PROGRAM:

Day 1: Coimbra – The City of Students

Morning: Travel from the starting points to Coimbra. The tour begins in Coimbra, a city deeply marked by academic and intellectual tradition. The visit starts at the University of Coimbra, where generations of writers and thinkers have studied and developed their critical thinking. Founded in 1290, it is one of the oldest universities in Europe and an iconic place to understand the influence of academia on Portuguese literature. In the Joanina Library, a magnificent example of Baroque architecture, there are manuscripts and works that nourished the intellect of notable writers. Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: The tour continues through the Old Cathedral and the streets of Coimbra’s Baixa (downtown). Visit the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha and Quinta das Lágrimas, evoking the episode of King Pedro and Inês de Castro.

Evening: Dinner and accommodation at Hotel Mondego 4* or similar.

Day 2: Santa Cruz do Douro and Sabrosa – Eça de Queiroz and Miguel Torga

Morning: In Sabrosa, specifically in São Martinho da Anta, we explore the Miguel Torga Space, dedicated to the renowned writer and poet, whose Transmontana roots are deeply intertwined with his work. Torga sensitively and intensely depicted the harshness and beauty of life in the interior of Portugal, making his homeland a central character in his texts. The visit allows us to better understand his connection to the Douro and rural life, which shaped his vision of the country and the world. Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Next, we head to Santa Cruz do Douro to visit the Eça de Queiroz Foundation, where Eça lived and wrote part of his works. Here, visitors can learn about the house where Eça shaped some of the brightest social satires in Portuguese literature, drawing inspiration from the local life and customs.

Evening: Dinner and accommodation at Hotel Miracorgo 4* in Vila Real.

Day 3: Amarante and São Miguel de Seide – Agustina Bessa-Luís, Teixeira de Pascoaes, and Camilo Castelo Branco

Morning: Journey to Amarante for a literary tour through the footsteps of Teixeira de Pascoaes and Agustina Bessa-Luís. Pascoaes, a poet of saudade (nostalgia), found in this city the perfect environment to express Portuguese cultural roots and longing. Agustina, in turn, portrayed in-depth the social and familial dynamics of Northern Portugal. The walk through Amarante lets us discover the corners that inspired the rich and complex prose of these authors. Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Departure to São Miguel de Seide, where we visit the Camilo Castelo Branco House-Museum, the famous author of "Amor de Perdição" (Love of Perdition). Camilo spent the last years of his life at this location, and the house preserves personal mementos that help us understand the complexity of his personality and works.

Evening: Dinner and accommodation at Hotel Santana 4* in Vila do Conde or similar.

Day 4: Vila do Conde and Porto – José Régio

Morning: In Vila do Conde, visit the House of José Régio, where the poet and playwright spent much of his life. In this space, his personal library and objects reveal the intimate side of Régio, author of one of the most profound introspective works in Portuguese literature. Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: The tour then takes us to Porto for lunch at a local restaurant. A panoramic tour of the city of Porto, a major source of inspiration for many Portuguese writers, with the city itself being an ode to Portuguese literature. Return to the starting locations.