Optional Lisbon Prelude
April 19 - 23, 2027
Monday, April 19, 2027
Depart United States
Depart the US on Monday, April 19, for your overnight transatlantic flights to Lisbon, Portugal (airport code LIS).
Tuesday, April 20
Arrive in Lisbon
After arriving in one of Europe’s oldest capital cities, take a taxi from the airport to your luxury accommodations for the next three nights before embarkation in Porto.
Wednesday, April 21
The City of Seven Hills
Jerónimos Monastery Cloister
Pastéis de Belém
Following breakfast, your immersive day in Lisbon begins with a tour of 16th century seaside fortress, Belém Tower. Built in an extravagant Manueline style during the height of the Portuguese renaissance, this tower aimed to protect the harbor while also providing a grand welcome to Discovery Age voyagers as they returned to the city from their exploration.
Journey next to the Gothic Jerónimos Monastery, a vast complex of cloisters, tombs, gardens, and chapels built in a similar style to the Belém Tower, its design and maritime motifs bearing witness to the intimacy between Portuguese identity and the sea.
Continue to explore this unique historical period as you end the day with a visit to the Discoveries Monument, but not before sampling a Pastel de Belém! These beloved and bright egg custard tarts have their roots in the refectory of the Jeronimos monastery.
Enjoy dinner on your own wherever you wish in the city. Perhaps you will find a dish featuring the popular Bacalhau (salt cod) or local Iberico pork.
Thursday, April 22
Serra de Sintra | Pena Palace
Pena Palace
Step away from the hum of central Lisbon today toward Serra Sintra, a picturesque city dotted with many examples of 19th century Roman architecture and surrounded by the diverse Sintra mountain forests. We will tour the magical Pena Palace, which served as a summer retreat for Portuguese royalty for over 500 years. Its goldenrod and crimson towers are able to be seen from any nook or cranny of the surrounding Pena Park, boasting vegetation of over 200 species in its lavish 500 acre boundary. This village bursting through the clouds captured the imagination of Romantic artists, including Lord Byron, who affectionately called Serra de Sintra "Glorious Eden".
Return from the heights of Sintra to your lodgings and dine with whomever and wherever you please.
Friday, April 23
Lisbon | Porto | Embarkation
Travel north via coach to Porto today, with a stop in the charming walled city of Obidos along the route. Travelers venturing through Obidos’ medieval ramparts will feel transported to another century as you explore the city’s cobblestone streets lined with bright, white-washed homes.
Join core itinerary travelers in the late afternoon as all are welcomed aboard the AmaSintra, whose conscientious crew waits for your arrival near the mouth of the Douro at Vila de Nova de Gaia. Anchors away!
Castle in the City of Obidos
Lisbon Prelude Pricing & Inclusions
$TBD/person double occupancy
$TBD/single occupancy
*Prices based on a minimum of 10 rooms
Inclusions: 3 nights at a 5-star hotel in Lisbon, InterContinental or similar; Comprehensive program of sightseeing tours and shore excursions with expert local guides • Local transportation in deluxe air-conditioned motorcoaches and all entrance fees