Landscapes of Portugal

Lisbon

June 8 - 17, 2025 | Maximum Group Size: 25 Participants | Availability: Open

This tiny country, squeezed between Spain and the sea, has a long and proud history of fierce independence. Traditional agricultural and fishing communities continue unchanged beside bustling and cosmopolitan cities. Mountainous landscapes, untouched by time and modernization, stand in curious juxtaposition above the jet-setting coastal resorts.

We begin and end in the capital, Lisbon. A city with vitality, variety, and a pulse like none other. Turning north, we visit the picturesque town of Óbidos, originally an important port town. Continue to Tomar and visit the magnificent Convent of Christ before arriving in the fascinating city of Oporto. Nearby Bom Jesus do Monte takes us to the extraordinary 18th-century religious sanctuary which takes the form of a giant stairway. Moving into the Douro valley, the heart of the port country, visit traditional “Quintas” where we taste the sweet fortified wine that enjoys a worldwide reputation. As we leave northern Portugal and the magnificent mountain range “Serra da Estrela,” we exchange snow-capped beauty for the rolling sun-baked plain of the Alentejo. Our destination is the enchanting city of Évora which flourished in the Middle Ages as a center of learning and the arts and which gained international recognition in 1986 when it was declared a World Heritage Site. Returning to Lisbon, we drive to the wooded hillside town of Sintra, just to the north of the city, for visits to two elegant royal palaces.

This summer, as the sun warms this Iberian corner, join University at Buffalo, alumni, friends, and family on an unforgettable sojourn into the very heart and soul of ancient Portugal.