Lisbon is one of the world’s greatest food cities, and you’ll experience the very best of it on this unique adventure in partnership with Culinary Backstreets. We’ll journey beyond the city’s tiled buildings and narrow streets to discover Lisbon’s long legacy and vibrant innovations in culinary inventiveness. We’ll learn about the voyages and trade routes that stocked the city’s pantry with spices, and sample the contemporary fare that inflects traditional dishes with Goan influences. We’ll enjoy iconic egg-custard pastries, baked in the shadow of historic convents, and venture far past the city center to get an insider perspective on fresh-from-the-water seafood at the city’s bustling ports. We’ll also be taking a day trip to the Troia Peninsula, where we’ll visit the Roman ruins with local archaeologists. This week-long journey will be a feast for all your senses.
Our partner, Culinary Backstreets: In order to create and curate this unique experience, we’ve partnered closely with Culinary Backstreets, a global guide to local eats that publishes restaurant reviews and features on local culinary culture. They bring these stories to life on culinary tours and special events, offered in 12 cities around the world, and have extensive international experience with all things gastronomical.
Arrive in Lisbon and settle into our hotel in the vibrant city center. This afternoon, we’ll gather for a welcome drink and an opportunity to meet your guides and fellow travelers. We’ll then set out on our chartered cruise of the Rio Tejo; floating along the river, we’ll enjoy the city panorama—a beautiful backdrop for the week to come. After returning to port, we’ll dine al fresco on classic Portuguese dishes at a riverfront restaurant with spectacular views.
Boutique Hotel, Lisbon
Welcome Dinner
Today, we’ll explore the city’s backstreet eateries and food markets, searching for clues to its rich history. Our day begins at a classic pastry shop next-door to the 18th-century Estrela Basilica. As we munch the famous convent pastries, we’ll be transported to the era when Lisbon was at the epicenter of the spice trade. From there, we’ll head up to the Campo de Ourique district, a “city within a city,” where we’ll enjoy a series of traditional Portuguese bites around the bustling market. We’ll also descend into a bookseller’s secret basement, which stocked contraband literature during the 20th-century Salazar regime. For lunch, we’ll visit a neighborhood association with an intriguing political past, and have a chance to ask questions and rest our legs. In the afternoon, we’ll descend into the historic underground water tunnel network, which once brought water to the city’s fountains. Emerging above ground at a most unusual wine bar, we’ll cap off the day with a port wine tasting. Take the rest of the evening to rest and relax or explore further on our own.
Boutique Hotel, Lisbon
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, we’ll dive into Lisbon’s port district to learn about the city’s deep affinity for the sea. We’ll begin in the historic dockside neighborhoods, stopping for a visit to a third-generation coffee roaster to sample the wood-fire-roasted goods. We’ll wind our way through the cobblestone alleys to the lavishly tiled Convento das Trinas do Mocambo, a former convent now home to the navy’s Hydrographic Institute. We’ll lunch at a charming fish restaurant tucked away in the docks, before boarding the bus and heading about 45 minutes along the coast to the Colares region near Sintra, home to Europe’s westernmost wine region. We’ll visit Viuva Gomes, a wonderful family-run winery, then, keeping with the theme of the sea, we’ll enjoy an early dinner at a classic waterfront seafood restaurant with views over the Atlantic. If you still have energy upon our return to Lisbon, you can head out to explore the city after dark.
Boutique Hotel, Lisbon
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Take a leisurely morning to relax or wander on your own. In the early afternoon, we’ll reconvene to try our hand at the crown jewel of the Portuguese pastry pantheon: the pastel de nata. We’ll test the nimbleness of our fingers during a hands-on workshop in a local bakery, then have the chance to sample our custand delicacies. We’ll enjoy a quick respite gathering for a multi-course Goan feast at Jesus é Goês. The ever-boisterous chef, Jesus, will guide our culinary experience, explaining how each dish embodies centuries of Portuguese-Goan relations.
Boutique Hotel, Lisbon
Breakfast, Dinner
After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we’ll get an early start and drive out to the Alentejo region, southeast of the city. At a traditional farm, we’ll learn to bake the region’s signature loaves of bread, and then we’ll head out to the fields to learn about the local olives, cork production, and Iberia’s famous black-hoofed pigs. We’ll have a relaxed lunch with the farmers and enjoy a chance to ask them about their local specialties. We’ll then continue with a visit to a local wine producer to learn about the tastes and tannins of this lesser-known wine region. The winemaker will join us for dinner—a delicious spread featuring the region’s distinct cuisine. Bellies full and glasses empty, we’ll return to Lisbon for a good night’s sleep.
July departure only: This morning we’ll head south out of Lisbon to the center of Portugal’s fishing industry, Setubal. Known today for its lively fish market and tinned fish factories, the industry is rooted in Roman times, back when this area was the biggest producer of the garum, that funky fermented fish sauce beloved by the Romans. We’ll visit the fish market and have a refreshing local lunch of spanking-fresh fish. We’ll then take the ferry across the Sado estuary to the Troia Peninsula, where we’ll visit the Roman ruins with local archaeologists. We’ll learn about garum production and even have a taste of it during our picnic among the ruins. (By the way, there’s a good swimming spot right nearby—though there isn’t a changing room, you can definitely still bring a swimsuit and towel for a dip!) In the late afternoon we’ll head back to Lisbon, where you’ll have the evening free to rest, relax, and explore on your own.
Boutique Hotel, Lisbon
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Note that in March, June, and October we'll spend the day in the beautiful Alentejo region, while in July, we'll be headed to Setubal with a visit to the Troia Peninsula.
This morning, you’ll be free to zip or wander around the city on your own. After lunch, we’ll meet up at the hotel, where a historic tram will be waiting to whisk us off. We’ll ride through the city’s winding streets, stopping into a number of local cultural institutions to hear their stories. Over a quick drink, we’ll meet the people keeping these institutions vibrant and possibly be treated to a performance. We’ll then tuck into a delicious farewell meal at a contemporary Portuguese restaurant, celebrating our final night in Lisbon over local wines and fresh takes on classic fare.
Boutique Hotel, Lisbon
Breakfast, Dinner
Today, depart for home or your next destination. Or, if you’d like, extend your stay to explore more of Lisbon. We’re happy to provide recommendations on additional things to do and see. Until next time!
Breakfast
The total cost of this trip is $3,820. For those traveling by themselves, single accommodations can be provided, subject to availability, at an additional cost of $680. Please contact us to request a single room.
Travelers should be reasonably fit and feel comfortable walking 3 to 5 miles each day and remaining on their feet for long periods of time. Keep in mind that Lisbon is a bustling and crowded place!
For flights in and out of Lisbon International Airport (LIS), we suggest you arrive anytime by 3 p.m. on Day 1 and depart anytime on Day 7. We're happy to arrange extra nights at the group’s hotel and provide suggestions for things to do and see in the city on your own.
Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated, though in most cases ingredients can’t be substituted or omitted from particular dishes. Note that the food experiences on this trip are unfortunately not very amenable to vegan, vegetarian, and kosher diets. If you have a particular food allergy or intolerance, please contact us to find out if this is the right trip for you.
Visas are not required for U.S. citizens visiting Portugal. If you’re not a U.S. citizen, please check the requirements or get in touch with us to ask.