Portugal Private Tour and Charter: Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve

Portugal is the best value in western Europe and the easiest country to drive in: short distances, good roads, and a coast that runs from Lisbon's Atlantic surf to the Algarve's beaches. Sintra and the Douro valley are the two places a car makes the difference.

包車 — charter, car and driver

A charter covers Sintra and Cascais in one day, the Arrábida coast, Óbidos and Nazaré, the Douro valley's quintas, and the Algarve's hidden beaches. It also solves Sintra's impossible summer parking.

包團 — private tour, the route planned too

A private tour adds hotels in the right district, port cellar tastings in Porto and the Douro, and the order that keeps the Algarve at the end of the trip rather than the beginning.

Routes that work

• 7 days: Lisbon, Sintra, Óbidos, then Porto with the Douro valley.
• 10 days: add the Algarve — Lagos, Sagres and the western coast.
• 12 days: add the Alentejo and Évora for wine and cork country.

Getting around

Lisbon to Sintra is about 40 minutes by road. Lisbon to Porto roughly three hours by road or three by train. Porto to the Douro valley about an hour and a half. Lisbon to the Algarve about two and a half hours.

When to come

March to June and September to October for the cities and the Douro; July and August are hot and busy in the Algarve. Winter is mild in the south — Lisbon at Christmas is pleasant and empty.

Frequently asked questions

Can we visit Sintra as a day trip?

Yes, but go early. The palaces open at nine and the hill is gridlocked by eleven in summer.

Do we need a car in Lisbon?

No, and driving there is unpleasant. The car starts for Sintra and everything outside the city.

Is the Douro valley a day trip from Porto?

It is a long day. Two nights in the valley is far better, with a boat and two quintas.

Where should we finish, Lisbon or the Algarve?

The Algarve — it is the place to slow down at the end, and the airport at Faro handles the flight home.

Do your drivers speak English or Chinese?

We match the driver to the party. Tell us the language you need when you ask.