Lisbon, Sintra & Cascais

(10 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Lisbon, Sintra & Cascais

This exclusive private Portugal tour focuses on the highlights of sophisticated Lisbon and the beautiful nearby towns of Sintra and Cascais. Perfect for travelers interested in culture, cuisine, gardens, decorative arts and architecture, it includes private touring of fascinating historical districts, top museums, lavish country estates and stunning gardens, as well as time to relax at a luxurious beachside resort.

Experience Lisbon as an insider during private touring with an expert local guide. Tour the historic Alfama district, the sophisticated Bairro Alto and Lapa districts and the riverside Belem district. See St. George’s Castle, Mosteiro dos Jeronimos monastery, Belem Tower and other impressive monuments of Moorish and Manueline architecture. Browse select shops offering Portuguese specialties such as azulejo tiles, embroidered linens, Indo-Portuguese furniture, gold jewelry, Portuguese design products and antiques. Sample local food specialties such as pasteis de nata custard tarts. Also tour museums according to your interests, including options such as the National Tile Museum or the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum. Other touring options include vibrant food markets, a tour of a historic tile factory, visits to beautiful gardens, stops at scenic viewpoints overlooking the city, and a private appointment to visit the Ricardo do Espirito Santo Silva Foundation, which is dedicated to the preservation and reproduction of traditional Portuguese design and decorative art. One evening, enjoy a memorable fado music performance at a local club.

Continue to Sintra, an aristocratic town of fairy-tale palaces and gardens among forested hills. En route, visit the privately owned Fronteira Palace, famous for its beautiful formal gardens filled with statues, water features and azulejo tiles. Also visit the National Palace and Gardens of Queluz, a lavish royal palace with sumptuous interiors and magnificent gardens.

During private touring in Sintra, visit highlights of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra UNESCO World Heritage Site, such as the National Palace of Pena, a romantic hilltop castle with fantastical architecture; the National Palace of Sintra, one of the oldest royal palaces in Portugal and a rich repository of azulejo tile decorations; Quinta da Regaleira, an ornate, neo-Gothic villa on leafy grounds with sculptures and mysterious initiation wells; the Park and Palace of Monserrate, an exquisite fusion of Gothic, Moorish and Indian revivalist architecture with impressive botanical gardens; and the Convent of the Capuchos, the atmospheric ruins of a Franciscan hermitage deep in the forest. Other options in Sintra include Chalet Biester and the hilltop ruins of a Moorish castle. Also tour the narrow streets in the historic center of town, including the former Jewish quarter, and sample famous local pastries such as travesseiro (puff pastry with almonds and sugar) and queijada de Sintra (cheese pastry).

Continue to a luxurious resort in Cascais, an upscale seaside town on the Portuguese Riviera. Walk through the historic center, a charming mix of historical buildings, and see other highlights, such as clear-watered inlets popular for swimming, golden sand beaches, historic seaside villas, upscale shops and gourmet restaurants. One morning, enjoy a private boat charter along the coast to take in views of seaside cliffs, sand dunes and exclusive vacation houses. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can arrange private cooking classes, horseback riding, surfing, golf, visiting nature reserves, touring contemporary art and architecture sites, and more.

Return to Lisbon for flexible private touring or a half-day private excursion. Options include exploring interesting neighborhoods, culinary touring, shopping, visiting museums and cultural sites, hiking, golfing or taking an excursion to see archaeological sites, gardens, dinosaur tracks, renowned tile studios or local beach villages such as Comporta. Daily touring will be fully customized to suit your interests. Artisans of Leisure will also assist with advance dining reservations at Lisbon’s top restaurants.

Booking Information >

All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.

Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.

The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:

• Private touring with your own personal guides and drivers
• Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
• Firsthand, sophisticated destination knowledge and recommendations from our travel specialists
• Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
• Artisans of Leisure upgrades and amenities
• A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, skipping lines during touring whenever possible, restaurant and spa reservations, performance tickets, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and fast-track airport assistance in many destinations
• Around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip
• Unique, insider travel experiences and access to the Artisans of Leisure network of experts around the world