The simplest way is to fly into Porto and out of Lisbon. If you are coming from outside of Europe, then it's often easier to fly into/out of the capital and connect with Porto by train at the start. We can help arrange that, of course.

It is possible to take this trip at pretty much any time of year but for the best balance of temperatures, rainfall and visitor numbers, we advise you plan to travel from late March through to June and then late September through October. During these times of year, you should be able to swim in the sea in the south and enjoy pleasant walking temperatures inland and in the cities.

Peak season is from mid-July to the end of August but we do not generally offer this trip during that period as the area is busier with summer holidaymakers from Portugal, and it is too hot for most. September in the Douro can be busy as it is harvest time, but it's an exciting and photogenic time to be amid the vines.

The hotels you will stay at on this trip tend more towards the premium end of the scale. That's not to say they're fancy for the sake of being fancy, but rather we know you'll have a warm welcome, a big comfy bed, a great location and a bit of peace and quiet too.

Please get in touch for full details.

This trip invites active discovery, with days spent exploring city streets and walking trails on foot. Naturally, there are ways for you to dial this up and down as you go though and a feature of this trip is its emphasis on food, cultural and wine experiences, which require little in the way of athletic prowess.

When you are with your guides, you simply discuss your options with them and they can adjust things accordingly, either more or less active.

Away from the cities, the roads tend to fall quiet and traffic is usually very light. We love driving in Portugal because of the freedom it gives you. That could mean changing plans over breakfast, or simply pulling over at the side of the road to soak in a view you might otherwise have sailed straight past.

As the roads are generally quiet, smooth and scenic, it's designed to be a pleasurable part of the experience, rather than a price to pay for said freedom.

You can expect a medium-sized vehicle such as a VW Golf, though we can’t guarantee a specific make or model. Where it is a realistic option, we will always try to provide a hybrid vehicle.

Some vehicles have sat nav built in, but we find the best way to navigate is simply to use Waze or Google Maps on your smartphone. These can both be used offline to avoid data charges and your phone can easily sync with your car's Bluetooth so that it talks to you through the radio. All in all, it's not really much different to navigating in a part of your own country you've not been to before.

UK clients do not need anything other than their UK licence.

For any clients not based in Europe or the UK, an international driving licence is officially required, but we don't know of any local office in Spain or Portugal that has requested to see it. But it is officially a requirement. If you are in the US, visit https://www.usa.gov/international-drivers-license for more information and details of how to apply.

For sure! From start to finish, this trip takes you deep into the heart of Portugal's engaging and varied culture in both the cities and rural areas. We are sure to include time with our local guides at key moments in the journey.

Not at all, no. Your hosts and guide all speak good English and you'll have little problem in somewhere so geared towards tourism as Lisbon and Porto are. In the countryside and on the coast, you'll find some restaurants and bars have limited English, but part of the fun is getting by and finding ways to communicate. Generally, if you're somewhere where English is not widely spoken, then that's a sign you're somewhere interesting...

Yes, as long as we retain the essence of this trip through the pacing and content. If you have less time to play with then we have shorter self-drives to Lisbon & the Alentejo and to the north from Porto to Douro. If you have more time, we have a three-week version of this trip or you can easily connect Portugal with Andalucía, over the border in southern Spain.