Portugal vacation, 2 weeks

Planet

Our custom-designed journeys prioritize train travel, offering a seamless, scenic, and sustainable way to explore each destination. High-speed rail efficiently connects major cities, while shorter routes make for perfect day excursions from urban hubs.

We intentionally avoid car rentals where excellent rail service is available, reserving flights only for islands or routes that exceed six hours by train. Within cities, we discourage driving altogether and instead provide travelers with resources for local transit and walkable routes that foster deeper cultural immersion. Train travel is not just transportation—it’s an integral part of the experience.

Each itinerary includes carefully curated dining recommendations featuring vegetarian, vegan, and vegetarian-friendly options, as well as authentic local cuisine. When meals are included with an activity, plant-based options are always available. For food enthusiasts, we design enriching culinary experiences, including guided tastings, farm-to-table dining, and private visits with regional producers.

We are proud to support Rewilding Portugal, a part of Rewilding Europe, an organization dedicated to restoring nature and wildlife and conserving wild landscapes through natural processes for the benefit of society. The Rewilding Landscape in Portugal is a landscape near Douro Valley. The Côa Valley is a biodiversity hotspot where Mediterranean and continental ecosystems overlap, creating habitats that support both common and highly endangered species. Its rugged cliffs, oak woodlands, scrublands, and riverbanks shelter some of Portugal’s most threatened wildlife, including the elusive Iberian wolf, the critically endangered Iberian lynx in nearby rewilding corridors, and rare raptors such as the Egyptian vulture, Bonelli’s eagle, and golden eagle. Rewilding projects in the region aim to restore natural grazing systems and strengthen corridors for large mammals, while the river nurtures sensitive species such as otters and migratory birds.

We are also committed partners of TAP (Travelers Against Plastic), reinforcing our mission to promote sustainable and responsible travel.

People

All of our activity partners are locally owned, independent businesses. We work exclusively with guides and providers who specialize in creating intimate, authentic experiences deeply rooted in their communities.

In some regions, we also partner with small, family-run transportation companies—often just a handful of trusted drivers we know personally—ensuring that you’re supported by local experts at every stage of your journey.

This trip is thoughtfully designed to support responsible travel while showcasing Portugal’s most captivating landscapes. Guided walks through Porto’s UNESCO-listed historic center and Lisbon’s iconic neighborhoods encourage low-impact exploration and directly support local guides, artisans, and family-run cafés.

Your stay in the Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape, highlights the region’s centuries-old wine traditions while promoting small-scale, family-owned wineries that help preserve terraced vineyards and protect the surrounding river ecosystem.

On the island of Madeira, exploring natural wonders, including locations within the Madeira Natural Park, helps sustain conservation efforts that protect endemic flora and unique laurel forests found nowhere else on Earth. Activities like hiking to Curral das Freiras, visiting botanical gardens, and enjoying coastal walks foster a deeper connection with the island’s nature while minimizing environmental impact.

Your day in Sintra, part of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, encourages mindful visits to palaces, forests, and protected hilltops, helping preserve one of Europe’s most fragile cultural landscapes. Through guided experiences, locally sourced dining, and engagement with heritage sites, each step of this itinerary supports conservation, community livelihoods, and the long-term protection of Portugal’s natural and cultural treasures.