Portugal

de Belém, 1300-038 Lisboa (& 21/365-
85-00; www.fpvela.pt); or the Federação
Portuguesa de Actividades Subaquáticas
(Portuguese Underwater Sports Federation),
Rua José Falcão 4, 1170-193 Lisboa
(& 21/816-65-47; www.fpas.pt).
10 ESCORTED GENERAL-INTEREST TOURS
Escorted tours are structured group tours
with a group leader. The price usually
includes everything from airfare to hotels,
meals, tours, admission costs, and local
transportation.
There are many escorted tour companies
to choose from, each offering transportation
to and within Portugal,
prearranged hotel space, and such extras as
bilingual tour guides and lectures. Many
of these tours to Portugal include excursions
to Spain.
Some of the best escorted tours to Portugal
are offered by Blue Danube Holidays
(& 800/268-4155 or 416/362-5000;
www.bluedanubeholidays.com in the U.S.),
a long-established company since 1983. It
offers a Grand Tour of Portugal along with
any number of beach holidays (from
Madeira to the Algarve), and even city
tours of Lisbon.
Some of the most expensive and luxurious
tours are run by Abercrombie & Kent
International (& 800/554-7016; www.
abercrombiekent.com), including deluxe
15-day tours of the Iberian Peninsula by
train. Guests stay in some of the country’s
finest hotels.
Alternative Travel Group Ltd.
(& 01865/315678; www.atg-oxford.co.
uk) is a British firm that organizes walking
and cycling vacations in Portugal and
Spain. Tours explore the scenic countryside
and medieval towns of each country.
If you’d like a brochure outlining the
tours, call & 01865/315665.
Petrabax Tours (& 800/634-1188 in
the U.S.; http://petrabax.com) attracts
those who prefer to see Portugal by bus,
although fly/drive packages are also
offered. A number of city packages are also
available, plus trips that try to capture the
essence of Portugal and Spain.
Many people derive a certain ease and
security from escorted trips. Escorted
tours—whether by bus, motorcoach,
train, or boat—let travelers sit back and
enjoy their trip without having to spend
lots of time behind the wheel. All the little
details are taken care of, you know your
costs upfront, and there are few surprises.
Escorted tours can take you to the maximum
number of sights in the minimum
amount of time with the least amount of
hassle—you don’t have to sweat over the
plotting and planning of a vacation schedule.
Escorted tours are particularly convenient
for people with limited mobility.
On the downside, an escorted tour
often requires a big deposit upfront, and
lodging and dining choices are predetermined.
As part of a cloud of tourists, you’ll
get little opportunity for serendipitous
interactions with locals. The tours can be
jampacked with activities, leaving little
room for individual sightseeing, whim, or
adventure—plus they also often focus only
on the heavily touristed sites, so you miss
out on the lesser-known gems.
Before you invest in an escorted tour,
ask about the cancellation policy: Is a
deposit required? Can they cancel the trip
if they don’t get enough people? Do you
get a refund if they cancel? If you cancel?
How late can you cancel if you are unable
to go? When do you pay in full? Note: If
you choose an escorted tour, think strongly
about purchasing trip-cancellation insurance,
especially if the tour operator asks
you to pay upfront.
You’ll also want to get a complete
schedule of the trip to find out how much
57
PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO PORTUGAL 3
ESCORTED GENERAL-INTEREST TOURS