The program "Self-Drive with Pousadas de Portugal" was designed to offer a discovery throughout our country, visiting our biggest cities, Lisbon and Porto, and also the countryside regions in which the uniqueness of each landscape will stay in your memory forever. The "Pousadas de Portugal" hotel group was born with the aim to restore historical buildings from north to south of the country, making them exclusive accommodation, and those who visit will not only get to know its history and culture but also will have the privilege to overnight in a former Convent or Monastery, Castle or Fortress. With this program you will learn a little bit of Portugal's history, staying in some of the "Pousadas de Portugal" we have selected specially for you.

Day 1 - Arrival in Lisbon and Private Transfer to the Pousada in Lisbon, located in a former 18th century building.

2 Night Accommodation at Pousada de Lisboa

Day 2 - Private Full Day Tour to Sintra and Lisbon with guide, that will allow you to discover the charming village of Sintra, a summer refuge for the Portuguese Kings, and stroll around the narrow streets of the capital

Day 3 - Check-out from the hotel, collection of your rented car and departure to Évora. Visit the city of Évora and proceed to Arraiolos to overnight in its Pousada, located in a former 16^th century Convent

1 Night Accommodation at Pousada de Arraiolos

Day 4 - Check-out from the hotel and departure to visit Fátima, Batalha and Alcobaça. In the end of the afternoon you will reach Óbidos to overnight in its Pousada, located in the former Castle of this walled village

1 Night Accommodation at Pousada de Óbidos

Day 5 - Check-out from the hotel and departure to Coimbra - visit of the city. Proceed to Guimarães to overnight in its Pousada de Santa Marinha, located in a former 12^th century Monastery

2 Night Accommodation at Pousada de Santa Marinha in Guimarães

Day 6 - Day to explore Guimarães, the "craddle" of Portugal, and the city of Braga

Day 7 - Check-out from the hotel and departure to Porto to overnight at Pousada do Freixo, located in a former 18th century Palace. In the afternoon you will have a Private Half Day Tour of Porto with driver and guide

1 Night Accommodation at Pousada do Freixo in Porto

Day 8 - Hotel check-out and deliver the rented car at the Airport of Porto

To obtain more details of this trip and general conditions please consult us. You can also ask for the sample final brochure of this program. Please note we can also customize this itinerary to your interest or make a new tailor-made itinerary.

Please feel free to contact us for more information or booking:

info@toursforyou.pt or using our Reservations form.



Cascais, once a small fishing village, this town managed to maintain its seafaring traditions combined with the aristocratic and royal presences of the late 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. Walking by its animated town centre you'll find the cosmopolitan life side by side with the Atlantic.

Sintra and Estoril Coast. Among the sites you shall not miss in Portugal there's Sintra, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for the great beauty of its nature and architecture, with fairy tale palaces and lush vegetation. Cascais and Estoril Coast are places of charm and aristocratic traditions that you'll meet along the Atlantic Ocean, the white sandy beaches and magnificent fortresses from the 17^th century.

Lisbon, capital of Portugal, located at the mouth of the Tagus River and from where the Portuguese boats set sail overseas in the 15^th and 16^th centuries towards East. At that time, the Maritime Discoveries period, the city became the center of a large empire, still visible in the monuments of Belém section. Well known for its historic traditional neighborhoods you'll be amazed with the sections of Chiado, Bairro alto and Alfama as well as the Castle of
Saint George and the gorgeous views you can enjoy from the top of its hill.

Évora is abeautiful small town in the Alentejo region. Still surrounded by the old walls it is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and will attract you for its medieval appearance, the narrow streets, the historic centre and the kindness of the locals. Amongst several interesting monuments, you shall not miss the Roman Temple from the 1^st century, unique of this kind in both Portugal and Spain. This is also the perfect place for a great gastronomic and wine experience, as this is one of the regions in Portugal with more traditional and quality at this level. You shall not miss the opportunity of having a meal in one of the city's restaurants.

Arraiolos is a typical Alentejo village: the white immaculate houses with some blue or yellow stripes, the castle at the top of the village that keeps guard over the fields of Alentejo, the typical slow pace of its people that know very well the "art of living" and the embroiderers working in the streets making the famous and genuine Arraiolos carpets. Named for the town in central Portugal where the technique has remained popular, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origins of the Arraiolos carpets' technique on the Iberian Peninsula.

Fátima is one of the most important shrines in the Catholic world since the apparitions of Our Lady to three little shepherds in this small town in the year of 1917. Since then, thousands of pilgrims have been coming to Fátima every year to visit the sacred sites of the apparitions and to attend the religious ceremonies, chiefly between May and October, in whose months the visions of the Virgin Mary occurred.

Batalha is famous for the monastery of great dimensions and refined Gothic architecture, built between the 14th and 16^th centuries. Its construction was due after a vow made by the future king John I to the Virgin Mary, before a battle against the Spaniards: the Aljubarrota Battle (1385). For the artistic value of this monument UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

Alcobaça famous for the majestic Cistercian monastery from the 12th century, with the oldest Gothic church in Portugal, that lodges the artistic tombs of King Pedro and his beloved Inês, characters of the most famous Portuguese love story.

Óbidos is for sure one of the loveliest medieval villages in Portugal, still surrounded by walls and whose traditional whitewashed houses are decorated with blue and yellow trims around doors and windows. The multicolored flowerbeds decorating the houses prove the female touch in this village that used to be the wedding gift of our kings to their queens.

Coimbra is the city of the students because it was here that the first university in Portugal was created, nowadays the oldest and one of the most important in the country. You shall not miss the Baroque Library from the 18^th century that is one of the highlights of the visit to Coimbra. In its city centre you'll wander among Romanesque and Manueline churches at the same time you stroll across its commercial busy area.

Guimarães is the cradle of Portugal as this is where our first king, Afonso Henriques, was born and where he began the nation. You shall not miss the visit of the Ducal Palace, the Castle and walking along the narrow streets of the historic centre (declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO) till the charming Praça da Oliveira (Oliveira Square).

Braga is known for its religious past, due to the importance and power of the church, still visible in the numerous churches and other religious buildings standing out the Cathedral (the oldest of Portugal) and the monumental Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Braga.

Porto is at the same time the name of a city and a fortified wine, one of the most famous in the world, aged at the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, next to the Douro River. Its historical center has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and preserves many beautiful monuments, namely from the Baroque period which is contemporary to the glory and wealth achieved with the trade of Port Wine. You shall not miss a visit to the Cathedral (Sé), the Church of Saint Francis and the Clérigos Tower.