May 20 - 28th, 2025

If you’re coming from the US, please keep in mind that you will need to leave by at least the 19th to arrive in Portugal on the 20th. Please check into the hotel no later than 4:00 PM.

*** PORTO ***

THE ICON DUPLO RIBEIRA
R. de São João 104
4050-551 Porto, Portugal
www.iconduploribeira.com
Tel: +351 22 976 2244

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Check in: 3:00 PM
Check out: 12:00 PM

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- The hotel is about a 20-minute car ride from the Campahnã Train Station, and a 30 minute ride from Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport.

- If you arrive before 3 pm, the hotel will be happy to hold your bags until you can check in.

- Please arrive at the hotel no later than 5:00 pm on our first day to check in and get settled into your room. We will gather together in the lobby at 6:00 pm to head out for our welcome gathering.

*** DOURO VALLEY ***

QUINTA DO VENTOZELO
Ervedosa do Douro
5130-135 S. João da Pesqueira
www.hotel.quintadeventozelo.pt/en

Tel: +351 254 732 167

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DAY 1

After getting settled into the hotel, we'll start our journey together by gathering for a welcome event at a tapas place for wine and light snacks. Afterwards, we'll head to a charming local restaurant for dinner.

Meals included: aperitivo, dinner

DAY 2

We'll start our day with a tour of hilly Porto in a vintage car. Our guide, Daniela, will show us the most important sites in both Porto and its sister city across the river, Gaia.

Afterwards, we’ll meet up with one of the best guides in Porto, Beatriz, who will take us on a gastronomic tour. We’ll hit places most tourists never see and taste Portuguese specialities along the way, all while learning more about Porto and its history.

Afterwards, you’ll have free time for the rest of the day to visit some of the port houses in the area and explore more of Porto.

Meals included: breakfast, food tour

DAY 3

This is your free day to explore Porto on your own. Wander its cobblestone streets, eat your fill of pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts), or simply relax at the hotel and soak it all in.

Meals included: breakfast

DAY 4

Today you’ll experience the magic and breathtaking beauty of Northern Portugal’s countryside.

Our private coach will whisk us to the heart of the Douro Valley and our accommodations at Quinta Ventozelo.

We’ll stop at a port maker to learn more about the port making process, take a boat tour down the Douro River (light snacks), and have a homemade traditional lunch at a wine estate.

Once we arrive at Ventozelo, you’ll have time to settle in and take in its breathtaking views. In the evening, we’ll gather for a farm to table dinner at the Quinta’s cozy restaurant.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner

DAY 5

Now at Ventozelo, we'll spend time taking in the beauty of this place, enjoying its slow pace and giving our souls time to slow down. We’ll do a bit of wine tasting, enjoy incredible farm to table dinners, and use the time to relax and unwind.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner

DAY 6

This is your day to spend however you’d like at Ventozelo. Hire a car to drive you to other wineries, have lunch at the nearby town of Pinhao, or simply relax. In the evening, we’ll share one last dinner at this incredible property.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner (included but optional)

DAY 7

Today we head back to Porto.

After checking back into our hotel, you’ll have a few hours to do any last minute activities you want to do in the city.

In the evening, we’ll head out to hear some Fado, the traditional music of Portugal and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. This intimate concert will be held in one of Porto’s beautiful churches, built in the 1500s.

Afterwards, we’ll walk to our closing dinner at a charming and tiny local restaurant.

Meals included: breakfast, dinner

DAY 8

It’s departure day. Check out from the hotel and head to your next destination - whether its back home, or to see more of Portugal - with a full heart, new friends, and an inspired soul.

Meals included: breakfast

Invoices will be sent to you around the 5th of each month, with payment due by the 10th.

FLIGHTS

Porto has its own international airport - Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport - which is an easy 30-minute ride from Porto’s center. Or you may choose to fly into Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport, then take a train up to Porto. Either is a fine choice, it just depends on whether or not you want to spend some time in Lisbon, and what flights are most convenient from your city of departure.

When adding together the expense of staying overnight in Lisbon, plus the cost of round-trip high-speed rail tickets, and the hassle of getting from Point A to Point B, you may decide it makes more sense to fly into Porto.

You may also want to consider an “open jaw” ticket which will allow you to fly into one city and out the other. Just be aware that some flights to/from Porto will route you through Lisbon anyway. My advice is to look at the various options, price them out, and see what makes the most sense for you.

LISBON HOTEL

If you decide to visit Lisbon and take the train to Porto, I can recommend the Editory Riverside Hotel. The train station is right around the corner from the hotel’s lobby - you don’t even have to walk outside!

The rooms are clean, spacious, and the staff is super friendly (as a quick note: when I was there, there was a train strike and one of the staff personally walked me to the station, talked to a ticket agent to find out what trains were running, and advised me on what to do...he really went above and beyond!).

There’s also a restaurant on site, so if you’re too tired to venture out, you can have dinner there, then return to your room to rest. And when you’re ready to catch the train to Porto, you’ll simply walk through the lobby to your train. It couldn’t be more convenient!

There are, of course, many MANY other options in Lisbon, so shop around. I just wanted to offer one option that I have personal experience with.

GETTING FROM PORTO’S AIRPORT TO CENTER

You can take the metro from the airport to center, but I highly recommend getting an Uber, as it’s quicker and much MUCH more convenient.

TRAINS FROM LISBON TO PORTO

Portugal has a well-connected rail system, and the Alfa Pendular is the fastest option. Using the Alfa Pendular, the ride from Lisbon to Porto by high-speed train takes roughly 2.5 hours, and is a direct ride with no transfers required. There are also Intercity train (Intercidades) which are nominally cheaper, but take much longer, so I recommend just taking the Alfa Pendular.

There are two station options for your departure from Lisbon. One is to leave from Oriente train station, and the other is to leave from Santa Apolonia. If you’re staying at the Editory Hotel, the Santa Apolonia station is right downstairs and the most obvious choice.

Tickets can be bought in advance through the Comboios de Portugal site or apps like Omio (which is the one I personally prefer to use). Below are the point to point train stations you want to select when buying tickets.

If you decide to buy your tickets through a third party app like OMIO I recommend still checking Comoios de Portugal closer to departure for any changes to train times.

Lisbon Santa Apoloina >> Porto Campanhã

Lisbon Oriente >> Porto Campanhã

Allow PLENTY of time at the train station. Stations can be huge, tracks can be long, and depending on which one your train is leaving from, you wouldn’t believe how far you have to walk! I would plan on arriving at the station at least 30 minutes before departure.

Once you find your track and train, look for the carriage number matching the one on your ticket. This will usually be displayed digitally on the train door, but sometimes metal plates are used. Enter your car, and find your reserved seats.

When you arrive in Porto, you can walk directly out the front doors and cross over one lane to get to the car/taxi/Uber drop off point. I recommend calling an Uber to take you to the hotel.

INTRODUCTION

The official currency in Portugal is the Euro. It’s best to carry money in at least two different formats, generally cash and debit/credit cards work best.

I use a Wise card while traveling (disclosure: the link provided is a referral link). The Wise card is a multi-currency card that can be used anywhere in the world. The process is simple. Load your card with USD, then use the Wise app on your phone or computer to convert the USD into Euros (or any other currency you like). From here, use your card like you would any debit or credit card. It’s safe, convenient, and offers some of the lowest exchange fees available. It also prevents you from having to search for a money changing kiosk or bank to change money while on the go.

For cash, ATMs offer the best exchange rate (FYI - your Wise Card can also be used at ATMs), and are the most convenient option. Be sure to have or get at least a small amount of euros (around 75€ or 100€) after you land in order to pay for incidentals such as cab rides, tips, food/snacks and public transportation.

I do NOT recommend carrying large amounts of cash on you, as pickpocketing is an issue in Europe, particularly in areas where lots of tourists can be found, like train stations. It’s much better, in my opinion, to carry smaller amounts of cash, and rely on a Wise or debit/credit card to pay for most things.

BANKS & FEES

Be sure to let your bank know that you’re traveling beforehand so that your card isn’t frozen for suspicion of fraud. The same is true of credit cards.

Be aware that many banks and credit card companies charge transaction fees for taking money out of ATMs and making international transactions, in addition to international fees, and these can be quite high. If you decide to not use a Wise card, call your bank or look online to find out what these fees are, so that you aren’t caught by surprise.

- Portugal’s 911 is: 112

- Portugal no longer has any COVID-related requirements to travel to and from the country. That being said, I still recommend packing enough masks for the duration of the trip, and bringing a few at home COVID tests in the event that you begin to feel ill.

- If you’re feeling unwell, pharmacies are designated by a glowing green cross.

-If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Portugal. Pack enough medication for your entire trip.

-The level of medical care in Portugal is high, but may be less accessible in rural areas. Public hospitals offer care at a lower cost than private, but wait times may be longer. Private hospitals will require payment upon admission.

- If you have a prescription that you’ll be carrying, make sure you get a note from your doctor stating: the generic/non-proprietary names of all medications you plan to take while you’re there, the required dosage, and that it’s for personal use.

- Make sure you’re registered with the US Embassy’s STEP program for travelers.

*Coming soon*

Tipping is generally not expected in Portugal, HOWEVER more and more places - especially in more touristy areas - are expecting tips. This is mainly due to the fact that tourists generally tip, so they’ve become accustomed to receiving them. When tipping, 10%-15% of the bill is acceptable. This also applies to taxis.

This page is a great source for additional information on etiquette in Portugal.

Here’s a great, quick primer on useful phrases in Portuguese for tourists. However, I’ve never met anyone there who didn’t speak incredible English, so don’t fret if you don’t have time to learn these!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDsD0jLF63g