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Map of Portugal Real Food Adventure, featuring Galicia including Portugal and Spain

Savour spiced seafood, slow-cooked sausages and sweet wines aplenty

Uncover the flavours of Galicia and Portugal on this eight-day Real Food Adventure. Sample tender, paprika-infused octopus in Santiago de Compostela and learn how to whip up your own Galician seafood classics in seaside Vigo. Cross the border and discover how centuries of invasion and trade have given Portuguese cuisine a mixture of Mediterranean, African Middle Eastern influences. Sip port among the terrace vineyards of Douro Valley and enjoy hearty, farm-fresh cooking at an Alentejo agriturismo. Complement your meals with cultural treats like a visit to the Roman ruins and Gothic wonder of Evora, before kicking back with Lisbon locals and a glass of ginjinha (wild cherry liqueur). Felicidades (cheers)!

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Terms & Conditions
Start
Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Finish
Lisbon, Portugal
Destinations
Portugal, Spain
Style
Original
Theme
Food
Code
ZMZP
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Seek out the best fresh seafood in Vigo’s lively fish market, then learn to cook some classic Galician dishes for a hearty lunch.

  • Tour the steep terraces of the Douro Valley’s riverside vineyards and stop in at a couple of wineries to sip and swirl local varieties.

  • Travel inland to an agriturismo in the Alentejo region and spend the night on a local farm, complete with a hearty dinner made with fresh produce.

  • Get into the swing of glamorous but relaxed Lisbon by sampling local favourite ginjinha, a cherry liqueur, with the locals.

  • Immerse yourself in Porto’s multicultural neighbourhoods during a walking and snacking tour, starting with a flaky pastry breakfast and ending with a glass of (what else) port.

Is this trip right for you?

  • The cuisine of Portugal includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Portugal which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.

  • In order to see (and eat) as much we can, this trip features some long travel days (up to 5 hours). These are a great chance to soak in the Portuguese scenery and get to know your fellow travellers a little better.

  • Summer temperatures in the areas visited can be very high (up to 40C), which can be uncomfortable. It is important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

Taste the beautiful cuisine of Portugal and Galicia in our Real Food Adventure
Taste the beautiful cuisine of Portugal and Galicia in our Real Food Adventure
Taste the beautiful cuisine of Portugal and Galicia in our Real Food Adventure

Itinerary
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Hola! Welcome to Santiago de Compostela, the capital of northwest Spain’s Galicia region. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. After your welcome meeting, get to know your fellow travellers over a traditional Galician meal. For seafood lovers, tasting pulpo a la gallega (Galician style octopus) is highly recommended!
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Hit the rails on a morning train to Vigo, departing at approximately 9.30 am and arriving 1 hour later. The vibrant city of Vigo is found on the banks of the Ria de Vigo (Vigo Bay), one of the most important bays in the Rias Baixas region. Not surprisingly, the city has a proud fishing history, with a rich bounty of seafood at its fingertips. The city is one of Europe's most important producers of shellfish. Take a ferry ride to a seafood market, then take part in a Galician cooking class culminating in a hearty lunch. In the late afternoon transfer over the border into Portugal. Arrive in the charming city of Porto by evening (approximately 1.5 hours). Tonight, you are free to explore at your own pace.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Vigo - Fish Market Tour and Cooking Class
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Stretching along the banks of the River Douro, Porto is one of Portugal's most romantic cities. Known for majestic bridges, medieval riverside district with its cobbled streets, merchants’ houses and cafes, Porto is also well known for one more thing; surprise, surprise – Porto is the birthplace of the fortified wine, port. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that soon enough. Start your day a little lighter, with coffee and pastries on a guided food walk. Sample local specialties including bacalhau (dried, salted cod) and finish with a sip of the city's namesake drop. The afternoon is free for you to explore at your leisure. Perhaps pull up a chair in one of Porto's atmospheric tavernas.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Porto - City Tasting Tour
Meals Included
  • Lunch

Enjoy a full-day tour of the Douro Valley. See the beautiful landscapes of the Duoro River region on a relaxing drive around the villages of Sabrosa and Pinhao, home to the stepped terraces and vineyards where port and other varieties are made. Visit two wineries, learn about port production and enjoy a tasting or two of this iconic regional wine. Enjoy lunch at a traditional restaurant before returning to Porto in the late afternoon. Enjoy another evening of free time in this lively city.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Douro Valley - Guided Day Trip with Wine Tasting
Meals Included
  • Lunch

Travel south to Lisbon by train (approximately 3 hours), then take a private vehicle to an agriturismo located near Arraiolos in the Evora district (approximately 1.5 hours). Surrounded by undulating wheat fields dotted with grazing cows, this is the perfect way to experience the Alentejo region. This area is renowned for its cork plantations, vineyards and celebrated products, including the coveted Azaruja sausage made from black Alentejo pigs (known locally as Iberico pigs). Perhaps take a pre-dinner walk around the property and enjoy the peace and quiet. Get to know your hosts over a dinner of plants harvested from their own and nearby farms. Depending on the season, your meal may include tomatoes, leafy greens, olives and pears.
Accommodation
  • Farmstay (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Alentejo - Farm-cooked Meal
Meals Included
  • Dinner

Bid your hosts farewell and continue to the UNESCO-listed city of Evora, capital of the Alentejo region. While you’re here, visit the ruins of the ancient Roman Temple of Evora and the Cathedral of Evora, a massive Gothic structure begun in the 12th century. Continue to Lisbon, a city that manages to be at once glamorous and laid-back, arriving by early evening. Toast your arrival with a glass of the city's favourite cherry liqueur, ginjinha.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Evora - Day Trip
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Get acquainted with this beguiling city on an orientation walk. Along the way, stop in at one of the city's iconic eateries for a tasting of (arguably) the country's best Portuguese custard tarts. First made in the 16th century by nuns, this mixture of crispy pastry and creamy filling are arguably Portugal’s best-known dessert. Celebrate your arrival in Portugal’s capital city tonight with dinner accompanied by fado, a genre of Portuguese soul music that originated from Africa and has evolved to suit the streets of Lisbon. The show will be accompanied by petiscos, Portugal's answer to tapas!
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Lisbon - Fado Show & Dinner
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Your Real Food Adventure ends this morning. There are no activities today and you are free to leave at any time, provided you comply with the hotel's internal check-out time.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners

Transport

Train, Private vehicle, Public bus, Ferry

Accommodation

Hotel (6 nights), farmstay (1 nights)

Included activities

  • Vigo - Fish Market Tour and Cooking Class
  • Porto - City Tasting Tour
  • Douro Valley - Guided Day Trip with Wine Tasting
  • Alentejo - Farm-cooked Meal
  • Evora - Day Trip
  • Lisbon - Fado Show & Dinner

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Portugal Real Food Adventure, featuring Galicia trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 5 (Farmstay) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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