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Shore Excursions & Tours PORTUGAL |
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To receive a
quotation for the following excursions ew need to know:
Shore
Excursion
Countryside & Wine
Tasting
Shore
Excursion
Estoril, Sintra & Queluz
This tour along the famous Estoril coast
includes such memorable highlights as Sintra, the summer residence of
kings, and Queluz, with its magnificent palace. As you depart Lisbon and
head west along the seashore, enjoy the panorama of the River Tagus and
the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean. Cosmopolitan Estoril was once
favored by expatriates and exiled European royalty, and still attracts
throngs of summer revelers who come to play in its famous casino.
Continue to the well-known seaside resort of Cascais, then on to Sintra,
considered one of the most serene and beautiful villages in Portugal.
This summer playground for Portuguese nobility is located amid the lush
woods and valleys of the northern slopes of the Serra de Sintra. Noble
homes and palaces with walled gardens and stately courtyards are
scattered throughout the forested hills. You will have time to stroll
among the narrow cobbled streets or browse through the local handicraft
shops. Then continue inland to the Portuguese Royal Palace at Queluz,
built in the second half of the 18th century to house the royal family.
A simple exterior belies the lavishness within. Of particular note are
the Throne Room, with its heavily gilded ceilings and walls; and the
Hall of Ambassadors, with a giant chessboard floor and many mirrors. You
may wander through the sculpted gardens, containing row upon row of
geometric hedges, artistically carved bushes and huge old magnolia
trees. Note: Comfortable walking shoes are
recommended.
Shore
Excursion
Fatima
Take the northern highway from Lisbon and pass through the Tagus plains and the bullfight country of Vila Franca de Xira. Arrive in Fatima, center of the Christian faith and of world pilgrimage. It was on May 13, 1917, when the world was still suffering from the horrors of World War I, that the little shepherds Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta from Aljustrel, a small village near Fatima, saw a "lady all of light" above a small oak tree in the Cova da Iria. According to legend, she asked them to return there on the 13th of each month for the next five months. You will visit the Basilica, with its stained glass window and 65-meter high tower, surmounted by a crown of bronze weighing 7 tons and by a great crystal cross, consecrated on October 7, 1953, which is lighted during evening services. The remains of Francisco and Jacinta, the little shepherds, are inside the Basilica. You'll also visit the Chapel of the Apparitions in the heart of the sanctuary. Just outside Fatima, you will visit Aljustrel, the Marto home, where Francisco and Jacinta were born; the room in which Francisco died; and the Santos home where Lucia was born. Note: Comfortable walking shoes
are recommended.
Shore
Excursion
Lisbon
Orientation
This comprehensive excursion through Lisbon begins in the Belem quarter. Here you will see the monuments representing the Golden Age of Portuguese discovery, which began in the 15th century under Prince Henry the Navigator. See fine examples of the unique Portuguese, late Gothic architecture known as Manueline. You will see the Tower of Belem, where Portuguese explorers left for the New World. At the edge of the River Tagus, notice the Monument of Discoveries, built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry. A highlight of this tour is a visit to the impressive Monastery of Jeronimos. Continue to the center of the city through bustling Rossio Square, and the Black Horse Square that faces the River Tagus as you journey to the old quarter of Alfama with its steep and narrow streets. Here you will visit the Convent of Madre de Deus, founded in 1509. It is one of the most evocative samples of religious architecture of the Manueline period. Most impressive of all, inside the Convent is the National Tile Museum, a vast collection of tiles dating back to the 14th century.
Shore
Excursion
Lisbon
Promenade
From tiny stepped
cobblestone lanes to fine Art Nouveau buildings, Lisbon is filled
with a diversity of treasures that can best be explored on foot.
Board your motorcoach for a drive to the old quarter, where you'll
enjoy a guided walking tour that reveals many of the facets of
Portugal's ancient capital. Begin at the Belvedere San Pedro de
Alcantara with its fantastic view of Lisbon. You will pass San Roque
Church and continue on to Chiado, Largo do Carmo, Santa Justa
Elevator, Rua Augusta and finally to Rossio Square and the Baixa
district. From here, continue by motorcoach to Lisbon's monument
area. You'll see the Monastery of Jeronimos; the Monument of
Discoveries, built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death
of Prince Henry the Navigator; and the famous Belem Tower, where
Portuguese explorers departed for the New World. Stop for
refreshments before returning to the ship. |
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