Trams and Trains of Portugal
Holiday Highlights
- Historical steam train ride through the UNESCO World Heritage Douro Valley
- Heritage and modern trams in Lisbon
- Trolleybuses in Coimbra
- Travel on the seasonal narrow gauge Sintra Tram
- Visit to the Portuguese National Railway Museum
- 9 Days from £2,150pp
Tour Dates:
Friday 25 June to Saturday 3 July 2021
Explore the fascinating trams and railway networks of Portugal. We ride on a steam hauled train through the Douro Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as heritage and modern trams. There is free time to explore the delightful Iberian cities of Lisbon and Porto as well as visits to railway museums.
ITINERARY
Day 1– Flight to Lisbon
We fly from London to Lisbon and continue by train to Porto for a 4-night stay. On arrival we have a transfer to our hotel above the railway station.
Day 2 – The Douro Historic Train
This afternoon we take the train to Régua for the Douro historic train. Riding on this train is like travelling back in time. The route runs along the bank of the River Douro to Tua, with the historic carriages hauled by Steam Engine 0186, which was built in 1925 by Henschel & Son. A unique trip back into the past through the beautiful Douro Valley, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Day 3 – Porto Trams
A morning tour of the “Museu do Carro Eléctrico” – Porto’s tram museum, which as well as exhibitions about the evolution of the tramcar network and a collection of trams, houses the machinery hall of the Massarelos Thermoelectric Power Plant. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore the city.
Day 4 – Lousado Railway Museum
We take the train north this morning to Lousado to visit the railway museum. The afternoon is at leisure to explore Porto or continue north along the scenic coastal line towards the Spanish border.
Day 5 – Coimbra Trolleybus
Morning train to Coimbra, the historic University City and former capital of Portugal, for a 1-night stay. A ride on the Elevador do Mercado will deliver wonderful views across the city, or take a trolley bus through the heart of the medieval sector.
Day 6 – Entroncamento Railway Museum
Depart Coimbra late morning travelling on the main railway line as far as the railway hub of Entroncamento, where we stop to visit the National Railway Museum. We continue by train to Lisbon for a 3-night stay. The stunning capital of Portugal is famous for its trams, both modern and heritage.
Day 7 – Trams in Lisbon
Today we visit the Carris Museum, full of public transportation history and memorabilia of Lisbon. The remainder of the day is at leisure to make use of your Lisbon Card which includes unlimited travel on trams, buses, elevadores and the metro as well as access to several museums.
Day 8 – Sintra Tram
We make a day trip to Sintra to ride on the narrow gauge tram as it slowly trundles down from the hills of the Serra de Sintra to the pretty coastal town of Praia das Maçãs.
Day 9 – Homeward Bound
A final morning to explore Lisbon before an afternoon flight back to London.
Tour Route
Selected Hotels
Mercure Porto Centro, Porto
Hotel Astória, Coimbra
Lis-Baixa Hotel, Lisbon
Please note - hotels can be subject to change
Price Includes
- Flights in Economy Class by scheduled airline
- All rail travel as stated in standard class
- Accommodation in good quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
- Public transport tickets for Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto
- Services of a tour leader from London and throughout the tour
Price per person
| Escorted holiday: | £2,150 |
| Single room supplement: | £645 |
| Deposit for this holiday: | £200 |
