Portugal: Beyond Lisbon
JUNE 02 - 09, 2024
SOLD OUT
*Cheema's Travel trips are for eaters, chefs, the curious, & seekers who want meet like-minded travelers.
TESTIMONIAL
“On this 2nd trip to Portugal with Cheema's Travel, my expectations were exceeded once again. I’ll hold every educational, magical, & surreal moment experienced on this trip with me forever. I can't wait to explore more of Portugal with Cheema's Travel in the future!”
- Rae J. - Repeat traveler Portugal 2021 & 2023
Why Travel With Us?
1. Cheema’s Travel vets all travelers, meaning only our repeat travelers can book directly. We want to make sure we find you the right travelers for your trip and make sure this trip is right for you 😉.
2. Everyone gets their own room, no single supplements. You deserve your privacy. It’s none of our business why you need your own room.
3. We pay our vendors overseas proper wages.
4. We design trips around the night sky and astrology. Not only do we want you to see the Milky Way, in the desert, the night of a new moon but we also want to make sure no planets are in “retrograde”.
5. We make donations to local non-profits and/or to some of the movements we believe in. Please feel free to dontate directly to Teens Of Color Abroad and #FREEPABLOGARCIA
TESTIMONIAL
“This trip was full of wonderful experiences centered on food, wine and history. It was a privilege to travel with such a great group with similar interests. THANK YOU for helping to make being a vegetarian super smooth and easy on this trip. Honestly that was a lifesaver and I'm so grateful for the support.”
- Whitney W. - Portugal 2023
Your 7 Night Itinerary
Day 1
WELCOME TO PORTO
Hopefully you’ve arrived early enough to relax, reset, and had the chance to familiarize yourself with some of Lisbon or Porto. We actually expect lots of you to explore Lisbon prior to Porto so let us know if you need our food map and mini guide to Lisbon 😉
Tonight, meet your fellow travelers in person at our welcome dinner with a Chef at his private atelier where we will hang out, have some drinks, and cook dinner.
Dinner
Day 2
GASTRONOMIC GEMS
Discover local gastronomy through a whole different angle accompanied by gourmand experts, you will uncover the secrets of Porto’s delicacies, history, and context.
Your experience isn’t just a tasting tour it’s an opportunity to connect with the city and to immerse yourself into the local food scene. We’ll visit the recently opened city central market that just opened after 4 years and 4 months of renovations. Here, we will be meeting the unique vendors, and learning about the ingredients that fill up Porto’s restaurants and home kitchens. Plus, you’ll get to taste some delicious artisan cheeses that exude the aromas of the mountain.
Our journey will take us to explore the backstreets that lead to iconic places we’ll run into unexpected gastronomic gems where you’ll find Porto’s beloved everyday specialties.
Breakfast & Lunch (tastings)
Day 3
WINE COUNTRY
The Douro Valley is spectacularly beautiful with the hills falling steeply down to the water’s edge becoming more and more sparsely populated and wild the further inland one travels towards Spain.
Travelers tend to head to the massive museum wineries but on this day, we’ll enjoy a tasting and tour small boutique Quinta that grows and produces organic.
Wrap the day with a private cruise along the winding Douro River in a barco rabelo, a majestic wooden sailboat historically used transport the Port wine barrels from the Douro Valley to the Port Lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Breakfast & Lunch
Day 4
HOME OF VINHO VERDE
Natural wines are little unusual for most of Europe especially in Portugal, so let’s head North to the boarder of Spain to visit a young luxury winery that offers natural and organic Vinho Verde (the region’s most famous grape), followed by lunch with the couple who owns the winery. Black owned wine ✊🏿🍇.
This Vinho Verde is made with the local grapes of Arinto and Azal and is one of the sophisticated wines being produced in Portugal.
Breakfast & Lunch
Day 5
TO ÉVORA, BUT FIRST, CHEESE
Truly is the nerve center of slow food in Portugal. We’ll meet Adolfo, an incredibly special gentleman, who happens to be an astronomer and extremely well known in the food world in Portugal.
Adolfo specializes in artisanal goat’s cheese making. See the process and taste the cheeses.
Adolfo owns a small restaurant that he only opens to friends and friends of friends so we are lucky and honored to be part of that small group who is friends of his friends.
Off to Évora!
Breakfast & Lunch
Day 6
ÉVORA, WHY YOU SO GOTH?
Let’s get our culture (and food) on, in the unofficial, yet delicious, capital city of Alentejo. This ancient city (Évora) has a magical aura that draws you in. You’ll feel this as you wander through its narrow streets. There’s a spiritual presence with so many churches and desserts 👀. Évora will certainly charm you in surprising ways, bone chapel and all.
With strong culinary traditions. Never look at bread the same way again, try rich soups and stews, and to discover the friendly presence of coriander and pennyroyal, even in homemade liqueurs. All while sharing the most interesting historical events that give it such an incredible context. It goes without saying that Alentejo wines will follow you anywhere you go on this experience and you will discover they are both elegant and robust, funny enough, like only firmly established traditions are. This is a diverse and exciting food tour, and Évora will welcome you with open arms!
Breakfast and Lunch (tasting)
Day 7
DEEPER INTO ALENTEJO
This is a place of traditions and knowledge of generations that have been bringing and perfecting the magnificent Talha Wine.
Be one of the first to drink after it opens for the season!
This Talha project was born to praise and maintain the genuine production of Talha Wine that has been around for more than 2 millennia.
We’ll head to a small, private, organic family farm where the doors open just for us. We’ll have our final dinner in the fields by a 100 year young olive tree, overlooking the farm. A chef will be cooking (away from the 100 year young tree) using cast iron and clay pots, a traditional way. Enjoy a traditional “Cante Alentejano” preformance to wrap our last night together.
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 8
DEPART
That’s all! We bid a fond farewell to scrumptious country. You may stay another night in Évora or head to the station to go back to Lisbon for the weekend.
Don’t fret, we can all meet again in in Japan, Galicia, South Korea, or any of the other fabulous countries we’ve planned adventure in.
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TESTIMONIAL
“Don't sleep on Cheema's Travels! The level of care and detail that go into these trips are amazing. Get ready for once in a lifetime experiences that you'll never forget!.”
- W. Alexander - Portugal 2023
Not So Fine Print
This adventure is programmed as a group departure 8 travelers, ONLY. Programs and events may change slightly according weather, the impact of Covid-19, or the fact that we are meeting with real people who have real lives.
Pricing and Booking Info
$600 non-refundable deposit for Single Entry Level.
$800 non-refundable deposit for Single Upgrade.
Payment Plans are available
Inclusions: All meals mentioned, tastings, private accommodation (no single supplements), domestic land transfers upon arrival to hotel, classes, entry fees, and gratuities.
Exclusions: International air, mandatory travel insurance, experiences not mentioned in itinerary, & personal purchases. Transfers to and from airport and/or station.
Please read Terms & Conditions.
