Tour Date: 15 to 22 October, 2026Location: Portugal
The PTG slogan is “rail and culture” and that is exactly what this tour sets out to achieve, with a combination of trains, historic towns and sights, beautiful scenery and excellent hotels.
Flight and overland options are available and we begin our holiday in the Templar town of Tomar. We visit the UNESCO listed Convento do Cristo accompanied by a local guide, and also the nearby National Railway Museum. We take a train along the scenic Beira Baixa line to Castelo Branco. Our tour continues as we move from Tomar to the Roman town of Évora where spend four nights. We visit Beja for lunch in the Pousada and the hilltop village of Monsaraz.
At this time of year, the weather should be comfortable and without the excessive heat experienced in the summer months.
Your Tour Manager for this trip is David, who lives in Lisbon. Should you have any queries about the itinerary or if you wish to have a chat with him about the trip, please feel free to e-mail him on david@ptg.co.uk.
Availability
Tour Highlights
Day 1 Thursday 15 October
We will be offering both flight and rail options for travelling to Tomar. After flying into Lisbon, you will take a train directly to Tomar. If you are travelling overland from the UK, you will not need to go via Lisbon. Direct flights available from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Luton, Bristol and Manchester.
Day 2 Friday 16 October (B,D)
Founded in 1157 by the Order of the Templars, Tomar is dominated by the 12th century castle containing the UNESCO World Heritage Convento de Cristo. Originally designed as a monument symbolizing the Reconquista, the Convent of the Knights Templar of Tomar (transferred in 1344 to the Knights of the Order of Christ) came to symbolize just the opposite during the Manueline period – the opening up of Portugal to other civilizations. This morning we will meet our local guide who will lead us in a visit to the Convent. After this you will have the option of having a free afternoon in Tomar or joining David on a train to Entroncamento to visit the National Railway Museum. Return to Tomar at the end of the afternoon for our Welcome Dinner.
Day 3 Saturday 17 October (B)
A rail trip on one of Portugal’s most under-rated scenic railway lines, the Beira Baixa, is in store today. We first take a train for the short journey to Entroncamento where we catch our regional train along the Beira Baixa Line as far as Castelo Branco. This is the most beautiful section as we ride along the north bank of the River Tagus, with some sections rivalling the more famous Douro Valley. Look out of the “Gates of Rodão”, site of a natural dam that collapsed millions of years ago. We have time for lunch in Castelo Branco, the former capital of the old province of Beira Baixa (Lower Beira). It has been celebrated since the 17th century for the brightly coloured embroidered bedspreads which are made here. Lying near the Spanish border, the town was of great strategic importance. There are only a few remains of the medieval castle (Castelo Branco, or white castle), the most recent attack on the town coming in 1807 when Napoleon’s troops did a lot of damage. The most impressive feature of the town is the “Jardim Episcopal” which you will have time to visit.
Day 4 Sunday 18 October (B,D)
We leave Tomar today on our coach which will drop us at Abrantes station to catch the international train to the fortified town of Elvas (the train continues to Badajoz in Spain where there are onward connections to Madrid). A new railway line has been built linking Évora to Elvas and Badajoz and if there is a suitable train, we will try to travel on it. Elvas itself is one of Portugal’s hidden gems, often ignored by non-Spanish tourists. The old town is surrounded by a defensive wall, designed so that no side was left unprotected, resulting in the formation of a unique star arrangement comprising bastions and hidden passages, allowing Elvas to fend off three separate Spanish sieges in 1658, 1711 and 1801, only falling in 1808 during the Napoleonic wars. However, the most impressive structure in Elvas is the stunning aqueduct dating from the 16th century, though it was 1620 before it first carried water to Elvas. We have a free afternoon to explore this town before our coach, which will follow us to Elvas, picks us up and takes us to the five-star Hotel Aqueduto in Évora, our home for the next four nights. (A new railway line has been built linking Évora to Elvas and Badajoz and if there is a suitable train, we will try to travel on it, or at least give you the option to travel on it). Dinner in the hotel tonight.
Day 5 Monday 19 October (B,L)
This morning we catch an inter-city train first to Casa Branca where we change to a train heading south to the regional town of Beja. The town was strategically built on top of a hill, making it very easy to spot potential invaders a long way off. First we go to Beja Pousada for lunch, then some free time to explore the historic town, including its castle and attractive centre, before returning to the station for our train back to Évora.
Day 6 Tuesday 20 October (B)
We explore Évora today with our local guide. Sights include the Roman Temple of Diana, the university, the cathedral, the chapel of bones and the aqueduct. A free afternoon to continue exploring the town, or even enjoy the hotel’s facilities!
Day 7 Wednesday 21 October (B,L)
Today we will travel by coach to the fascinating hilltop border fortified village of Monsaraz. Here we will have a short guided tour with a local guide followed by free time to explore this historic hilltop village, with views over the Alqueva Dam and into Spain, and its own bullring which you can walk around. Farewell lunch in a local restaurant.
Day 8 Thursday 22 October (B) This morning, we catch a train to Lisbon Oriente from where we take the metro to the airport.
By its nature, on this trip you need to be able to walk around locations with steep hills, steps and cobbled streets, keeping up with the main group, and be able to lift your luggage on and off trains.
Holiday Prices (8 day)
- From Heathrow: £1,995
- From Gatwick: £1,950
- From Stansted: £1,925
- From Luton: £1,925
- From Manchester: £1,950
- From Home UK station via St Pancras: £2,475*
* if you book early for the overland from St Pancras we include a Interrail ticket which gives you free rail travel from/to your home station.
Options
- Single use room Supplement: £315 (for overland option £545 as there are 4 extra hotel nights)
Deposit
- £700 with flights or £400 if joining in Lisbon. £1,000 if overland from St Pancras
Price Includes
- All travel and excursions as outlined in the itinerary
- Good quality en-suite accommodation
- Meals as shown in the itinerary: B = breakfast, L = Lunch D = Dinner
- Services of our Tour Manager. Holiday is fully escorted from and back to Lisbon
Online Booking
Our online booking system will just ask for the deposit.
Please note that you cannot book a flight inclusive trip on our website but if you select the flight option you prefer then we will contact you with the flight details and convert your booking into a flight inclusive package.
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We recommend you also check the FCO website for the latest travel advice https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Hotels
- Hotel dos Templários, Tomar (4-star) (3 nights)
- Hotel M’AR De AR Aqueduto, Évora (5-star) (4 nights)
Flight Options
EZ8513 10:05 Gatwick to Lisbon (arr 13:00)
EZ8514 16:30 Lisbon to Gatwick (arr 19:10)
BA506 15:05 Heathrow to Lisbon (arr 17:55)
BA505 16:30 Lisbon to Heathrow (arr 19:15)
FR715 12:25 Stansted to Lisbon (arr 15:15)
FR714 15:40 Lisbon to Stansted (arr 18:25)
EZ2461 12:25 Luton to Lisbon (arr 15:15)
EZ2462 15:45 Lisbon to Luton (arr 18:30)
EZ2867 13:45 Bristol to Lisbon (arr 16:20)
EZ2868 16:50 Lisbon to Bristol (arr 19:20)
FR2252 12:25 Manchester to Lisbon (arr 15:15)
FR2253 15:40 Lisbon to Manchester (arr 18:30)
Overland by Rail
Tuesday 13 October
09:31 London St Pancras to Paris Nord (arr 12:52)
Cross Paris. Time for lunch
16:11 Paris Montparnasse to Hendaye (arr 20:47)
Overnight in Hendaye hotel
Wednesday 14 October
08:20 Hendaye to Madrid Chamartin (arr 13:51)
Time for lunch
16:17 Madrid to Caceres (arr 19:45)
Taxi to hotel
Overnight in Caceres hotel
Thursday 15 October
12:10 Caceres to Badajoz (arr 13:26)
14:09 Badajoz to Entroncamento (arr 15:55)
16:17 Entroncamento to Tomar (arr 16:43)
Return Overland to London by Rail
Thursday 22 October
09:06 Evora to Lisboa Oriente (arr 10:36)
11:39 Lisboa Oriente to Entroncamento (arr 12:32)
Time for lunch
13:36 Entroncamento to Badajoz (arr 17:26)
17:48 Badajoz to Madrid Chamartin (arr 22:39)
Overnight at hotel at Chamartin station
Friday 23 October
09:06 Madrid to Irun/Hendaye (arr 17:43)
Overnight in Hendaye hotel
Saturday 24 October
09:34 Hendaye to Paris Montparnasse (arr 14:16)
Cross Paris.
16:09 Paris Nord to London St Pancras (arr 17:30)