Our Viking River Trip in Portugal, Europe

Our close friend Patty Anthony ( shown lower-left in the snap ) proposed to the Gourmet group at our 2024 gathering that we should all consider a joint trip on a Viking river-cruise in Portugal in the fall of 2025… Sandy & I agreed, as did everyone in the group!

As we then booked up and prepaid for our September, 2025 trip, the trip details were provided by the Viking Cruises website…

Our preliminary day-by-day plan is shared to show the tentative outline… my FaceBook account is used many times here, flagged with "(FB)"

Day	Viking Trip Events
Friday  Sept 12th	So, on Thursday, September 11th our really good taxi service picked us up around noon and took us to the Atlanta airport; we departed at 3:30pm, landing at JFK in New York around 5:30pm    We then departed from JFK a bit late at 8:45pm due to a storage bin not closing…  Dinner was served at 11pm-ish (Sandy had chicken, I had lasagna w/pasta, both great!), I watched a Jason Statham movie, "A Working Man" and then snoozed a little  The lights came on at about 1:45am (our home time), about an hour or so out from Lisbon    breakfast was coffee and a calzone with egg, cheese & spinach—adequate!  Sun came up in the window of the plane at 7:11am  We landed in Lisbon at 7:38am (a little earlier than planned)  After scurrying around the Lisbon airport quite a bit   ( we had to walk down the steps from the plane, ride a bus for perhaps a mile across the airport &      we found our way to the checked bags—eventually! )  We then finally managed to locate our Viking guy who took us out to the ride to our hotel, and we checked in and were in our room at 9:30am!!  After we got in, Sandy stepped out to bring a coffee & a snack to share  Our bags arrived in our room and I realized there were no drawers at all for our 4-night stay!! We had the hotel provide two suitcase stands which helped…  Sandy then napped for a couple hours at 10:30 / I sat quietly in the chair and then snoozed a little  We had dinner (FB) at the hotel, sitting outside at 6:30pm for a couple hours in their lovely gardens…    Sandy had a glass of wine, I had the delightful Portuguese beer, Sagres! We then ate lightly, a bowl of soup, a tomato caprese salad & some nice bread; desert was a Greek yogurt with fruit  Hit the hay right after 9pm
Saturday	We slept well for the night, awakening at around 8:30am and having some breakfast at the hotel restaurant  In place of our planned Bairro Alto 3-hour walk thru town at 8:45 AM, Sandy ( who was thinking about how that would pretty hard for me! ) asked the concierge    to change that to a 3-hour ride thru town on a TukTuk 3-wheel ride… the guide was a delight but the price, the endless hills, bumpy roads etc made it a little less perfect!!    Great weather, clear blue skies, sun warming up from the cooler mornings… we were dropped off for lunch (FB) and found our way back from the town via a cab; relaxed for the afternoon  We met our friends for dinner (FB) in the evening at the Sete Meres (FB) seafood restaurant, right across the street from the hotel  Hit the hay at 9pm-ish
Sunday	We again slept well for the night, awakening around 8am on our 4th day and having some breakfast at the hotel restaurant  We departed to view Portugal's Coastal Treasures at 9:30am; a day-trip summary view is shared here (FB)…  Our 1st stop was at the National Palace in Queluz, where we spent an hour+ meandering room-to-room with some snaps & some good history. Sandy was snapped in the gardens there  We stopped for lunch at an Ale-hop (FB) restaurant in São Martinho do Porto, Sintra for 90-minutes or so… this turned out to be the place that Jackie & Steve had visited a few years ago  We rode from there to the Westernmost point of Europe, the Cabo de Roca (FB) which has a lovely view, sea breezes etc… I was snapped there  Our final view for the day was in Cascais (FB) on the coast where I chose to park my butt (FB) for a few minutes!  We relaxed for a while after the trip and Sandy & I went out for Sunday dinner in the evening with live music at the Típico A Severa restaurant in Casa de Fado;    our companions were at the hotel and all were sleeping after their flights!!    Traditional Fado (FB) music is unique to Portugal, originating in Lisbon. It also has roots in the African and the Brazilian culture.    Here's a view of our tiny dinner table (FB) where we were lucky to get a seat!
Monday	We awoke around 7:30am having gotten to sleep a little late as our ride back to the hotel had its moments!  We had brkf before leaping on our 8:45am bus tour to the Belém Tower on the coast  Next was the Cosmopolitan Lisbon (FB) and a snap of the World Map (FB) in the Museu de Marinha, the Maritime Museum    I stayed on the bus but caught a snap of the statue (FB)  After that we returned around 1pm & ate lunch (FB) in the hotel; Sandy headed out at 2:30pm to the National Tile Museum where she leaned to make and made 2 tiles! They will be delivered when we return next week… I snoozed for the afternoon  We went again across the street for dinner to the seafood restaurant, with 15 of us in the group    Seated at 7pm, waiting 30 minutes for a server as they had a shift change, ordered a dark beer (again!) and am having fish tonight vs veal…      they brought out toasted bread rolls (pre-buttered!) and I am hungry!!    At 8:15pm, my ass is starting to cramp on the hard chair! Sheesh… the food then arrived, almost completely cold—spinach & spuds too.      Have to share that both types of fish tasted good ad Grouper was better than flounder (fish bones!)  At 9:10pm the room lights went off as the waiters brought out Chuck's birthday celebration cake with a small candle… the whole room did the Happy Birthday (FB) song!  And at 9:30, we paid, left and hit the hay
Tuesday	Up at 6am to get our bags packed & gave them to the Viking crew to transport; brkf at 7:00 and we then headed out to our all-day tour en route to the Viking cruise boat  As we drove north, it was heavy, misty visibility at 8:30 or so  We arrived at Fátima (FB) about 11:45, visiting the shrine, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima; a short movie of the troops marching  Several snaps:   Sandy views      After the shrine, we had a team lunch at the hotel: soup, salad & baked chicken and headed back to our ship at 2:30pm, 2 1/2 hours to ride  Boarded the boat around 5pm, unpacked etc and checked in; I sat outside the room on the little patio (FB) for a minute!    Couple FB snaps: geographical location the river front of the boat showing several friends: Chuck and Linda (back of her head) and the back of the heads of Sandy & Regina!  We then had a relaxing hour+, a short lecture etc and were seated for dinner at 7:45pm with beer, wine, veggie soup, veal & crème broule  Stayed in the port overnight (which they did every night, due to difficulties negotiating) and slept well
Wednesday	Up at 6:30 and the boat departed at 7am; lovely to watch the thing out of our window! Brisk, 57f!  After a light brkf (ham & cheese omelet, coffee & OJ), caught a couple lectures in the main room  Sat for lunch at 12:30, had a beer, a vichyssoise salad & a little bread  After (annoyingly!!) seating tweaks, we left around 2:30pm for our afternoon trip trip    And we are waaaay up the hill at the huge vineyard!! Does not have English but great snaps!    As a note, the "port" that I enjoy is called Sandeman, made here and in other places around Portugal  Snaps: Sandy on the boat the pool (small, never used) view of the river and a 30-second view as we departed (FB)  We stopped at the Mateus Palace & Gardens (FB) at 2:45pm; a view and a view from the hills (FB)
Thursday	Awoke at 7:30, boat moving/slept quite well since 9:30pm, up a couple times! Sandy grabbed a coffee from the machine outside—nice!  Brkf was an omelet w/cheese, ham & bacon, coffee & water  We headed out for our tour at noon with a lovely lunch followed by a visit to the Marialva Castle (FB) (which I skipped) view (FB) lunch (FB) at 12:30pm 2nd view (FB)  Headed back to the ship at 3:45pm; as they've moved, took around 90 minutes to get there—arrived with some aches and pains! Spent an hour relaxing…  We visited their Salamanca advisory session at 6:45 to learn about tomorrows activities  Sat down for dinner at 7:15 after the presentation and hit the hay
Friday	I awoke at 11pm last night with a gut-wrenching cramp... ouch! Got up a dozen times to pee after that  Our day trip to Salamanca is sadly now off the books as we both are coughing & sneezing! We slept on and off all day&  Boat was parked Friday night (FB)  We hit the hay after watching episodes of the Downtown Abbey series
Saturday	Awake at 7:10, boat was driving back towards Porto from the Spanish border with couple stops upcoming; I just relaxed all afternoon, feeling shitty  Sandy left at 8:45am to visit the Favaios Bakery & then had hunch at the Quinta Avessada; she went on at 3:30pm for a visit to the winery, Quinta das Carvalhas  Dinner was nice that evening and we hit the hay as usual
Sunday	Awoke at 5:30am to p, arose around 7:15 for a shower etc, brkf at 7:45, went & sat upstairs around 8:15 where I planned to park my aching but  Sandy was off on a tour to charming Lamego at 9:00am; a little chilly  Lunch was at 12:15 after Sandy returned and the boat departed; it then parked at the port (FB) in Porto, which certainly seems less than a tour!  We spent 30 minutes with the group around 5pm to remember Steve Kerr who had died in November, 2024; sad memories  Dinner, seated at 7pm after presentations; pretty good, prawns in a flavorful sauce, a portabella with sauces and a chocolate thing w/ice cream!!!  Hit the hay 10:30-ish
Monday	Washed, dressed, off to brkf at 7:30-ish  I spent the day relaxing and Sandy spent the day running around Porto on foot with the Quinta da Aveleda vineyard at 1:45pm    I had fish'n'chips (classic!) for lunch  At 5pm, I am still pissed that simply standing up to p makes/allows me to feel wobbly!! Guess we'll be off the boat in a dozen hours or so  Watched Downton Abbey (after packing our bags) until 11-ish & hit the hay
Tuesday	Up at 7am, packed bags and disembarked around 9am  We went to the Porto airport to pick up our car rental and drove south at 11:30am, 3-1/2 hours to the beach! A great Nissan car!  Stopped for gas (FB) and lunch  We finally arrived at the hotel, a view (FB) at 3:40 after trying to find the way in!  Snaps Sandy (FB) view (FB) 2nd view (FB) dinner (FB)
Wednesday	After sleeping well, awoke at 7am, washed up, blew my nose w/a little blood!  I grabbed a great view of Sandy and the view on the patio of our room We then headed down at 8:15-ish for breakfast  Headed out for lunch in the hotel at 1pm outside on the patio, sunshine, breeze etc!  Relaxed all afternoon, headed downstairs for dinner at 5:45  Dinner was really nice pork, thin-cut, grilled; also a bowl of tomato soup  Hit the hay around 9pm as Sandy was out
Thursday	Awake around 7am, several visits to p after the delightful salty pork!  12:45 lunch, more perfect weather!  Headed out for dinner (FB) at 6:30, arrived a little early for our reservation; we sat outside, lovely weather! Great food too!!
Friday	We arose at around 7:15, washed up etc & packed our bags, checking out after breakfast at 9:15 and we drove back up to Lisbon  We paused en rout 2 p around 11:30 and had coffee & a yummy tart  Stopped at the ocean around noon and enjoyed our pre-made lunch sandwiches!!  Made it to the hotel around 2:45pm, and checked-in to the Marriott (booked w/points) view (FB; we then returned the car a.ok, rode a cab back to the hotel which was 38 euros!  We had dinner at the bar in the hotel and hit the hay around 8:30pm
Saturday  Our trip home	We awoke early at around 5am, packed up bags & checked out at 6am    We rode a taxi to the airport, awaiting the 7am start to booking in… pretty busy!!  Ended up waiting for a haul-along cart, sitting with a dozen old people who await a disability ride… guess I am now an old guy!    We were then hauled out on a motorized trolley to our gate via 2 stops for security & passports    Getting to our seat took quite a lot of holy f-ing moley but we did get seated at 9:45 or so…      we were aboard the disability bus that helped skip the difficulty of climbing the entrance stairs—a little tricky but we did it!!  Push-back from gate a few minutes late was at 10:15 and we launched at 10:37am… seems good!  Projected landing in JFK in around 7.5 hours; caught a 1/2 way (FB) snap. We landed at 12:38pm, our home time  Reached the JFK Delta gate (FB) to Atlanta at 1:45, all thanks to an older gentleman who rolled me across a long hike from our landing gate to departure!!  Pushed back from the gate on time and landed right on time (FB) in Atlanta at 5:05pm  After we grabbed luggage & were hauled from the gate (eventually!) to the new taxi stand where the cab got us home (FB) around 7pm!