Private Tour: Minho Day Trip from Porto

Start with pickup from your central Porto hotel and venture into the heart of Minho with your private guide. This fertile region is often referred to as the ‘Costa Verde’ (Green Coast), in reference to its dense green landscapes.

Travel by air-conditioned minivan to Barcelos, a pretty medieval riverside town famous for its ceramics and for the legend of the Rooster of Barcelos. The rooster is a national icon that can be found in souvenir shops the length and breadth of Portugal. To find out more about the legend, pay a fee to enter the city's open-air museum. Then, explore the historical town center, home to the distinctive octagonal Baroque Church of Senhor da Cruz.

Accompanied by your guide, continue on to Ponte de Lima, a charming town that dates back to Antiquity. Look out for the medieval bridge of its namesake, a picturesque bridge that features four stone arches from an earlier Roman construction. Pause for lunch (own expense) and take the opportunity to sample some local dishes, such as Arroz de Sarrabulho (rice stewed with pork meat and blood).

After eating, make your way to Viana do Castelo, a lively fishing port situated at the mouth of the Lima River, sandwiched between the ocean and the mountains. Climb Mount Santa Luzia to reach the Neo-Byzantine church at its summit, then admire the sensational views over the ocean and town below.

Browse the displays at the nearby Costume Museum (own expense), which reveals how textiles and clothing have changed over the years and explains their role in Portuguese culture. Sample a sweet princesinha do lima (a local egg-and-sugar confection), before beginning the journey back to Porto.

Your tour concludes with drop-off back at your Porto hotel.