Portugal with Jamie Malone

Welcome to Lisbon! We’ll breathe in the salt air and take in the atmosphere of the Portuguese capital’s unforgettable pastel buildings. Travel is the great educator—and for Portugal, we begin by immersing ourselves in learning local traditions. First, we wander through the historic district of Belém, where we stop at a local factory whose bakers have followed an ancient recipe of delectable custard tarts from the monks of Mosteiro dos Jerónimos since 1837. We’ll learn to make this traditional wedding pastry, and of course eat them. Afterwards, we learn how to make another Portuguese icon: the distinct azulejo tiles that beautifully adorn doorways and walls.

Our welcome dinner tonight is a special treat: a sprawling local feast with signature drinks and an unforgettable live Fado performance, where we’ll revel in what’s been the “soul of Portuguese music” for two centuries.

Today we move into the world’s most scenic wine region, stopping along the way to peek through two windows of traditional rural life. One hour from Lisbon, we’re greeted by the orange terra-cotta rooftops of the village of Óbidos, a town with Roman roots and a medieval layout with horse carriages and bookshops along its cobbled lanes. We’re here to sip the country’s best ginja, a traditional sour cherry liqueur.

Next we move to Mealhada, for the classic Portuguese feast: a suckling pig roasted over fragrant eucalyptus wood, and served with the region’s finest sparkling wines. After lunch, we reach our breathtaking riverside base, deep in the Douro Valley. Here we’ll rest riverside with a glass of Port, dusk fading into a starlit evening, and regroup for dinner—and a toast—to our new home.

After morning coffee and breakfast overlooking the river, we’ll assume the life of an 18th-century Portuguese trader. Jump aboard a flat-bottomed Rabelo boat and we’ll head upriver to fetch a batch of coveted Port wine to export all over the world. It’s an extraordinary, timeless experience—and for us it’s all play, no work. Sit back, listen to local accordion players and enjoy the ride to a winery famed for its Douros and Ports. Here we tap our inner vintner by blending, bottling and corking our own bottle, followed by lunch at another nearby winery.

The afternoon and evening are all yours. Relax poolside at the hotel on the Douro River, spend time with your fellow travelers on the patio as the sun sets. For the more intrepid, take in local art with an evening stroll through the riverside town of Pinhão, famed for tile-covered bridges.

We’ve sampled Portugal’s history, impeccable wines, and culinary classics. Today our connection with the region’s roots go deeper—and more literal—on a fun day of creating, learning and celebrating with Jamie. We’ll collect and harvest the ingredients we need for a glorious lunch, then head to Casa dos Viscondes das Varzeas, a 17th-century manor house owned by a local female chef. Here, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, we’ll roll up our sleeves and help Jamie create an unforgettable meal (hands-on and learning as we go) using our hand-picked ingredients and locally sourced produce. The reward? Our very own al fresco feast, prepared in a setting worthy of its own landscape painting or glossy magazine cover! This is truly special.

We’ll finish our long and relaxed meal with a glass or three of local wine. Then we’ll return to our hotel for an easygoing afternoon to explore and rest on our own.

Our Portuguese adventure moves along with the Rio Douri, to the charming seaside city of Porto. En route, we’ll discover gorgeous gardens, multiple manor houses, fairytale-like outbuildings and vineyards that stretch for miles—all a part of Quinta da Aveleda, a world-famous producer of Vinho Verde or “green wine” (a MOAD staff favorite). This tantalizing treat on a warm day is a fragrant, crisp and citrusy light-bodied white wine served chilled—the perfect complement to our lovely picnic lunch in the vineyard. 

Once in Porto, we’ll ride tuk-tuks through the city’s narrow, cobbled alleyways while taking note of which neighborhoods, markets, and cafes to visit in our free time. Dinner tonight is at a local tapas restaurant sampling just-caught bacalhau (cod), Bulhão Pato-style clams, and other traditional Porto seafood dishes.

We start our full day in Porto with a tour through the streets of Old Town, ducking into small cafes, tascas (taverns), and colorful food markets. We’ll watch fishermen arrive, nets full with the catch of the day, and decipher the tales told of Porto’s ceramic azulejo adorning churches and subway station walls. After relaxing over a leisurely lunch, the afternoon is yours to explore—sit by the sea, shop for mementos, or people-watch in the Unesco World Heritage Ribeira District. 

Tonight, we’ll gather for a farewell feast at a private visit on the grounds of Taylor’s Port Cellars. We’ll toast our time together with wood-aged, vintage Ports and plates of fresh seafood and local meats.

After our final breakfast at the hotel, we bid farewell to our fellow travelers—hearts and spirits full of all things Portugal. Then it’s off to the airport. Until next time! Obrigada e adeus, Portugal!