24 April-4 May 2026

eleven day's trip • plane and minibus

The country in southwestern Europe is known primarily for its port wine, fado music, cork, and the wealth of architecture and achievements of former seafarers who conquered lands far from their homeland. However, Portugal has much more to offer. Away from larger urban centres, small villages hide in valleys or perch on hilltops, inviting visitors to discover local architecture, prehistoric petroglyphs, or large Celtic settlements that later submitted to the Roman Empire. The longstanding rivalry with Spanish neighbours led to the creation of towns with fortresses and walls, where today we enjoy beautiful views and admire nature that is quite different from our own. We can explore this in protected areas such as national, regional, and geoparks, and discover the variety of geological phenomena and the diversity of plant and animal species.

BY REGISTERING BY 31 OCTOBER 2025, YOU WILL RECEIVE 5% DISCOUNT ON THE BASIC PACKAGE.

Day 1: Friday, 24 April 2026

Departure from Brnik or transfer from Ljubljana to a nearby airport, followed by a flight to Porto. Bus transfer to Guimarães, with a short tour of the city centre if time permits, and an overnight stay.

Day 2: Saturday, 25 April 2026

After breakfast, we will drive from the city of Guimarães to the Archaeological Park Citânia de Briteiros. This site is a former oppidum of the Castro culture, to which some Celtic tribes of the northern Iberian Peninsula belonged. It is one of the largest and most architecturally significant sites in Portugal.
The drive will then pass the cities of Braga and Ponte de Lima in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, where we will first stop in the town of Soajo. There, we will set off on a 6 km hike (approximately 40 m elevation gain) to explore the distinctive cultural landscape, known for its granite granaries, special breeds of cattle, medieval bridges, streams, and more. The programme and length of the hike will be adjusted according to weather conditions. If time permits, we will then drive through a narrow valley to the town of Peneda, known for its sanctuary with a beautiful staircase, followed by a drive to the village of Castro Laboreiro, where we will have dinner and spend the night.

 

Day 3: Sunday 26 April 2026

After breakfast, we will descend into the valley and make a short stop in the village of Lindoso, where there is an abandoned castle and many granite granaries. Below the village lies the largest dam in Portugal. We will leave the national park and continue our journey to the UNESCO City of Music, Amarante, where we will enjoy a short walk through the city centre and visit the local market.

The trip will continue to Alvão Natural Park, where the Olo River flows through the Serra do Marão mountains and cascades 250 m down the impressive Ermelo Waterfall. We will walk a 3 km circular route (with an elevation difference of approximately 200 m) from the viewpoint at the top of the plateau to the waterfall, admiring granite rocks and mountain vegetation along the way. Afterwards, we will drive along a beautiful panoramic road to the town of Peso de Régua on the Douro River, and then to the town of Lamego, where we will have dinner and spend the night.

Day 4: Monday, 27 April 2026

After breakfast, the route will first take us along the Douro River. In its middle course, we will turn into the Côa River Valley, where numerous Palaeolithic petroglyphs, created 25,000 years ago, have been found at more than 70 locations. These mostly depict domestic and game animals, as well as hunters. In the local museum, we will see individual sites, motifs, and learn about the way of life of people at that time. After visiting the museum, we will head south and stop at an interesting dolmen that was incorporated into a Christian church. A few kilometres further on, there is a menhir, where we will learn about megalithic culture from several thousand years ago. We will then drive to the city of Guarda, which is considered the highest city in Portugal. We will briefly visit the old part of the city, then have dinner and stay overnight.

 

Day 5: Tuesday, 28 April 2026

In the morning, the route will take us south to the town of Sortelha, which retains its medieval appearance due to its architecture. After a short tour, we will drive to the town of Manteigas, where we will see the production of traditional Portuguese burela fabric, made from 100% sheep's wool and typical of the Serra da Estrela area, the highest mountain range in Portugal.

We will then drive to the town of Penha Garcia, located within the Naturtejo Geopark. We will walk along the educational trail that leads from the town through the canyon to the artificial lake, and along the way we will learn about various geological features, including particularly interesting fossil traces of trilobites.

Nearby, we will visit the village of Monsanto, which has preserved its historic appearance. Small granite houses are nestled between large boulders, which in some cases form part of the houses themselves. Narrow streets, mostly carved into the rocks, wind steeply up to the top of the hill, where the remains of the castle are located. From there, we will have a wonderful view of the Serra da Estrela mountains and as far as the border with Spain. Dinner and an overnight stay in a nearby village will follow.

Day 6: Wednesday, 29 April 2026

In the morning, we will drive west along a scenic panoramic road above the meanders of the Zêzere River to the area where the slate villages are located. There are 27 villages scattered across the Lousã and Açor mountains. The inhabitants use slate to build houses and pave the streets, giving the villages a distinctive appearance that they have deliberately preserved, along with other traditions. To gain a better understanding of the traditional slate villages, we will walk along a circular path that passes through several villages, from which we will also have a beautiful view of the surrounding area (approximately 6 km, 450 m difference in altitude). After the hike, we will drive into the valley; dinner and overnight stay will be in the town of Miranda do Corvo.

Day 7: Thursday, 30 April 2026

We will spend the next two days in the Arouca Geopark, which covers 382 km² and is surrounded by the Freita, Montemuro and Arada mountains. Of the 41 geosites, we will visit only a few of the most attractive ones. We will begin exploring the geopark at the Frecha da Mizarela waterfall, descending 130 m (approximately a 1 km walk). Next, we will drive to the village of Castanheira, where we will watch a film about the geological formation of this part of the geopark at the Interpretation Centre, as well as the story of the formation of granite nodules, which we will also see in the immediate vicinity. From here, we will drive to the top of the Serra da Freita plateau to see the granite rocks of Pedras Boroas, which have acquired their characteristic cracked surface due to the erosional effects of wind and water. We will then drive to the village of Alvarenga, where we will have dinner and stay overnight.

 

Day 8: Friday, 1 May 2026

After breakfast, we will set off on a hike along the Paiva River (approximately 8 km), which features one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, and which we will cross during our walk. The path initially climbs steeply over wooden steps before descending to the river canyon, where we will experience beautiful, unspoiled nature. For those unable to participate in the hike, an alternative programme will be organised along the river. After the hike, a bus will be waiting to take us to the Trilobite Museum, where we will see the largest fossils of these animals, which lived in the Arouca area approximately 500 million years ago. We will then drive back to Alvarenga, where we will have dinner and stay overnight.

Day 9: Saturday, 2 May 2026

In the morning, the route will take us across the Douro River to Quinta, where we will have a tasting of local wines. Afterwards, we will drive towards the Atlantic to the Barrinha de Esmoriz lagoon. There, we will set off on foot along a 4 km path, which will first follow the edge of the lagoon, where, with a bit of luck, we may observe water birds. The final part of the route will take us along the coastal dunes. We will then drive to Porto, check in at the hotel, and in the evening head to the city centre, where we will listen to traditional fado music in a restaurant during dinner.

Day 10: Sunday, 3 May 2026

A morning tour of the major attractions in the centre of Porto with a local guide, followed by a free afternoon for independent sightseeing. In the evening, a dinner with fado music will be organised in one of the restaurants.

Day 11: Monday, 4 May 2026

Return flight to the departure airport in the morning. If arrival is not at Brnik, transportation to Ljubljana will be organized.

Author of the programme and photos: © Janja Benedik, 2021-25.

Guidinig: Janja Benedik and a local guide in Porto.

Tour operator: © naTOURa, Janja Benedik s. p., 2024-2026.

The general terms and conditions are an integral part of the program. They are available on the website https://natoura.si.

The price per person depends on the number of registered participants.

  • 10-11 oseb: 2.340,00 € + letalska karta,
  • 12-13 oseb: 2.075,00 € + letalska karta,
  • 14-15 oseb: 1.930,00 € + letalska karta,
  • 16-17 oseb: 1.825,00 € + letalska karta,
  • 18-19 oseb: 1.745,00 € + letalska karta.

Ob zagotovitvi odhoda se plača najnižja cena aranžmaja, ob manjšem končnem številu udeležencev se doplača razlika v ceni.

Cena letalske karte se giblje od 400,00 do 540,00 eur, odvisno od letalskega ponudnika. Zaradi zagotovitve cenejših letalskih kart (tudi z možnostjo odhoda z Brnika!) je zaželjena čim hitrejša prijava na potovanje.

THE PRICE INCLUDES:

  • transfer na relaciji Ljubljana – bližnje letališče (če uspemo dobiti let iz Ljubljane, se strošek transferja odšteje od cene aranžmaja!),
  • prevoz z minibusom po Portugalski po programu in vsi pripadajoči stroški,
  • 8 x polpenzion (zajtrk, večerja) v dvoposteljni sobi, 2 x prenočevanje z zajtrkom v dvoposteljni sobi,
  • guidance by a Slovenian guide with a TZS licence,
  • preparation and organisation of the trip.

OBLIGATORY SUPPLEMENTARY FEES:

  • vstopnine: Citânia de Briteiros, muzej Foz Coa, Interpretacijski center Pedras Parideiras, Muzej trilobitov, viseči most Arouca, lokalni vodnik v Portu: približno 60,00 € (plačilo na mestu samem).

ADDITIONAL CHARGES ON DEMAND:

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

  • letalske karte: k osnovni ceni aranžmaja se prišteje cena, ki bo veljala na dan nakupa letalskih kart. Nakup letalskih kart se izvede takoj, ko je na potovanje prijavljeno minimalno število potnikov.

  • Any additional entrance fees, food and drinks, or items not listed in the programme.

  • tips for local guides and drivers.

Recommended travel gear:

  • Comfortable low to mid-high hiking shoes,
  • sun protection (hat, cream),
  • hiking poles (optional, not essential).