Porto, the Douro Valley, Lisbon, Sintra, Madrid & an Amsterdam night
A festive Iberian loop built around New Year’s Eve in Lisbon: the port-wine city of Porto and a Douro Valley wine day, Lisbon’s hills and the fairytale palaces of Sintra, then three museum-rich days in Madrid and a cheeky final night in Amsterdam.
From Hotel Moon & Sun we walked the Clérigos Tower, the Bolsa Palace, the São Francisco church and the tiled Cathedral, ducked into the Livraria Lello bookshop, then spent a full day on a Douro Valley wine tour — terraced vineyards, viewpoints and tastings along the river.
The train south to Behotelisboa put us in Alfama and Bairro Alto, São Jorge Castle, and the Belém monuments — the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower. We rang in the new year at the street party in the main square, then took a recovery day.
A day tour to Sintra for the Pena Palace and the mysterious wells and tunnels of Quinta da Regaleira — the most storybook corner of Portugal.
A flight to the Sardinero Madrid and a classic city sweep: the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral, the Prado and Thyssen museums, Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor and the El Rastro market.
A final-night flight north — luggage in an airport locker, the train into town, and the canals and Red Light District until the early hours before the morning connection home via Paris.
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