Portugal - North to South

Northern and central Portugal are a throwback to days gone by, a world away from the Algarve glitz and glamour of the south. Porto is a gem of a city, the clusters of atmospheric streets either side of the Douro retaining their long lived maritime soul whilst opening the door to the 21st century through fabulous restaurants and luxury hotels. 

The Douro of course is one of the great wine tourism destinations, the astonishing terraces overlooking the river now producing great red wines as well as ports. The rural wine regions of the Bairrada, Dão, Ribatejo and Alentejo offer food and wine experiences more closely tied to their origins. Enjoy a wonderful overview of the best wines and regions of Portugal. Experience the joy of the small villages where the grapes grown are unpronounceable to outsiders but produce wines of huge character, quality, and individuality. 

Lisbon is one of Europe’s great cities, a place on the rise and the base for Portuguese exploration from Vasco de Gama onwards, as well as being very scenic and dramatic. If you’re looking for Chardonnay and Merlot, go elsewhere! If you want to discover the glories of Baga, Merencão, Encruzado, Tinto Roriz and the port grapes, join the tour.

Payments Policy 

Each tour has a deposit of €750 per person which is payable at booking. The balance of payment is due 90 days prior to the start of the tour.

WeTravel Payments

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new booking system, powered by the WeTravel platform. Our primary goal is to enhance your booking experience, making it simpler and more convenient, especially when it comes to payment via credit card.WeTravel is a highly respected booking and payments platform for group travel businesses, trusted by over 5,000 companies worldwide. We couldn't be happier to partner with them, knowing that they provide instant payment acceptance, efficient booking management, and global fund transfers.
Booking your next adventure with us is now smoother than ever. Tours will continue to be listed on our website as before. When you click ‘book now’ on the tour page you will transition to the new WeTravel booking page for that tour where you can select the package and options that you wish to book.

We highly recommend creating an account during the signup process. This enables you to track the status of your bookings and make any necessary changes whenever you need to. Rest assured, WeTravel respects your privacy and won't inundate you with marketing emails.

Payment Methods  Once you've completed the familiar booking form, you can proceed to make secure online payments, currently available in 2 different ways:

1. credit card (which incurs a processing fee that varies according to the currency and location you are paying in, up to 2.9%) 

2. bank debit transfer. Bank debit transfers occur when an account holder authorises an outside party to “pull” funds from their bank account. The recipient’s bank initiates the transfer of funds, not the sender’s bank. When a customer sets up this type of bank transfer to make a payment, they provide their name and account details to the recipient, who will then use the account information to pull funds from the sender’s account into their own.This is different from bank/ wire transfer where instead of the recipient’s account “pulling” money from the sender’s account, credit transfers work by “pushing” money from the sender’s bank account to the recipient’s.

If you prefer alternative payment methods such as cheques or Wise wire transfer, we're happy to accommodate these arrangements on request.  

Non USA Payments  

Most of our tours are listed in US dollars but if you want to pay in your local currency by the bank debit method then it is as easy as selecting the flag of your country’s currency on the top right of the window when you are making payment. Alternatively, you can request our $US account details to make a wire transfer from outside the USA.  

2nd Participant Payments   

A booking will only show under the account of the person who made the booking, not the second participant. There are 2 options for payment in this case - 

1. You can pay together and handle the participant's payment outside of WeTravel. 

2. You can share the login and each make payments with your preferred payment method.

Timings 

The payment timing will stay the same, with a deposit of $750 pp payable at booking and the balance payable by 90 days before the tour starts. You will receive an automated reminder 30 days before the balance is due.We believe this new system will streamline your booking experience. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at info@iberianwinetours.com.

Cancellation Policy

If you wish to cancel your booking, you need to confirm the cancellation in writing by email or letter. If you contact Iberian Wine Tours prior to confirming your cancellation we can advise you of the cancellation charges applicable to your situation. The cancellation charge is based on the number of days prior to the starting day of the trip booked. The charges are per person cancelling, as follows:

90 days or more – loss of deposit

89-60 days or more – 25%

59-30 days – 50%

29 days or less – 100%

Refund Policy
From time to time, tours do not reach the minimum number of bookings necessary to make the trip viable. We reserve the right to cancel or alter a tour in these circumstances. If we cancel the tour or make substantial alterations, we will advise you at least 60 days before departure and will offer you alternative dates or a full refund. 

Day 1 - Monday 19 April - Porto
In the afternoon we meet in the lobby of the Hotel Tivoli Kopke (where we stay for 2 nights) and go  to Grahams Port Lodge for a tour and tasting. Grahams is the flagship port of the Symington family and the lodge is a glimpse into history. After our visit and tasting, enjoy a casual tapas style dinner at Wine Box.(D)

Day 2 - Tuesday 20 April - Douro
We depart inland following the course of the Douro river to the heart of the steep vineyards of the Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our first stop is Dow’s flagship estate Quinta do Bomfim. We visit the quinta and enjoy a private tasting with a selection of wines and of course some port before taking a short bus ride to Quinta de la Rosa for lunch. A port producer since 1906, Quinta de la Rosa is a small, family owned Quinta where the grapes are trodden by foot. Enjoy lunch at La Rosa’s own restaurant Cozinha de Clara with magical views over the Douro. After lunch return to Porto by bus. We meet for a light dinner at the hotel accompanied by some of Kopke’s ports. (B,L)

Day 3 - Wednesday 21 April - Bairrada
After breakfast we check out of the Hotel and leave Porto after breakfast and head to Luis Pato Winery in the Bairrada wine region for a visit and tasting. Luis Pato is widely considered a dominant force in his region (Robert Parker), a winemaker who can tame the difficult Baga grape. Lunch is accompanied by regional wines and is completed with the signature local dish of leitão, suckling pig. After lunch, we drive to Coimbra for a short visit to the famous and picturesque university. We then head to our Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas in the heart of Coimbra, our base for the next 2 nights. We enjoy dinner at the Hotel’s own restaurant tasting some wines from the Dão and Bairrada. (B,L,D) 

Day 4 - Thursday 22 April - Dão
We depart today to discover the cheese and wine of the Dão region. Our first stop is to a dairy that produces the Queijo Serra da Estrela, a raw sheep’s milk cheese made in this mountainous region. We continue to the Dâo wine region for a visit at Quinta do Soito an award winning family winery where we sample some local cuisine and wines in the company of the family. After lunch, return to Coimbra where the evening is free. (B,L) 

Day 5 - Friday 23 April - Ribatejo
After breakfast we check out and head south to the region of Ribatejo to stop at the delightful Casa Cadaval. This is one of the great estates of the Ribatejo, home to some great wines and some fabulous Lusitano horses. Our visit includes a visit to the estate and winery, lunch in the country house. After lunch we continue on our journey towards Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We check into the Hotel Mar de Ar Aqueduto, our base for the next 2 nights, located in the old town right beside the Aqueduct. For dinner we walk to restaurant O Fialho founded in 1945 and which has become a reference for Alentejo cuisine. (B,L,D) 

Day 6 - Saturday 24 April - Alentejo
Our first winery stop is Cartuxa where we enjoy a visit and tasting. Cartuxa boasts over 400 years of history rooted in the 16th-century Jesuit Quinta de Valbom and the nearby Carthusian monastery. We depart for Michelin star lunch at Herdade de Esporão. After lunch, drive to the walled hill town of Monsaraz for a wander around the charming cobbled streets and spectacular views over the Alqueva Reservoir towards Spain. Return to Évora where the evening is free. (B,L). 

Day 7 - Sunday 25 April - Setubal & Lisboa
After breakfast, we check out and head south west to the Setubal Peninsular, departing Évora. Visit Jose Maria de Fonseca for a tour and tasting, followed by lunch in Azeitão, the village nearby. This is perhaps the finest producer of moscatel de Setubal. After lunch we then head out to Lisbon and check into the majestic and stylish Pestana Palace Hotel.

Our farewell dinner is at culinary star Jose Avillez’s informal restaurant, Pateo Bairro do Avillez, which partners with his two-star Michelin restaurant, Belcanto. Enjoy the cuisine of Portugal’s best known chef in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere and toast to a fine end to the trip. (B,L,D) 

Day 8 - Monday 26 April -Departures 

After breakfast, end of tour.