Portugal Real Food Adventure, featuring Galicia

Trip Code: ZMZP

Why we love it

Explore the Coa Valley, the centre of a rewilding project, and enjoy a night in a gorgeous historical guesthouse where you’ll join your hosts for a home-cooked meal of fresh, local produce., Pick up some local recipes during a cooking class at your farm stay in the rolling hills of the Alentejo region, whipping up regional specialties like pork with clams., Meet local producers along the way, including an olive oil producer where you can taste-test everybody’s favourite cooking staple. Sample Douro Valley wines and Porto’s fortified namesake., Take in the renowned riverside district in Porto, the colourful coastal hotspot of Lisbon and the rolling hills of the lush Douro Valley on the quintessential tour of Portugal., Sample iconic foods of the region – francesinha, cured meats, cheese, pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts) and canned fish – with local producers and a local leader who knows all the best spots., By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, REFOOD. Donations help them save good food, from restaurants and supermarkets, that is destined to go to waste and distribute it amongst people in need.

Is this trip right for me?

The cuisine of Portugal includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans, we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you can fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Portugal that can accommodate various dietary requirements.

Summer temperatures in the areas visited can be very high (up to 40C), which can be uncomfortable. It is essential to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability for that season.

We recommend packing light and smart for this trip as you'll be required to carry your own luggage between train stations and hotels, which can include going up and down multiple flights of stairs, and across cobblestones. Train stations often don’t have lifts available.

Space is at a premium in Europe and your hotel is no exception. Rooms are often small, but usually the central location makes up for that. For those travelling as a duo, hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together.

Important information

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 5 (Farmstay) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.

What to bring/pack

What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Our travellers usually find the smaller their luggage is, the more they enjoy the trip not having to worry about carrying heavy bags! Aim to keep your main luggage under 15kg.

Many travellers carry their luggage in a compact smaller suitcase or backpack with wheels. We recommend your bag has carry straps or handles so it is easy to lift and carry for the times you are unable to wheel it (ie. on rough surfaces or up steps).

If you are taking overnight trains, or primarily using public transport then the smaller your luggage the easier it will be to store under or above bunks. Large suitcases may not be able to be taken on board. A lockable bag or small padlock for your bag will be useful especially when travelling on public transportation as well.

You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, swimming suit, waterproof pouch/bag for phone, hiking shoes and jacket etc. when you’re exploring during the day.

Below we have listed the essentials for this trip:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. Your group leader or local representative will advise whether tap water is safe to drink in your destination, and if it is, you can simply refill it with tap water. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip you will need to carry at least 2L of water with you.

Physical rating

 
2

Joining your group

Hotel Lux Santiago, Rúa do Doutor Teixeiro, 4,, Santiago de Compostela, 15701, SPAIN, Phone: +34 981554986

Hotel Lux is situated in easy walking distance to the old town of Santiago de Compostela, making it a great place to discover the wonders of the city of Saint James the Great. The hotel offers services such as Wi-Fi, air conditioning, laundry/dry cleaning service (subject to extra charge), café and luggage storage. All rooms are fitted with en-suite bathrooms, safety deposit box, TV, telephone and hairdryer.

Alternate Joining Point


Joining instructions

Due to local regulations an arrival transfer cannot be pre-booked and local taxis must be used. Taxis are readily available from the airport. The journey will cost approximately EUR20-30 depending on traffic and the time of day you arrive.

If you would prefer there is also the option to travel by bus. From the airport station buses depart every 30 minutes. Take the bus from "Casa Lorenzo" (airport) to "Santiago de Compostela - Plaza de Galicia". The ride will cost around EUR3 and take around 30 minutes. Hotel Lux is just 100 metres from the bus stop.

Finishing your trip

Hotel Gat Rossio, Rua do Jardim do Regedor 27, Lisbon, PORTUGAL, Phone: +351 213478300

The Hotel Gat Rossio is located in the historic Old Town and an ideal base for exploring the best that Lisbon has to offer. The rooms are modern and clean and feature air conditioning, TV, private bathroom facilities, and Wi-Fi. The hotel also boasts an outdoor terrace which is perfect for relaxing on.

Alternate Finish Point


Intrepid can assist with pre-booking a departure transfer to the airport - enquire with your agent. Please advise your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to the start of your trip.

If you have a confirmed departure transfer your leader will advise your pick up time the day before your trip ends. If your driver has not arrived within 30 minutes of the scheduled pick up time, or your departing flight is cancelled or changed, please contact the transfer operator directly on Intrepid Operator Number: +49 8677 918 6657 and dial 1 for Transfers

Alternatively, Lisbon Airport (LIS) is approximately a 25 minute drive from the hotel. Please ask your leader or hotel staff for assistance in arranging a taxi.

Meals & dietary information

Breakfasts included: 7

Lunches included: 2

Dinners included: 3

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure.

While we will endeavour to cater to dietary requirements where possible, please note that many meals and food activities on Real Food Adventures are set in advance in order to deliver a well-rounded experience of a country’s cuisine. In many countries, dietary restrictions are uncommon and not well understood. If you have dietary requirements and are concerned about whether this may impact on your ability to participate fully in all food-related activities on this trip, please speak with your booking agent so it can be determined whether your dietary requirements can be met.

Meals & Beverages:
Please refer to the inclusions section for the included meals and food activities. Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are not included with meals unless specified or part of a beverage tasting activity. 

Climate & seasonal information

SUMMER
Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C/104°F), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

SHOULDER SEASON
In contrast, weather in shoulder season can be unpredictable, and snow is not unheard of at higher altitudes. If you travel at the start or towards the end of the European season please pack accordingly with warm and/or waterproof clothes (preferably layers). The advantage of travelling during this time is that there are less tourists around.

In case of emergency

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid's Local Operator: +49 8024 4679 540

Accommodations

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

EUROPEAN HOTELS
Hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together/apart. Rooms can be rather small, especially by American or Australian standards.

Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.

Transportation