Skip to content
Vineyards, Évora

Things to do in Portugal

Vineyards, Évora
The experiences we can arrange for you in Portugal draw from its rich history and cultural traditions, its ties with the sea and its love for good food and wine. Whether you’re interested in visiting rural vineyards, clifftop castles or medieval towns, we have plenty of things to do in Portugal that offer you a deeper insight into life here.

You can wander the markets of Faro and learn to cook traditional seafood, stroll the winding lanes of UNESCO-listed Évora, visit a winery in the Alentejo or explore the fairy-tale landscape of Sintra with an expert guide. Each experience aims to give you a better understanding of Portugal’s history, culture and landscapes, be it through a coastal walk on the Algarve, a vineyard visit or a walking tour of Lisbon’s historic districts.
Speak to someone
who's been there
Audley Travel specialist Cara

Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Portugal specialists

Ideas for experiencing Portugal

Experiences you have as you travel often hold the longest memories. As part of their research trips, our specialists seek out authentic ways to get to know Portugal, and the best local guides. These activities reflect some of their best-loved experiences.

  • Traditions of Lisbon walking tour
    Tram and cityscape, Lisbon

    Traditions of Lisbon walking tour

    Lisbon

    Traditions of Lisbon walking tour

    Explore Lisbon with a local guide on a private half-day walking tour, which takes in several of its most interesting districts. You’ll learn about the city’s history and traditions, and stop for local food and drinks along the way.

    View details
  • Sete Cidades 4x4 and cycling tour
    Twin lakes, Sete Cidades, São Miguel

    Sete Cidades 4x4 and cycling tour

    The Azores

    Sete Cidades 4x4 and cycling tour

    Explore by 4x4 and bike to get far-reaching views of the enormous caldera at Sete Cidades as well as a more personal introduction to this unusual landscape, its history, legends and lakes as well as the volcanic activity that shaped it.

    View details
  • Kayaking at Furnas Lagoon
    Furnas Lagoon, São Miguel

    Kayaking at Furnas Lagoon

    The Azores

    Kayaking at Furnas Lagoon

    A crater lake cradled by a dormant volcano, Furnas is surrounded by lush hills, geothermal fields and small villages. Paddle around the lake with a local guide to learn about its volcanic heritage as well as its plant and animal life.

    View details
  • Lagos coastal walk and Sagres visit
    Seascape, Algarve

    Lagos coastal walk and Sagres visit

    Algarve

    Lagos coastal walk and Sagres visit

    Explore Portugal’s southern coast on this full-day walking tour from Lagos. The hike takes in the city itself as well as the cliffs at the Ponta da Piedade, before heading for the remote village of Sagres overlooking the Atlantic.

    View details
  • Whale and dolphin watching
    Sperm whale, Pico

    Whale and dolphin watching

    The Azores

    Whale and dolphin watching

    Explore the deep waters off the Azores on this half-day whale and dolphin watching tour in an area where about 25 different species, from blue whales to humpbacks and orcas, are frequently seen.

    View details
  • Arrábida panoramic tasting tour
    Coastline, Arrábida Natural Park

    Arrábida panoramic tasting tour

    Lisbon

    Arrábida panoramic tasting tour

    Explore some of Portugal’s most dramatic coastal scenery on this full-day private tour through the Arrábida region south of Lisbon. En route you’ll get to visit a local winery, coastal cliffs and quaint towns with medieval castles.

    View details
  • Portuguese country cooking class
    Cooking cataplana, Algarve

    Portuguese country cooking class

    Porto

    Portuguese country cooking class

    On this hands-on half-day activity, you’ll visit a family farm in the countryside and learn to cook authentic Portuguese dishes. You’ll get an insight into Portugal’s food traditions and typical ingredients, as well as learning the practical skills you’ll need to prepare the dishes back home.

    View details
  • Historical tour of Braga & Guimarães
    Historic houses, Guimarães

    Historical tour of Braga & Guimarães

    Porto

    Historical tour of Braga & Guimarães

    Visit churches, castles and palaces, winding lanes and medieval plazas as you explore historic Braga and Guimarães. A guide and driver will help you explore two of the most significant cities in Portuguese history on this private full-day tour from Porto.

    View details
  • Ponta Delgada walking tour
    Aerial view Ponta Delgada, São Miguel

    Ponta Delgada walking tour

    The Azores

    Ponta Delgada walking tour

    Tour the narrow, cobbled streets of Ponta Delgada, the capital of the Azores, with a local guide. Learn about its foundation, architecture and defences and its heyday in the 18th and 19th centuries when wealthy merchants constructed imposing Baroque buildings.

    View details
  • Porto panoramic tour with lunch cruise
    Skyline, Porto

    Porto panoramic tour with lunch cruise

    Porto

    Porto panoramic tour with lunch cruise

    Explore Porto’s history and culture on this half-day guided tour that includes a walking tour of its historic districts, a visit to the beach and a hilltop lookout, as well as a river cruise where you can enjoy lunch on board.

    View details
  • Sintra and Cascais coastal drive
    Pena Palace, Sintra

    Sintra and Cascais coastal drive

    Sintra

    Sintra and Cascais coastal drive

    Whimsical palaces and exotic gardens give Sintra a magical air. You can explore this fairy-tale town, just north of Lisbon, and its surroundings on a private guided tour, which also takes in the coastal resort of Cascais.

    View details
  • Mafra, Óbidos and Batalha
    Palace of Mafra, Portugal

    Mafra, Óbidos and Batalha

    Lisbon

    Mafra, Óbidos and Batalha

    Get to grips with Portuguese history with the help of a private guide on this full-day tour from Lisbon that takes in the 14th-century Monastery of Batalha, a medieval hilltop village and the flamboyant Palácio Nacional de Mafra.

    View details
  • Hiking Pico’s wine region
    Windmill, Criação Velha, Pico

    Hiking Pico’s wine region

    The Azores

    Hiking Pico’s wine region

    Take a guided walk around the UNESCO-protected vineyards of Pico, an island cultivated with vines since the 15th century. Learn about the history of viticulture here and the unique growing conditions before sampling local wines at the island cooperative.

    View details
  • Market to plate cataplana cooking class
    Cataplana, Algarve

    Market to plate cataplana cooking class

    Algarve

    Market to plate cataplana cooking class

    Learn how to make the Algarve’s signature dish — cataplana — a combination of fresh seafood, vegetables and spices, on this half-day cooking course with a private chef. You’ll be guided around Faro’s central market and then cook the dish in a local restaurant in the city’s historic old town.

    View details
  • Évora and the Alentejo: wine and gourmet tour
    Grape vines, Alentejo

    Évora and the Alentejo: wine and gourmet tour

    Lisbon

    Évora and the Alentejo: wine and gourmet tour

    Explore the Alentejo, Portugal’s most significant food and wine region, on a full-day private tour. You’ll see Roman remains and medieval streets in historic Évora, sample local wines in a family-run winery, and drive through rolling countryside in-between.

    View details
  • Alentejo wine tour with wine pairing lunch
    Grape vine, Alentejo

    Alentejo wine tour with wine pairing lunch

    Évora & the Alentejo

    Alentejo wine tour with wine pairing lunch

    Explore the wineries of the Alentejo region on a full-day tour that includes a wine-pairing lunch and visits to two wineries. Along the way, you’ll learn about the history and traditions of one of Portugal’s premier wine-producing regions.

    View details