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Portugal Experience
My wife and I are signed up for Tauck's Portugal trip, scheduled for this coming September. How were the experiences of those who recently took the trip? How authentic were the experiences? I would appreciate anyones feedback. In return, if anyone is planning the Week in Puglia (Italy) trip, I have some great input. Thank you, Valders_1984
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I did this trip in May 2022 and enjoyed it. It's a good way to see different parts of the country, and learn some history. Our tour director, Laura, was wonderful. My room in the Infante Sagres Hotel in Porto was much more Spartan than most rooms on Tauck trips, but was perfectly adequate. I went a day early to Porto, walked around on my own and went to Livraria Lello. If you want to go to Livraria Lello, you should definitely book tickets on line in advance. I was somewhat underwhelmed by the bookstore. It was so crowded that I couldn't appreciate it. I suggest adding an extra day at the end to see more of Lisbon. We didn't go into the Jeronimos Monastery; just drove by it.
Valders_1984, I would welcome your tips on Puglia, and there are quite a few people on the forum who have asked questions about that tour. If you have time, it would be helpful to post a review/your tips there,
I took the Puglia tour when it was new. I’m sure it’s probably changed since then
jteiii,
One word summarizes the trip -- AUTHENTIC. Each village was an eyeful. While in Matera, the latest James Bond film was about to tape the next day. We were able to see some of the sets and (2) Astin Martin Bond cars sitting along the street we walked. The city of Alta Mura was a very nice unscheduled side trip for lunch. We had an informal lunch at a bakery that is hundreds of years old. The lunch was not listed as part of the published itinerary. The bread came right out of the oven, served with platters of fresh meats, cheeses and tomatoes. One night we had a farm-to-table dinner at a masseria. After dinner a group played area folk music with dancers doing the Tarantella. The last couple of days were spent at Masseria Torre Coccaro. The staff was outstanding. One waiter in particular was a standout--he was such a riot. On the final morning we pulled him to the side and expressed how we enjoyed talking with him over the meals and what great service he provided. I gave him, in particular, an additional tip. My wife and I are going to investigate going back to Torre Coccaro on our own next year. Our group was very friendly with one of the best Tauck tour guides (no offense to the others). The only negative to mention was the local tour guide for Lecce and Castel del Monte. He was a bit long-winded. Our upcoming trip to Portugal will be our 5th with Tauck. The trip to Puglia was well worth the time and expense. Thanks.
Probably should be a separate discussion about the Puglia trip. We also really enjoyed it and Matera is spectacular. You know how there are places in the world where you can see the photo on the Internet, and that's really all you need? Matera is NOT one of those places. See it with your own eyes. I would bring your best non-skid soled shoes, as the stones on the steps have been polished clean through the ages.
Valders_1984 and Wan: Thank you. Sounds perfect!
Wow, these comments are very helpful! Could someone who has done the trip before also share what exactly is seen and/or entered on the Porto historic district walking tour? We are trying to decide what we should do in our free time there. Thanks!
The day that the tour officially started (in May 2022), the TD offered an optional walking tour to those of us who had arrived a day early. We walked around the area. I know that we went to some local shops, and at one, had a wine, cheese and sausage tasting. Tauck definitely takes you to the Sao Bento train station to see the azulejos. We also walked around the port area after our river cruise. We did not go into the Cathedral.
On one of our longer trips, the historic walking tour included beautiful medieval buildings deemed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As MCD mentioned, you will go inside the train station to view its beautiful architecture and azulejos tiles. If my memory serves me correctly, we didn't enter other buildings (this was many years ago on our first Tauck Portugal tour.) We also walked through the very colorful Ribeira section along the banks of the river. I definitely recommend doing this excursion.
Depending on your time, I also recommend taking the gondola for the stunning views. Returning to the Ribeira area offers many cafes and is great for leisurely strolls. Finally, if you are interested in cork products, visit Cultura Portuguesa. They are known throughout the Iberian Peninsula for their high-end products.
Enjoy your adventure!
Palacio da Bolsa in Porto. Stunningly beautiful inside. We missed the tour in English but took the tour in Portuguese just to get inside, and read up on the info afterwards.
@MCD @kfnknfzk and @Wan thank you very very much! I'm so glad that you all had a lovely trip to Portugal with Tauck as well.
Please consider posting a review of your Portugal experiences. Have a great trip.