WT18 catalog single pgs

QUESTIONS?

1.800.368.2794

OR EMAIL

Exhilarating hikes through an exquisite countryside, charming villages, delightful port wine tastings—come along and discover Portugal with us!

Portugal’s exquisite landscapes and rural

villages are perfect for a hiking adventure—

WT style! We’ll head out on trails to discover

the

aldeais do gois

villages, taste wine in a

family-owned

quinta,

see prehistoric rock

art, hike medieval pilgrim routes, and explore

13th century castle towns and Peneda-Gerês

National Park, with its craggy peaks and wild

horses. Fine regional cuisine and velvety port

wines are a delightful part of our journey,

too, accompanied by the haunting sounds of

fado

. We end our journey in Porto, a World

Heritage Site of centuries-old lanes and port

wine cellars. Our lodgings are enchanting,

including a former wine warehouse in

picturesque Pinhão and the 17th century

Paço de Calheiros, where we are welcomed

by the dapper Count of Calheiros himself.

Days 1-4

Serra da Lousã / Serra da Estrela

From Lisbon, we head into the rock-built slate

villages known as

aldeais do gois

, stopping in

at a local home for tea and walking village-to-

village to soak up views of the deep green

valleys spread below. We also roam Lousã’s

lively covered market (a chance to sip herb-

based

licor beirâo

) and hike in the Serra da

Estrela below the rock towers of the glacier-

carved Zêzere Valley.

Days 5-7

Belmonte / Douro Wine Tasting /

Pinhão / Peneda-Gerês

We explore castle-

topped Belmonte’s medieval Jewish Quarter,

view the Paleolithic paintings in the Côa Valley,

then take a rail journey along the tranquil

Douro River to lovely Pinhão. Our hike across a

dreamscape of Douro Valley vineyards leads to

the family-owned Quinto do Crasto wine estate

on the banks of the Douro, and we return by

traditional wooden port barge. In mountainous

Peneda-Gerês National Park, our hike leads from

verdant forests into grasslands where we may

encounter goat herders and their trusty

castro

laboreiro

sheepdogs.

Days 8-12

The Pilgrimage Route / Ponte de

Lima / Porto

We join the pilgrim trail to the

sanctuary at Peneda, with its staircase adorned

with statues representing faith, love, and charity,

then visit charming Ponte de Lima. Our last hike

leads us across the gorgeous Camino Portuguese,

which once brought medieval pilgrims to

Santiago de Compostela. We end in Porto,

exploring the historic quarter and listening to

soulful fado songs. Depart on Day 12.

Hiker’s Journey to Portugal

PILGRIM TRAILS, SLATE VILLAGES, CASTLE TOWNS, AND

ENCHANTING DOURO VINEYARDS

HERCULES MILAS

SOFIA PEREIRA

PATRICK FRILET

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore from Lisbon to Porto, tasting

port wines and

vinhos verdes

, savoring

rich local specialties

• Hike among the slate villages of the Serra

da Lousã and along medieval pilgrim

routes, including the Camino Portuguese

• Meet a Douro Valley vintner, ride the

Linha do Douro (Portugal’s loveliest train

ride), discover castle-topped towns

• Enjoy unique lodgings, including a

traditional spa hotel, a converted

pilgrimage hostel, and a palatial 17th

century manor house

DETAILS

• 12-day trip begins in Lisbon and ends

in Porto

• 11 nights charming accommodations

• All meals included except 2 lunches and

1 dinner

DATES

Apr 24-May 5, 2018

May 14-25

Sep 4-15

Oct 2-13

TRIP COST

$5195 (9-15 members)

$5595 (5-8 members)

Single supplement: $580

TRIP LEVEL

1 2 3

4 5 6 7

9 hiking days on moderate to strenuous

trails (some steep sections), 3-6 hours a

day with two longer days, van support