WEEK LONG TOUR Discovering Portugal

Discovering Portugal

FROM

€599

WHEN 25 August - 1 September

VISITING Lisbon, Arrábida Mountain, Cristo Rei, Caldas da Rainha, Peniche, Belém, Fátima, Aljustrel, Sintra, Cascais, Mafra, Ericeira, Praia das Maçãs, Cabo da Roca, Óbidos, Alcobaça & Nazaré

Air Malta return direct flights to Lisbon airport 7 nights in 4-star VIP Executive Arts Hotel in Lisbon or similar Rooms with private facilities, air-conditioning, TV, mini bar & safe Daily buffet breakfast Return airport transfers Services of tour leader Airport taxes & service charge Insolvency fund

PRICE INCLUDES

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PRICE PER PERSON *SPECIAL PRICE

Adult in Triple €699 €599 Adult in Twin €769 €669 Adult in Single €1069 €969 Child sharing with 2 adults €599 €499 * Special price applies when all excursions are taken. **There are many restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel where one can choose from.

EXCURSIONS ADULT CHILD

Arrábida Mountain/Cristo Rei €34 €17 Caldas da Rainha/Peniche €40 €20 Lisbon €38 €19 Fátima/Aljustrel €41 €21 Sintra/Cascais €38 €19 Mafra/Ericeira/Praia das Maçãs/Cabo da Roca €38 €19 Óbidos/Alcobaça/Nazaré €40 €20

NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE City tax of €2.00 per person per night (from 13 years upwards) is to be paid directly at the hotel Cristo Rei monument - €6.00 per adult/€3.00 per child Jerónimos Monastery - €10.00 per adult/children under 12 years are free Wax Museum - €7.50 per adult / €4.50 per child Palacio de Mafra - €6 per person

THURSDAY, 25TH AUGUST | We meet at the airport at 4.00pm for our Air Malta flight departing at 6.30pm and arriving in Lisbon airport at 8.30pm. Upon arrival, we make our way and check-in at our 4-star VIP Executive Arts Hotel in Lisbon, located in front of Parque das Nacões strategically placed in Lisbon’s modern part.

FRIDAY, 26TH AUGUST | Today, we explore the beautiful city of Lisbon on our full-day optional excursion. We start with a panoramic tour stopping in the Belém district, home to the 16th century UNESCO World Heritage listed Sites, the stunning Belém Tower, and Jerónimos Monastery (extra). We shall also see the Monument to the Discoveries, a 50m tall monument, shaped like a ship’s prow which was built in honour of Henry the Navigator. During our stop, one may find local shops with souvenirs and cork products which are very famous in Portugal. Later, we can enjoy some free time for lunch (extra) in one of the many restaurants near Rossio station or along the main shopping street, Augusta Street. We suggest you end this visit in the magnificent and elegant square of Praca do Comércio. Once back at the hotel, one can also spend some time enjoying the Parque das Nacões area, or go do some shopping in Centro Vasco da Gama just down the road from the hotel.

SATURDAY, 27TH AUGUST | Today, we leave the hotel for a full-day optional excursion heading first to Sintra. We shall be enchanted by its mystical hills and magnificent fairy-tale-like palaces. Not only can you enjoy the wonderful mountain and its monuments, but you can also taste some of the best cheese and chourizo sausage that Portugal has to offer. We continue to Cascais, a delightful Portuguese fishing town, and Lisbon’s most popular holiday destination. At the heart of Cascais is the pretty Old Town, which has retained its traditional Portuguese character.

SUNDAY, 28TH AUGUST | Our full-day optional excursion takes us to Fátima, one of the largest religious pilgrimage sites in the world. With the gorgeous white structure, unblemished and pure, Fatima is known as the place where the Virgin Mary appeared to three little shepherds. Since the apparitions, the region of Fátima became a destination of pilgrims. Here, we will see the small Chapel of the Apparitions (Capelinha) and visit the Basilica and Wax Museum (extra). We later visit Centro Comercial de Fátima, a shop where you will find all kinds of items and symbols of the Christian faith. Our last stop will be at Aljustrel, where we visit the houses of the three shepherd children. MONDAY, 29TH AUGUST | Our first full-day optional excursion takes us Caldas da Rainha, an artistic city with many statues and sculptures. This thermal spa town, with its sulphur rich waters famous for treating skin and bone ailments, and an excellent shopping district, was founded by queen Eleanor of Viseu in the 15th century. Later, we proceed to Peniche, one of the largest traditional fishing ports in Portugal and a major Atlantic hub for maritime-tourist activities. We continue to see the impressive fortress of Peniche, from the exterior, before we make our way back. SUNDAY, 30TH AUGUST | Another full-day optional excursion takes us first to Mafra, mostly known for the sumptuous Palacio de Mafra (extra), which inspired the novel Baltasar and Blimunda written by the Nobel Prize winner José Saramango. After some free time, we head to Ericeira, with its 40 beaches scattered along the coast of this fishing community. We stop in Praia das Maçãs. According to tradition, this beack takes its origin from the maçãs (apples) that would wash up on its sands, carried down to the coast by the Ribeira de Colares river. Later, we proceed to “the end of the world”, for you to admire the picture-perfect Cabo da Roca cliffs. Surely a place where you will experience the true power of sightseeing! WEDNESDAY, 31ST AUGUST | Our full-day optional excursion takes us first to one of the most picturesque and charming cities of Óbidos. Óbidos is a charming medieval village made up of a labyrinth of cobble-stoned streets with whitewashed houses that liven up with dashes of vivid yellow and blue paint. Walking inside the village also allows you to taste the local drink Ginjinha and other local goods and crafts. Another stop will be in Alcobaça. Here, one may see its famous Gothic cathedral which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, we head to the fishing village of Nazaré, where old women still wear traditional skirts. This small fishing town has a grand breach, where one can enjoy classic Portuguese dishes, absorb panoramic views of Portugal’s rugged Atlantic coastline, and capture numerous photographs.

THURSDAY, 1ST SEPTEMBER | This morning we will go on an optional half-day excursion on a journey to the Nature Park of Arrabida, home striking landscapes, where we gaze over the verdant park towards the Atlantic and the beaches below. We proceed to the most impressive Cristo Rei monument (extra), based on the awe-inspiring Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janiero. Here, we enjoy panoramic vistas of Lisbon. We then proceed to Lisbon airport for our Air Malta flight departing at 9.45pm and arriving in Malta at 1.45am.