In this city, J. K. Rowling began to write Harry Potter, and Eiffel created his architectural masterpieces not so popular as the Eiffel Tower but also no less brilliant. Go to Porto with this scenario and learn about the local cuisine and lifestyle of local people, delving into the traditional dishes and drinks of the region.
Today, you will discover the natural charm of the mountains, enjoy the views and fresh air, visit a farm (home museum) and a Portuguese restaurant.
Start your journey with the main attraction near Pouzada, the Serra da Estrela Natural Park. Climb to the top of the mountain, admire the views of the mountain range. You can also try and buy the region's traditional appetizers: special cheeses and hams.
On the way back, before dinner, take a look at this house museum, where the good hosts will meet you, treat you to tasty snacks and drinks and tell you interesting stories.
Montes Herminios has a varied menu, and the main thing is traditional dishes and a pleasant attitude to the guests. There aren't many catering establishments in the area of the natural park, so it's a good luck that not only is there a good restaurant near Pouzada, but also a place where you can eat or taste the best dishes of this region of Portugal from 8.00 to 23.00 every day.
We continue to enjoy the natural beauties: today you will find beaches and travels, beautiful views and wonderful gastronomy.
If you are not travelling in your own car, the hotel staff will help you arrange a transfer or a car with a driver for the whole day. The main thing is to warn them about this in advance in order to organize the booking service. Before leaving for Porto, have breakfast at the Centro Civico coffee shop. The facility opens at 7:00 a.m. It maintains the atmosphere of a typical Portuguese café with fresh dishes and baked goods, as well as good aromatic coffee. The place doesn't work only on Sundays.
Dilute the gastronomic journey with another observation deck. It will charge with impressions and emotions, and also help to stretch before long enough trip to Porto.
Today, we suggest that you continue to enjoy the nature of the surrounding area or go to the spa all day - it is up to you to decide. Complete relaxation of body and mind is guaranteed! Here you can walk and see the beautiful waterfall.
Cozy atmosphere, great food. The food is great, the staff is busy, but friendly, good desserts. Look here for a hearty lunch.
Another place in the neighborhood worth seeing. Well, even any road in this area is worth the attention! Here you can continue your walks in the fresh air, and in the warm season, even swim on the riverside beach and natural pools.
Nearby there is a not very noticeable, but popular Portuguese restaurant with a cozy atmosphere, where you can relax and enjoy a delicious dinner. You can also go back to the poster room early to enjoy the spa and pool.
Today you will visit the Sé Cathedral, a medieval architectural monument, get acquainted with the archaeological collection of Viseu, walk under the arch of Porta do Soar, get acquainted with the history and architecture of the city.
The facility is open every day from 7 a.m. and offers both international and traditional Portuguese cuisine in its menu. Don't miss the opportunity to refresh yourself with quality restaurant meals in a calm and neat atmosphere to gain strength for further travel.
So you've arrived in Viseu. Take a look at this national heritage architectural monument. The Cathedral, like the whole of Viseu, was repeatedly rebuilt during the struggle for the territory of modern Portugal. In particular, the temple survived the era of Moorish domination. Today it is a vivid example of a medieval monument of architecture, combining the original Romanesque features, decorative elements of the Manuelino, as well as fragments of the Italian Renaissance.
Before visiting the museums of Viseu, enjoy the culinary masterpieces of this restaurant. It is distinguished by high quality cuisine and good service, but pay attention to the opening hours of the restaurant: the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays, and on other days is open from 12.30 to 15.30 and at 19.30 to 23.00 (except Sunday).
The Museum of Memory, now transformed into a museum of the city, will tell you all about Viseu and form an idea of its complex history. You can walk through the exposition, or you can listen to the excursion from guides, experts in the history of the city.
The best opportunity to see the archaeological collection of Viseu and get closer to the history and architecture of the city. Note that the museum is closed on Mondays.
Walk past the small square where Porta do Soar is located, one of the city's door arches, which still provokes controversy among historians over the age to which it belongs.
Dine at this traditional restaurant in the city centre, close to the most famous attractions. In the menu you will find a variety of dishes, and the waiters will kindly help you with your choice.
Today you will visit the famous Boljan Market with its fresh fruits, vegetables and fish and the opportunity to taste freshly prepared Portuguese cuisine. At the Wine Museum you will be taught to know how to make wine, enjoy the famous Mercado Bom Sucesso, admire the beauty of azulejo ceramic tiles at the railway station.
After breakfast at the hotel, go to Porto, by car or by transfer from the hotel. It is impossible to study the peculiarities of the Porto culture without going to the Beaulian market. This is an ancient food market, the building of which is built in the neoclassical style and has the status of a public interest. It is located very close to the main attractions of the city (Freedom Square and Cathedral). In the daily bustle of the locals, it is a place where they buy household goods, seasonal fruits, vegetables and fish. For the city's visitors, it is an important cultural element of Porto, where you can wander between the rows, watching the lives of traders and buyers. In addition, there are unique restaurants where you can find seafood at lower prices than anywhere else in this tourist area of the city. If you're looking for traditional alcoholic beverages, you're offered to taste them first and then buy them. The market is open every day from 7 a.m., but closed on Sundays, and on Saturday it closes before weekdays, at 13.00.
Learn more about winemaking and the production of Porto's most famous wine at this museum. Soak up the atmosphere of ancient Porto, as the museum itself is located in an 18th century warehouse on the banks of the Douro River. The museum is open every day except Monday, and on Sunday with a short break, but it is better to book a tour of the museum in advance.
From the outside, it may seem like a modern shopping mall, but it's worth going inside - and everything is in place at once. This is a traditional market building, which has been reshaped and renovated for a modern food court with Portuguese dishes and snacks. Here you can have a full lunch or taste a variety of wines and snacks. The market was built in 1940, and after the restoration it is similar to the Porto Gastronomy Museum. This place operates in a mode more like a modern restaurant than a quiet city market: from 10.00 to 23.00, and on Friday and Saturday to 00.00. Despite all the advantages, the market has one more thing: you can eat a lot of food here at low prices.
Don't miss this active railway station, which is also one of the world's most beautiful and handmade railway stations. The building itself was built back in 1900 on the site of the Benedictine nuns' monastery, the ghost of one of which, according to legend, still lives in the building of the station. If you listen, you can hear her muffled prayers. Of course, pay attention not only to the beauty of the azulejo covering the walls of the station, but also to the scenes depicted on these tiles. It shows the greatest battles in the history of the country.
Today you will visit the Gran Vasco Museum, a famous Portuguese Renaissance painter, and complete a wonderful gastronomic tour.
If you still have time, visit the Gran Vascu Museum in the morning, a Portuguese artist who is one of the most famous painters of the Renaissance.