Study Trip Explores Magical Sites in Portugal and the Azores

Magical, breathtaking, welcoming…these are just a few of the words that participants used to describe their experience in Portugal during our March Study Trip Abroad. Our two tours took us to Porto, Sintra, Lisbon, and points between, and the Optional Extension to the Azores offered a rare chance to immerse ourselves in the landscape—built and natural—of a unique island getaway. 

Porto and Braga

A complimentary pre-tour offer invited participants to Porto’s Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis, where curators shared objects illustrating Portugal’s international reach. The evening sparkled with port tastings with Martin Symington from the historic Graham’s Port Wine Lodge. The following morning an excursion to Estação Ferroviária de São Bento allowed us to study the station’s outstanding tiled walls and the stunning tiles and lovely cloisters as the Sé do Porto. 

The tour officially began with visits to the Igreja de São Francisco to experience the carved woodwork gilt in Brazilian gold leaf, and the Palácio da Bolsa with amazing decorative rooms. A late afternoon cruise on the Douro provided guests the chance to appraise the city from the water. An introductory lecture on Portuguese decorative arts by curator Ana Mantua was followed by a sumptuous dinner. 

The group journeyed to Braga the next day, to visit the Museu dos Biscainhos’s collection and gardens and the intimidating pilgrims’ steps at Bom Jesus do Monte, which we walked down after taking the funicular up. Following lunch at the Paço de Calheiro, we continued to the charming town of Ponte de Lima, which provided an enjoyable stop to see the Roman stone bridge and to experience Portuguese traditions of Sunday afternoon exploration. 

We traveled to the Museu Alberto Sampaio in Guimaraes the next morning for a guided tour of the collection of the ecclesiastical decorative and fine arts as well as a stroll through this charming town. After lunch at the private home Casa de Sezim, we returned to Porto and visited the Streamline-Moderne-style Casa de Serralves villa. We concluded our Porto experience with dinner at the impressive late-18th-century British Factory House, imbibing vintage port while toasting this impressive city. 

Coimbra and Sintra 

En route to Sintra, the group visited the beautiful Biblioteca Joanina and other impressive buildings on the Universidade de Coimbra campus, which has 13th century origins. Following lunch at La Loggia, we toured the Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro, which contains an incredible decorative arts collection.

The next morning, participants enjoyed the exquisite gardens and architecture of the Palácio de Monserrate. We were treated to lunch at the private residence Quinta de São Sebastião before continuing to another private home, Quinta da Alegria, with amazing gardens framing the hilltop views. The day concluded with a late afternoon tour of the Palácio Nacional de Sintra’s storied interiors, tiles, furnishings, and kitchen (under two landmark chimneys).

Lisbon 

Upon reaching Lisbon, the first tour enjoyed the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, whereas the second visited the Palácio de Santos (now the French Embassy). The Ricardo Espirito Santo Silva Foundation was a standout destination, with guided tours of the museum’s decorative arts collection and intimate visits with artisans working on furniture, leather, and paper projects. An afternoon visit to Igreja de São Roque gave members the chance to see the Capela de São João Baptista by Nicola Salvi and Luigi Vanvitelli. During a private evening tour and reception at the Medeiros e Almeida Foundation Museum, we admired the extraordinary collection of English, French, and Portuguese decorative arts and the superb paintings and tiles. 

A morning visit to the magnificent Mosteiro dos Jerónimos started the day on the right foot. After viewing the amazing carved facade, we headed indoors to see some bling at the new Museu do Tesouro Real, which includes the jewels and gold and silver work owned by the Portuguese royal family. The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga was full of surprises as it covered Portugal’s involvement with diverse cultures, as seen in examples of ceramics, furniture, textiles, and paintings. It wouldn’t be a trip to Portugal without a Fado performance, which we enjoyed at Patriarchal before dinner. 

Palacio Fronteira was an exquisite site, inside and out, with a multitude of treasures to savor. Lunch at the private home Quinta das Machadas was followed by visits to Palácio da Bacalhôa and the Azulejos de Azeitão tile factory, where members learned about traditional tile-making and got a chance to purchase directly from the source. 

The Museu Calouste Gulbenkian impressed us with the quality and breadth of the decorative arts collection, covering thousands of years and a variety of materials and styles. An after-lunch jaunt to Palácio de Queluz did not disappoint, as the palace’s interiors and exteriors are both superlative. Reeling after our fabulous tours, members enjoyed a farewell dinner at the converted 18th-century Palácio do Chiado. 

Extension to the Azores 

Between the tours, members experienced the beautiful island of São Miguel in the Azores. In Ponta Delgada, we marveled at the elaborate wood carving in the 16th-century Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião and continued to the dreamlike Jardim Botânico José do Canto with its abundance of subtropical plants, trees, and flowers. An afternoon tour of the Museu Carlos Machado permitted an opportunity to take in its unique collection of regional decorative arts and natural history specimens, and was followed by a visit and refreshments at the charming Solar de Santo Andre, a private home situated in downtown Ponta Delgada.

Heading to Lagoa Furnas the next day, we wandered the gentle paths of the lush Jardim Florestal José do Canto, including the beautiful Bretton- and Bonett-designed Capela da Nossa Senhora dos Vitórias situated on the water. The Parque Terra Nostra inspired us with its gardens, grottoes, and golden-colored mineral lake; we were enchanted to see the rare yellow carnations in bloom. After lunch, we visited the scenic town of Ribeira Grande and toured the Arquipélago Centro de Artes Contemporâneas. Early evening activities included a memorable reception at the grand Solar de Mafoma, a 17th-century manor house which has never left the possession of the original family, and a visit to the 16th-century Convento de Nossa Senhora da Esperança, which is decked in blue-and-white azulejos. 

The final day of the Extension began with a visit to the outskirts of Logoa, where the privately-owned Casa da Rocha Quebrada charmed us with its quintessentially Azorean architecture and ocean-view rooftop terraces. Our journey continued to the famed Lagoa das Sete Cidades. After lunch back in Ponta Delgada and a tour of the Presidential Palace (Palácio Santana) collection and gardens, the group bid farewell to the Azores at a convivial dinner.

This post just touches the surface of our Portugal and Azores experiences, and many of the sites have strict photography restrictions. Overall, many members vowed to return, as there is so much to see in Portugal! 

Learn about the Decorative Arts Trust’s upcoming Study Trips Abroad on our calendar of events webpage.