of which can also be opened privately while closed to the public.
Further up the Douro at Vila Nova de Foz Côa, a private visit to Quinta da Ervamoira, a wine estate of 200 hectares, ending in a regional lunch paired with its wines, and a private cruise on the river in the afternoon.
Access to the São Miguel chapel at Coimbra University.

This is a sample. The hotels, the pace and the order are where we start, not where we finish: every journey is designed around the people taking it.

Made around you

Most travel is bought. This is designed.

Before anything is booked, we talk: who is travelling, how you like to spend a morning, and the hotel preferences below the obvious, from the kind of bath you like to the time you wake and how much daylight you need in a room. You see options where options matter and clean recommendations where they don't.

The same person remains your point of contact from the first reply to the trip after next. No handovers. No team.