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HALF DAY VISIT TO OPORTO
The Cathedral, the shopping street Santa Catarina, the S. Bento train station with this famous Portuguese tiles, azulejos, the Bulhדo Market, the Stock Exchange Palace and the St Francis Church and of course the most known avenue of Porto, the Aliados Avenue with the City Hall.
Many small shops are interspersed within its residential blocks, just like in the old. Here, old men sitting around a table playing cards and laundry lines are usual.
As a welcome to Oporto, we suggest a unique way to be presented to this beautiful unique city: Visit a Wine cellar and wine tasting of the famous Oporto Wine in one of the well known cellars in Gaia.
Extra: After the visit, clients will be invited to enjoy a wonderful boat cruise of about 45m in the river Douro in a Rabelo Boat, that used to transport the grapes from the Quintas, situated up further to the slopes of the Douro region, to Gaia, where the wine was/is produced. What a better way to get to know Oporto: Enjoy the city from its river in a unique sight!
HALF DAY VISIT TO BRAGA & GUIMARES
Breakfast in hotel. Departure towards Braga: Important roman site it became later on a very important city in religious terms, dominated by the Clergy who have contributed to their wellness and enriched the city’s architecture. Visit the Cathedral: From the original roman structure only the southern portal remains. Some of its parts date from the 16th c and others from the 17th c. The interior was transformed in the 18th c. in barroque style. Visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte: Neo classical Sanctuary, the Sacred way was built from 1784 to 1811 on top of a monumental stairway in baroque style. Lunch in a typical restaurant.
Continue to the city-crib of Portugal, Guimares, one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal, with its narrow stone medieval look-a-like streets. Visit of the city known as the Craddle of Portugal - In the 10th cent., soon after it was founded by Countess Mumadona, Guimarדes consisted of a monastery with a defensive tower and a few neighbouring houses. In the Middle Ages and later, new quarters were added to the south. Nowadays Guimarדes is a properous commercial city with cotton and linnen spinning and weaving mills, cutlery, tanning and kitchenware industries and equally successful craft industries such as gold and silversmithing, pottery, embroidery, the weaving of linen damask and the carving of wooden yokes. Visit the Castle: The tower of defense with 27m high dates from the 10th c, reinforced in the 15th c. From the top of its walls a wonderful view over Guimarדes. Visit the Palace of the Dukes of Braganחa (inside visit) - Built in 1401 by Alfonso I , Count of Barcelos and first Duke of Braganחa, the palace was abandoned when the dukes moved to Vila Viחosa. Carefully restored, it has become a national palace and museum . In the interior, the Dukes palace is rich in furniture and mainly in carpets and tapestries. In front of the Palace there is a statue of Alfonso Henriques (1st king of Portugal) Return to Oporto. Dinner and lodging Hotel in Oporto
FULL DAY DOURO
Breakfast hotel. Departure from Porto to Vila Real grouped on a plateau at the foot of the Serra do Marדo. A well known car racing circuit takes place here. Mateus - to the Counts of Vila Real and the rosי wine made on the estate. Mateus Manor - Dating from the first half of the 18th century, this creation by Nicolau Nasoni is a perfect example of Portuguese baroque architecture. Behind lawns planted with cedars, followed by a garden laid out with clumps of boxwood and tree-covered walk, appears he Faחade of the manor, proceded by a mirror of water. Inside the palace there are magnificent carved wood ceilings in the main hall and the main saloon, a rich library, some furniture (portuguese, spanish, chinese and 18th century french painted wood ). Amarante - balconies and wrought iron grilles; it is built in tiers up a hillside overlooking the Tamega. The town, well known for its pastries and its vinho verde or sharp wine. comes alive each year on the first Saturday in June when it celebrates the feast day of its parton saint, S. Gonחalo who lived as a hermit in the 13th century. He was also the patron saint of marriage. Stop at Penafiel (with its tipical granit houses) Lunch included in a typical restaurant
Return to Oporto.
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ICPM 2011 Secretariat: Paragon Conventions
Tel: +41 (0)22 533 0948, Fax: +41 (0)22 580 2953
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