Bem-vindo A Architectours Porto

The– Távora - Varosa valley – full day trip! Distance: about 300km 

Price: € 125 / person   

The valley, limited by the Douro and the Varosa and Távora rivers, brings us a different aspect of the Douro region. Due to a geological reverie, here you will find no port wine vineyards but a different type of spirits, the espumante, a tradition that goes back to the 1600s, through the effort of the Cistercian monks of the area, who between prayer and work found the time to enjoy the drink. In fact, it’s something rather embedded in their own tradition as these same Cistercians, in Belgium, became known as Trappist, where they favoured beer-brewing, however, Portugal is a wine-drinking country, thus the shift of their labour.  Our aim is to explore the region, skirting the rivers and the mountains to the south, the history of the white and black river fleets, explore Lamego, capital of the region, a city going back to Roman days. In the valley we also find also unique things, at Lazarim we have one of the most typical Carnival celebrations, still full of resonance of primordial traditions, the tower-bridge of Ucanha, or the stumpy church of Salzedas. Thus visit and to look into the life and history of once the most important Cistercian monastery in the region and visiting a string of small towns as we reach out to the Douro once more, and thence taking the embankment road, one of the most scenic routes in Portugal, the world they say, we speak of the EN222, back to Régua, where we will get a first foray into the port and Douro wines cultures!  

Itncluded: Fully guided tour, coffee break (tasting the famous bôla de Lamego) Visit to the lodges of Murganheira/Raposeira, castle and cathedral of Lamego, Museum of Iberian mask, Monastery of S. João de Tarouca and a tasting of Port in Régua. Furthermore, it includes insurance. 

Not included: Restaurant (regional cuisine).  

Full day trip 

Distance covered about 200km, starting and ending in Porto. 

Price €75 / person (minimum 3 and up to 4 people).

 The main idea is to cover the major cities of the lower and central Minho, namely Guimarães, (known as the cradle of the Nation), Braga (once the capital of the Roman province and metropolitan See) and Barcelos (linked to one of the most curious tales of Portugal,) thence we’d move towards the coast in Esposende to try weaving into the city’s narratives and the cityscape also covering some of the latest world heritage locations as the route of the Sacred Hills in Northern Portugal, namely the hills of Penha, Bom Jesus, Sameiro, wrapping the tour on the Hill of Saint Felix and taking in the breath-taking view as the sun sets over the Atlantic. For lunchtime, we want to look for a regional restaurant for the hearty meals of this part of Portugal. 

Price Includes Fully-guided tour, Coffee break, Ticket for Castle and the Ducal Palace in Guimarães, the cathedral of Braga, the Pottery Museum, and the tasting of the famous pastries known as Clarinhas de Fão. Furthermore, it includes the insurance for the trip. 

 Does not include:  Restaurant (regional cuisine).

3 hour-long city tour 

Price €30 / person (minimum 2) - special prices for groups over 5 people / free for children!

Massarelos has always been a unique community, straddling old estates once devoted to farming, later converted to leisure, stringed by old lanes. However, there are many stories to discover around this quaint township, for instance how Massarelos led the way in the “business of the sea” and how it changed the history of the city of the country at large. 

As always, we shape our stories not only in the territory, the stories of yesteryear but also in the currently built heritage, the cityscape, reason why here we will find some of the most unique modern projects, the Faculty of Architecture, the Hotel Vincci or the Douro’s Place, projects that broke away from established practices around Porto. Yet, this more than a layered story of the city, it is a lived and living one, we will assess the coming transformations as well some the most wonderful and most hidden viewpoints you can find. 

Discover a different Porto, the city not present in any guide.

3 hour-long city tour 

Price €30 / person (minimum 2) - special prices for groups over 5 people / free for children!

Boavista is one of those seemingly discrete parts of the city, a more modern part, no doubt, and yet as rich as so many others. It holds its own history, its own stories. Despite the seemingly modern outlook, it is a very layered and nuanced place, lying halfway between the city centre, the river and the ocean. We will be delving into its past from farming estates to industrial parks to very quaint architectural trends, yet, this is no nostalgia trip, we’ll be bringing our narrative to the present and its manifold possibilities. Together we’ll be peeking around its nooks and crannies and etching the contours of the area, drawing its shape, its scents (literally) while avoiding the obvious approaches. It’s the hidden Boavista! 

Discover a different Porto, the city not present in any guide.