Christmas in Portugal Tour
8 Days Starting and ending in Faro, Portugal
Visiting: Faro, Tavira, Loulé, Algarve, Lagos, Ria Formosa
Tour operator:
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
0 - 35
Special diets catered:
Meat
Trip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Experience the magic of the festive season with our Christmas in Portugal Tour. Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and stunning landscapes of the Algarve, starting with a stay at the modern AP Eva Senses Hotel in Faro. Explore the Moorish-tinged charm of Tavira, the historic allure of Lagos, and the breathtaking views from Cape St. Vicente, Europe's southwestern tip. Delight in a boat cruise through the Ria Formosa Islands and savor local flavors with included meals, such as a festive Christmas Eve dinner and a farewell feast at Vila Adentro. With guided tours, wine tastings, and free time to explore Faro's Christmas market, this tour offers a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. Enjoy seamless travel with return flights from London Gatwick, airport transfers, and a full coach touring itinerary, all under the guidance of an expert tour manager.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1
Location: Faro
Accommodation Name: AP Eva Senses Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
Fly from Gatwick to Faro and transfer to hotel in the city centre for seven-night stay. Welcome drink and dinner with wine.
Day 2 Tavira With Lunch At A Local Restaurant And Hilltop Village Of Cacela Velha.
Location: Tavira
Accommodation Name: AP Eva Senses Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch
This morning enjoy a walking tour around Tavira. The town combines two Mediterranean staples: Moorish architecture and a golden sand beach. Here a labyrinth of cobbled streets wind past houses tiled in the traditional Portuguese style and the pace of life flows as gentle as the Gilão River. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. In the afternoon travel by coach to pretty, whitewashed, hilltop village of Cacela Velha, which offers lovely views of the easternmost lagoon of the Ria Formosa.
Day 3 Loule Rocksalt Mines And Quinta Da Tor Vineyard For Tour, Tasting And Tapas.
Location: Loulé
Accommodation Name: AP Eva Senses Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch
In the Campina de Cima rock salt mine, beneath the city of Loulé, lies a giant labyrinth. The four-levelled maze dug by miners over the last 50 years is rich in salt. Now, this underground Pombaline town offers visitors an unusual, entertaining and educational experience. Learn about the life and legacy of Saint Barbara, the miner's patron, through an engaging artistic exhibition inside the mine. Please note the underground path covers some 1.4km so may be unsuitable for those with walking difficulties. Then to the Quinta da Tor vineyard to enjoy a tour, wine-tasting and tapas lunch.
Day 4 Faro Free Day To Explore The City And Christmas Market.
Location: Faro
Accommodation Name: AP Eva Senses Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
Christmas Eve is free to explore the lovely city of Faro, capital of the Algarve region and overlooked by the vast majority of tourists who flock to its airport and on to other destinations up and down the coast. It is their great loss, as it is a charming, historic and cultural city with a wealth of attractions including an atmospheric old town with Gothic Cathedral, Paco Episcopal Palace and decorative Arco da Vila gateway. At this festive time of year, it bustles with a Christmas market, too and there is a host of bars, cafes and restaurants to linger at with the locals. Festive dinner with wine at the hotel and option to attend Midnight mass in the glorious Se Cathedral.
Day 5
Location: Algarve
Accommodation Name: AP Eva Senses Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch
Full day free with festive lunch at the hotel including wine. The temperate Algarve climate will mean that you can enjoy working up an appetite for Christmas Day lunch with a Christmas morning walk either around the marina and old city or even to Faro beach.
Day 6 Lagos, Cape St Vicente – The “End Of The World” And Sagres With Lunch.
Location: Lagos
Accommodation Name: AP Eva Senses Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch
We start the day in Lagos, an historic city situated on the beautiful Western Algarve coastline. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the Algarve, it has retained its charm and character, with cobbled streets lined with whitewashed buildings. Then to Cape St Vicente, the south westernmost point of Portugal and Europe heading out into the Atlantic, topped with a dramatic lighthouse. It is often referred to as “the end of the world.” The nearby village of Sagres has a fort, harbour, locally beaches and a host of appealing restaurants, where we will include lunch.
Day 7 Ria Formosa Boat Cruise And Fishing Port Of Olhao. Farewell Dinner Including Wine At “Vila Adentro” Inside The City’S Roman Walls.
Location: Ria Formosa
Accommodation Name: AP Eva Senses Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
The harbour opens onto the calm lagoons and waters of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, a small group of barrier islands. Embark on a boat tour and cruise among the fascinating islands of the Ria Formosa lagoons, a hidden gem of the Algarve. See local fishermen at work, shellfish farms and enjoy the bird life. In the afternoon there will be a guided tour of Olhão, a picturesque fisherman’s town with Moorish inspired whitewashed buildings and bustling old quarter. There will be free time before returning to the hotel with time to freshen up before our farewell dinner at the Vila Adentro restaurant inside the Roman Walls.
Day 8
Transfer to the airport for return flight to Gatwick
What's Included
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Return flights from London Gatwick to Faro
Return flights from London Gatwick to Faro are included in the tour package.
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Seven nights bed and breakfast at the four-star AP Eva Senses Hotel, Faro
Enjoy a seven-night stay with bed and breakfast at the four-star AP Eva Senses Hotel in Faro.
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Two dinners at the hotel
Two dinners at the hotel are included in the tour package.
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Festive Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day lunch at the hotel
Celebrate with a festive Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day lunch at the hotel.
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Two lunches (no drinks)
Two lunches are included, though drinks are not provided.
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One Tapas lunch
A Tapas lunch is included in the itinerary.
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Farewell dinner at Vila Adentro restaurant
A farewell dinner at Vila Adentro restaurant is included.
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All tours and entrance fees as detailed
All tours and entrance fees as detailed in the itinerary are included.
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Airport transfers and full coach touring itinerary
Airport transfers and a full coach touring itinerary are included.
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Tour manager and local guide throughout
A tour manager and local guide will be with you throughout the tour.
What's Not Included
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Double for sole use supplement
A supplement is required for double rooms used for sole occupancy.
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Meals other than those stated
Meals other than those specifically stated in the itinerary are not included.
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Entrance cost to Silves Castle and Cathedral
Entrance costs to Silves Castle and Cathedral are not included.
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Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc
Personal items such as drinks, laundry, and telephone calls are not included.
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Porterage and gratuities
Porterage and gratuities are not included in the tour package.
Mode of Transport
Return flights from London Gatwick to Faro are included, along with airport transfers and a full coach touring itinerary, ensuring a seamless travel experience throughout the tour.
Accommodation
Stay at the modern, four-star AP Eva Senses Hotel in Faro, overlooking the marina and Ria Formosa. Located in the heart of the city, just 600m from the Se Cathedral, the hotel offers a rooftop bar, restaurant, and comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities.
Check out our Q&As
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What type of accommodation is provided during the tour?
The tour includes a seven-night stay at the AP Eva Senses Hotel in Faro, a modern four-star hotel overlooking the marina and Ria Formosa. The hotel offers a rooftop bar, restaurant, and comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities.
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Are meals included in the tour package?
Yes, the tour package includes seven nights bed and breakfast, two dinners at the hotel, a festive Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day lunch, two additional lunches (no drinks), one tapas lunch, and a farewell dinner at Vila Adentro restaurant.
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What activities are planned for Christmas Day?
On Christmas Day, you have a full day free with a festive lunch at the hotel, including wine. You can enjoy a Christmas morning walk around the marina and old city or even to Faro beach.
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Is there a guided tour included in the itinerary?
Yes, the itinerary includes several guided tours, such as a walking tour around Tavira, a tour of the Loule Rocksalt mines, a vineyard tour with wine-tasting at Quinta da Tor, and a guided tour of Olhão.
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What is the highlight of the visit to Cape St. Vicente?
The highlight of the visit to Cape St. Vicente is its dramatic location as the southwesternmost point of Portugal and Europe, often referred to as 'the end of the world,' topped with a dramatic lighthouse.
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Is there a boat excursion included in the tour?
Yes, the tour includes a boat cruise among the fascinating islands of the Ria Formosa lagoons, where you can see local fishermen at work, shellfish farms, and enjoy the bird life.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Final joining instructions and documentation will be despatched approximately 10 days before travel.
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Do I need any Visas or Vaccinations for my holidays?
Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change. Please check with your local doctor/GP about the current Vaccination requirements of the country you are visiting. For Visa enquiries, please contact the Embassy of the country you are visiting.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Generally, single and double rooms carry the same price, which means that single supplements for certain itineraries can seem high. We would be pleased to arrange for clients travelling alone to share with another client, however this is subject to somebody in the same situation booking on the tour. If you would be interested in this option, please let us know at the time of enquiry/booking.
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Where does the tour manager meet us?
In most cases the tour manager will travel out with the tour group from the UK. However, this is not always the case and the tour manager may meet you at the destination station / airport. The exact details specific to your tour will be given to you in your final documentation, 10 days prior to departure.
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Travel Editions requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of travel editions charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 45% of booking price.
At 28 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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