Hafen
Portimao

Experience the coastal beauty, landmarks and history of Portimão during this panoramic sightseeing excursion.      

Portimão, Sightseeing Drive, Praia de Rocha Beach, Portimão Museum

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximately 30-minute sightseeing drive through Portimão en route to beautiful Praia de Rocha. After a photo stop here, re-board your coach and continue on to the Portimão Museum. Located near the Arade River, the museum is housed in a renovated building that formerly occupied the old fish-canning factory. The museum's estate consists of industrial and ethnographic heritage from the canning industry, shipbuilding, fishing, stowage, lithography, foundry, tin, smoke, and transportation, among others.

Guided Museum Tour, Exhibition Halls, Archaeological Artefacts, 'Portimão - Territory & Identity'

Also on display are artefacts from various terrestrial and underwater archaeological stations, the reference exhibition, 'Portimão - Territory & Identity', the museum features a diverse cultural program in the temporary exhibition halls and auditorium. The museum won the Council of Europe Museum Award in 2010, and holds the distinction of begin the recipient of the first DASA - World Labour Award in 2011 in the area of work-related museums. During your visit, take a guided tour that explores the origins and evolution of its community, territory, and most striking aspects of its industrial and maritime history.

Sardine Tasting

Leaving the museum, re-board your coach and proceed to the nearby restaurant. Upon arrival, you are invited to participate in a tasting of sardines, a popular Portuguese staple and important export. At the conclusion of your visit, re-board your coach and commence the short drive back to the pier.

Discover the Old World village of Alvor and the award-winning wines of the Quinta dos Vales estate during this delightful, half-day sightseeing excursion.

Alvor

Depart the pier for the short drive past Praia da Rocha and on to Alvor, a delightful little fishing port with a history that extends back to the Classical Era. The Moors first occupied this area in 716 and there are ruins of a wealthy Roman villa located slightly inland from the present village. Although an earthquake destroyed most of the traditional Moorish village in 1755, you can still see remains of Alvor's history in places such as the 16th century Igreja Matriz with its beautiful Manueline arches and pillars. The charm of the old town with its narrow cobbled streets leading down to the harbour on the lagoon of the river estuary still remains.

Upon arrival, take a guided walking tour of Alva. Afterward, some free time is made available to explore the village at your leisure.

Quinta Dos Vales

Next, re-board the coach and drive to Quinta dos Vales for a guided walking tour of the property, its sculpture garden and vineyards. From vine to bottle, the Quinta dos Vales wine philosophy is based on quality, as opposed to quantity. This may be the reason Quinta dos Vales have very quickly become one of the leading wine producers in the upcoming Algarvean wine market. Proof of their success is in the number of medals and awards, over 100 since 2008. Following your tour, proceed to the well-preserved Tasting Room of the Manor House for a tasting of the award-winning red, white and rose wines produced here, accompanied by a splendid selection of Portuguese specialties.

At the conclusion of your visit, re-board your coach and commence the short drive back to the pier.

Explore Portimão at your leisure during your full-day (8 Hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customize your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned car and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Portimão at your leisure during your half-day (4-Hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customize your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned car and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Portimão at your leisure during your full-day (8-Hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customize your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned van and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Portimão at your leisure during your half-day (4-Hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customize your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned van and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Silves is famed for its imposing Moorish red brick castle that dominates the town's skyline, sleepy cafés line streets close to the river Arada and offer a relaxed ambience unique to the region. Below the castle is the gothic cathedral which is the only example of a gothic religious building in southern Portugal.

Depart the pier for the approximately 30-minute drive inland to Silves. Once the Moorish capital of the Algarve, it was a place of grandeur with glittering minarets, bustling bazaars and three circuits of walls that guarded the city.

Silves

Upon arrival, take a brief walk uphill to the Archaeological Museum. Built on the site of a 19th century residence where the water reservoir was discovered, this became the centrepiece of the museum. In an excellent state of preservation, it dates back to the Almohade period (12th - 13th centuries) and made out of Silves sandstone it is around 20 metres (22 yards) in depth. It is considered an example unique to Portugal as it has a helix staircase with three windows to ensure easier access to the water. These are features rare to Arab architecture.

Next, take a brief walk to the Moorish Castle, the highlight of Silves. Most of the massive walls and the Gothic Cathedral built by Alfonso X of Castile are still intact. Below the remains of the castle is an impressive underground water reservoir that serves the town to this day.

Some free time is made available to explore the area before re-boarding your coach for the drive back to the pier.