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Day Tour: Defensive Lines of Torres Vedras - Wellington vs Napoleon - the Peninsular War in Portugal
On this truly off-the-beaten-track tour we'll discover in the stunning countryside north of Lisbon, the famous Lines of Torres Vedras, with which General Wellington prevented Napoleon's armys from taking Lisbon in the 19th century during the Peninsular War.
We'll explore the historic routes from the River Tagus to the beautiful beaches of the Atlantic coast and along the way, we'll be dazzled by a awesome example of the sumptuous Baroque architecture that Lisbon lost in the 1755 earthquake.
Meeting Point
Restauradores Square, central Lisbon or Parque das Nações, Lisbon's eastern quarter
- Another location is acceptable by mutual agreement.
Memorial to the Lines of Torres Vedras
The first stop on this tour is this commemorative monument to the Lines of Torres Vedras, the former site of the Boa Vista Fort, located on a hill on the north bank of the River Tagus, 25 km from Lisbon. The historical significance and beauty of the site with its beautiful views over the river and the fertile Ribatejo plains mark the beginning of the visit to the Lines.
Zambujal Fort in Mafra surroundings
Here we will visit one of the forts of the Lines of Torres Vedras closest to the ocean coast.
This fort controlled the royal road from Mafra to Lisbon as well as the passage of the River Lizandro.
The magnificent views from here allow you to admire a landscape where the green of the fertile fields blends harmoniously on the horizon with the blue of the sea and sky.
National Palace, Convent and Basilica of Mafra
This stop allows us to see the largest palace complex in Portugal and one of the largest in Europe, where two palaces, a huge basilica, a convent, a garden and an extensive game reserve were built on the same site. The monument was built on this isolated site 40 km from Lisbon in 1734 by King João V, whose reign saw sumptuous works of Baroque architecture financed by the large flows of gold and precious stones from Brazil, then a Portuguese colony. This palace is closely linked to the French invasions as it was occupied by both French and English armies.
Ericeira, coastal, fishing and surfing village
At this stop we will visit the beautiful Atlantic coast of Ericeira, a picturesque village, fishing port and area of well-known surfing beaches. The end of Torres Vedras' second defensive line ended here.
St. Vincent's Fort in Torres Vedras
Torres Vedras was the city that gave its name to Wellington's Defensive Lines. There are several strongholds in and around the city, the largest being St. Vincent.
Here we will learn how the semaphore system of communication between the various forts worked and visit the Lines Interpretation Center where we will be shown a short film about the Lines of Wellington.
This will be the last stop on our tour before returning by highway to Lisbon.
Ending Point
Restauradores Square, central Lisbon or Parque das Nações, Lisbon's eastern quarter
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Inclusions & Exclusions
A private air-conditioned vehicle
Bottle of water for each traveler
All legally required insurances
Entrance to the Lines Interpretation Center in Torres Vedras. (Closed on Mondays)
Meals & Drinks
Entrance to the National Palace of Mafra is not included in the tour price (Closed on Tuesdays).
Tour Important Information
The duration of each stage of the tour is indicated in the itinerary but can be changed in advance by the client according to their preferences. In this case, some stages may be omitted.
Some of the photos (marked as "optional stop") do not represent places included in the itinerary but can be changed by the client according to their preferences whenever possible.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
