Become immersed in the joys of Lisbon by visiting the capital city’s most well-known attractions and neighborhoods, watching a traditional Fado performance and exploring palaces in the nearby foothills.
DAY 1
After flying into the Lisbon airport, you will be met outside of customs and transferred to the Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel, an urban oasis tucked away on a hilltop in one of Lisbon’s most exclusive neighborhoods. Check in is 3pm and while every effort will be made to have rooms available earlier, this cannot be guaranteed.
You will spend the remainder of the day settling in and enjoying the amenities of this luxurious resort, which was once the private residence of the Count of Valencas. Lapa Palace Hotel is conveniently located within easy reach of Lisbon’s attractions, if you wish to explore the city or shop on your own before retiring for the evening.
Your river and garden-view room in the hotel’s garden wing will have a balcony that presents views of Lisbon’s downtown, the Tagus River and the hotel pool and garden.
DAY 2
Enjoy breakfast before boarding a ‘tuk tuk’ (motorized rickshaw with three wheels) and embarking on a scenic drive towards the Belem Quarter, where you can admire the Monument of Discoveries, the Tower of Belém and Jeronimos Monastery. Continuing to downtown Lisbon, you will pass lovely Liberdade Avenue, the elegant shopping area of Chiado and the heart of the commercial area, Praça do Comércio and Alfama.
Note: each tuk tuk has a local driver and seats for four guests. This mode of transport enables guests to see some of the narrow streets in the city’s most typical neighborhoods.
Alfama takes its name from the Arabic Al-hamma, meaning fountains or baths. It contains many important historical attractions and traditional Fado restaurants along its narrow and winding streets. The medieval Castle of São Jorge overlooks the Alfama and offers one of the best views of the city.
One of the highlights of this comprehensive city tour is visiting the Lisbon Cathedral, also known as the Sé. Although it looks like a medieval fortress, the interior is glorious and includes the font where St. Anthony of Padua was supposedly baptized in the 12th century.
By midday, you will return to the hotel to spend the afternoon at your leisure, or you may remain in the city center and return on your own.
The entertainment for the evening will be in the Café Luso. Here, you will enjoy a traditional Portuguese dinner and watch a Fado show. Fado is Portuguese folk music that is melancholy by nature and usually played on guitars and mandolins. The lyrics tend to be poetic and involve themes such as love and sadness.
Following this authentic cultural experience, you will return to the hotel.
DAY 3
After departing from the hotel, you will pass through some of Portugal’s most inspiring countryside on the way to Mafra. Here, at the revered Palace of Mafra, which was constructed of local limestone and marble in the 18th century, you will behold priceless art and period furnishings that were characteristic of the royal lifestyle. At one time, the palace also served as a Franciscan monastery.
After visiting the extraordinary palace, you will continue even deeper into the countryside to the Adega Mãe, home to approximately 40 hectares of vineyards with a production capacity of somewhere near 1,5 million liters per year. In its cellar, white, red and rosé wines are produced. The productive infrastructure is equipped with modern and sophisticated machinery, combining cutting-edge technology and traditional approach.
While touring this modern and architecturally innovative vineyard, you will get to know the white and red wine presses, the grandeur of the storage and fermentation tanks. Take a peek into the laboratory and visit the Time Room (“Sala do tempo”), where aromas combine with the scent of French Oak barrels; witness the repose of their Reserva, and finish things off with a tasting while you take in the views of the vineyard.
Following lunch at the winery, you will return to the hotel along a spectacularly scenic coastal route. The remainder of the day and dinner will be on your own to enjoy as you please.
Following lunch at the winery, you will return to the hotel along a spectacularly scenic coastal route. The remainder of the day and dinner will be on your own to enjoy as you please.
DAY 4
After departing from the hotel, you will drive to Sintra, a beautiful town nestled in the forested foothills of the Sintra mountains. Your experience here begins with free time to wander about the atmospheric streets, enjoy the sweeping views and thoroughly relax.
Not far away, you will find Pena Palace, a landmark that was built in the 19th century to be a royal summer home. Inside and out, it looks like an eccentric mix of different castle styles and features. Now hailed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Portugal’s Seven Wonders, the flamboyant palace exemplifies 19th-century Romantic architecture, inside and out.
Following your tour of Pena Palace, you will return to Lisbon and embark the cruise ship.
Land Program Details Step by Step
•The order of sites visited may vary to avoid congestion. Program times are approximate, given here for general reference purposes and subject to change.
•Itineraries with the up-to-date details will be issued when you are emailed your final cruise documents 21 days prior to sailing. You will then receive a final itinerary from our ground operator with a Welcome Letter upon arrival or at your hotel. Please review the letter and your final itinerary carefully for further amendments.
•The hotels used for your land program will be the hotels listed in this document unless you have been advised otherwise in advance of the land program start date.
•Guests failing to arrive on Day 1 of a scheduled land program will be considered a no-show and their hotel space released.
Extra Nights
•If you book extra nights through the cruise line, you will be met as per the flight details provided and transferred to your hotel. Check-in is 3:00pm (subject to change). Meals other than breakfast, as well as activities, are on your own until day 2 of the program.
•If you have an early-arriving flight, you may wish to book an extra night as your room will not be ready for occupation until approximately 3:00pm.
•If you book extra nights on your own, transfers are not included.
DAY 1
Arrive at the Lisbon airport.
Transfer to the hotel and spend the remainder of the day at your leisure.
Hotel check in time is at 3:00pm.
Overnight at the Olissippo Lapa Palace hotel or similar hotel.
Meet and Greet and transfers
•Final cruise documents will be emailed 21 days prior to sailing. The local ground agent’s telephone number will be on page 1, if you can’t locate the meet-and-greet representative upon arrival. Be aware that the representative may be assisting others and may not be in sight when you first exit Customs and the luggage claim area.
•Look for someone holding a sign with the cruise line logo and possibly your name. If in doubt, ask the airport staff to direct you to the meeting area for transfers or to page our representative.
•Meet and Greet and transfers are arranged for guests arriving on Day 1 of a land program or for extra nights booked through the cruise line and are arranged based on the flight details received by guests at least 14 days before sailing. Guests arriving independently before the program start date will not have a transfer included.
•If we have not received your flight details or your flights have changed, and the Destination Services Land Team has not been notified, then a transfer cannot be provided, and guests will be responsible for getting to the land program hotel at their own expense. Please immediately contact our Reservations Department for any flight changes before departure.
DAY 2
8:00am Buffet breakfast
9:30am Departure for Lisbon highlights – Tuk Tuk ride
10:00am Visit Belem quarter and sample a traditional pastry (pastéis de nata)
10:45am Stop at Principe Real, Bairro Alto, Chiado, Avenida da Liberdade, Rossio, Baixa and Mouraria, Graça passing by the Castelo
12:00pm Continue to São Vicente, Alfama and a stop at the Sé cathedral
12:30pm Return to the hotel or time at leisure at the city centre
8:00pm Depart for dinner and Fado show at restaurant
11:00pm Return to hotel
Overnight at the Olissippo Lapa Palace hotel or similar hotel
DAY 3
7:30am Buffet breakfast
9:00am Departure for Mafra to visit the palace and convent
11:30am Wine tasting at Adega Mãe Winery
1:30pm Lunch at Adega Mãe
3:45pm Proceed along the coast passing by Cascais and Estoril
5:30pm Return to the hotel
8:00pm Dinner on your own
Overnight at the Olissippo Lapa Palace hotel or similar hotel
DAY 4
7:30am Buffet breakfast
9:00am Departure to Sintra to visit Pena Palace
10:30am Free time in Sintra
11:00am Proceed to Pena Palace for a visit and coffee break at Café Paris
12:30pm Scenic drive along the coastline passing by Estoril
1:00pm Drive back to Lisbon for embarkation
Expected Weather: In May and June, the weather is mild with temperatures around 24 Celsius (75 F); In summer, you can expect temperatures to be 30 Celsius (86 F) during the day. In October, temperatures can drop down to approximately 20 Celsius (68 F). In November, temperatures will be approximately 15 Celsius (59 F) with expected rain showers.
What to Bring: Comfortable shoes and a jacket or sweater for cooler temperatures. Casual smart dress for dinners. An umbrella in case of rain.
Local Currency: The Euro
Electricity: 220 volts. We recommend bringing a travel adaptor for electric devices.
Documents and Visa Requirements: A valid passport is required.
Hotel
Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel
Rua do Pau da Bandeira, nº 4. ZIP Code: 1249-021
Lisbon, Portugal
*We will only source different hotels in unforeseen situations. If similar hotels are required, they will be of equal ratings and standards, and you will be notified in advance. If you are not notified of changes before departure, then you will be staying at the hotel listed in this program.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, 24 hours a day. You may also enjoy the indoor and outdoor swimming pool, sauna, gym and steam bath free of charge.
Program Includes for guests:
•3 nights at the Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel or similar – Garden and River-view room
•Buffet breakfast at hotel’s main restaurant
•Pastel de Belem with one soft drink
•Dinner on day 2 at typical Fado restaurant including ½ bottle of white or red wine per person, mineral water, soft drinks, tea, or coffee
•Lunch on day 3 at Adega Mãe or similar winery in Mafra including ½ bottle of white or red wine per person, mineral water, soft drinks, tea, or coffee
•Wine tasting on day 3
•Pena Palace fast track entrance fee
•Coffee break at Café Paris
•Whisper headsets for groups of ten guests or more
Please Note: Guests booking their own flights (independent of the cruise line) are responsible for ensuring that the cruise line has the updated arrival information, so your transfer can be arranged. If you book additional nights independently of the cruise line, an arrival transfer is not provided. If we do not receive flight details a minimum of 14 days in advance, transfers will not be provided.
Program Excludes for guests:
•Personal expenses
•Gratuities to drivers and guides
•Meals or beverages not mentioned above
•Hotel incidentals including mini bar and room service
Please note: Land programs that encompass multiple days ashore customarily include extensive and prolonged activity, while those of shorter durations typically have more moderate activity levels. However, each program varies, and participants should be prepared to negotiate a mixture of surfaces which may include: inclines, cobblestones, sand, and gravel or natural paths. There may also be a need to climb steps or stairs on occasion. Guests who utilize a wheelchair and those with mobility concerns are advised to check with the cruise line in advance to see if any portion of the tour program may not be considered suitable for their individual situation. Weather appropriate clothing; hats; sunglasses; and flat, comfortable walking shoes are generally recommended.
Please note: All land programs are capacity controlled and subject to availability. Programs falling under the minimum number of required participants are subject to cancellation. Pricing listed is also subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases for transportation, land arrangements or currency fluctuations. Once purchased, pricing is guaranteed and not subject to change. Land Programs must be purchased no later than 90 days prior to your sail date. Cancellations made within 90 days or less prior to the sail date are subject to 100% cancellation penalty. There are no refunds for unused portions of any program. Guests failing to arrive on Day 1 of a scheduled land program will be considered a no-show and their hotel space released.
Price: $2,199 per guest based on double occupancy.
Hotel and Land Program pricing is not combinable with FREE 1-Night Pre-Cruise Luxury Hotel Package. If applicable, please contact Regent Seven Seas Cruises or your travel agent for multi-night pre-cruise hotel pricing information. Land program promotions are subject to terms.
