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Centred in Peniche, a pleasant interesting little town. Very good hotel. Birds, butterflies, flowers, trees, crops, mountains. Fascinating geology. Dinosaur remains and reconstructions. Different locations each day, one to a Natural History protected island. The option of a pre-breakfast walk and a post supper walk every day. Very good varied food. Fernando Romao knew the area intimately, and well beyond. He was very interesting about the histories of the locations and features. He produced an excellent picnic lunch every day. Glyn Evans was also a great person to be with, with a good sense of humour, and massive natural history knowledge.
J.C. Avon, May 23
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Go Slow in Portugal
Tour Code: PRT13A relaxing 8-day holiday to Portugal’s ‘Silver Coast’ in search of the region's birds, butterflies and flowers.
8 days
from
£1,995 (Inc flights)
£1,995 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£1,695
£1,695
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Just an hour north of Lisbon lies the Costa de Prata, Portugal’s 'Silver Coast', with its endless miles of wide, sandy beaches, hidden coves and Atlantic rollers. It’s a perfect holiday location, but without crowds of tourists, and it also offers a delightfully rich, eclectic range of wildlife experiences. A ferry trip to the Berlengas Islands, 10km offshore, provides the chance to see seabirds such as Cory’s Shearwater. Inland, the Natural Park of Aire and Candeeiros Mountains simply brims with butterflies and wild flowers, while the marshes and lagoons of the coast are excellent for birds such as Flamingoes. Meanwhile, the remarkably well-preserved footprints of dinosaurs remind us that this place was also good for wildlife over 100 million years ago.
- Relaxing holiday on unspoilt 'Silver Coast' north of Lisbon
- Visit by ferry to the Berlengas Islands for endemic plants
- Rich coast for seabirds, such as Shearwaters and Gannets
- Chance of seeing highly localised Carbonell’s Wall Lizard
- Excellent variety of butterflies and flowers inland at Natural Park of Aire and Candeeiros Mountains
- Wetlands nearby hold Flamingoes and Purple Swamphen
- See dinosaur footprints
- Led by expert local guide
The coastline to the north of Lisbon is known as the ‘Silver Coast’ and is a most rewarding region to explore, especially for those enjoying both wildlife and scenic landscapes. On this new ‘Go Slow’ tour we will stay just outside the historic city of Peniche, a base that offers the all-round naturalist an exciting and varied holiday – one that we will enjoy at a leisurely pace. The city is built on a granite peninsula which juts dramatically out into the Atlantic and is fringed by white sandy beaches and rolling surf.
Our tour will be led by Fernado Romão, an expert local naturalist who has a great passion for his region’s wildlife. With him, we will enjoy relaxed daily outings in search of a wealth of birds, butterflies and flowers. One such excursion will be to the Berlengas Islands, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where Cory’s Shearwaters and Madeiran Storm-petrels breed and such endemic plants as Armeria berlengensis and Pulicaria microcephala can be found. The Carbonell’s Wall Lizard may also be seen here ... and when not totally absorbed by the natural history, we can savour the impressive views around us and the ancient Baptista Fortress. Inland, the Aire and Candeeiros Natural Parks offer botanically-rich limestone ridges which hold a wealth of flowers and butterflies. Arabis sadina and Narcissus calcicola are just two of the special plants to be found here, while Iberian Marbled White and African Grass Blue will be amongst the butterfly species we'll look for. Booted Eagle, Hoopoe and Golden Oriole breed locally, and lagoons hold Greater Flamingoes and Spoonbills. At nearby Tornada's Marsh, Black-winged Kite and Purple Swamphen are both possible and Bluethroats are sometimes seen during migration.
This region is also famous for its palaeontology, and in the Lourinhã Museum we may learn a little of the notable dinosaur discoveries made here. We will also visit a site which holds one of the world’s largest and most important collections of sauropod footprints! Whatever your interest in the natural world, there is sure to be much to enjoy in this area, and with wonderful scenery, excellent local cuisine and time to unwind, we are sure you will enjoy a fascinating, yet relaxing, Portuguese holiday.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Lisbon
Day 2/7
Explore the 'Silver Coast'
Day 8
Fly London
Reviews
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 16th May – Fri 23rd May
1
£1,995
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,695
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£275
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Fernando Romão
Tour Leader: Fernando Romão
Since an early age, Fernando has been interested in wildlife, with a special interest in birdwatching. Fernando has more than 20 years of tour leading experience, in which he's focused on Portugal and Spain's wilderness areas. He's been involved with several important projects relating to ecotourism, nature conservation and photography. Fernando has now led many successful tours for Naturetrek, and although he specialises in birdwatching, he's an excellent all-rounder, with interests extending to butterflies, wild flowers and mammals and history. His in-depth knowledge and passion for nature make him a very popular leader!
Tue 3rd Jun – Tue 10th Jun
SPACES
£1,995
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,695
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£275
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Fernando Romão
Tour Leader: Fernando Romão
Since an early age, Fernando has been interested in wildlife, with a special interest in birdwatching. Fernando has more than 20 years of tour leading experience, in which he's focused on Portugal and Spain's wilderness areas. He's been involved with several important projects relating to ecotourism, nature conservation and photography. Fernando has now led many successful tours for Naturetrek, and although he specialises in birdwatching, he's an excellent all-rounder, with interests extending to butterflies, wild flowers and mammals and history. His in-depth knowledge and passion for nature make him a very popular leader!
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There are few more pleasing sights in the natural world than a meadow filled with wildflowers. Seeing plants in their native habitat is always exciting and our flower tours offer you an incredible choice, from dazzling tropical blooms and the thrill of finding elusive orchids or delicate alpines, to seeing island endemics or British flora. Our tours range from week-long holidays focusing on the ‘Alpine flowers of the Swiss Alps’, the ‘Italian Dolomites’ and the ‘Alpine Flowers of Slovenia’s Julian Alps’, to orchid-hunting on Italy’s Gargano Peninsula and searching for the Autumn Plants of Greece’s Peloponnese. We also visit more remote areas of the world in search of plant-life, from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan where we look for wild tulips, to the rainforests and spiny deserts of Madagascar where over 80% of the flora is endemic.
Many of us want to know more about the plants we see around us. Whether inspired by an appreciation of the aesthetic appeal of flowers, or a more focused desire to identify individual species, everyone with an interest in botany will derive pleasure from joining one of Naturetrek’s flower tours.
Why choose Naturetrek’s botanical holidays?
- All our botanical holidays are led by expert botanist guides
- All levels of interest and expertise are catered for, from hobby gardeners and complete beginners to keen botanists who wish to explore a new area with the help of a knowledgeable leader
- We keep the overall focus on flora, though expert guidance is also given on other wildlife
What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek botanical holiday?
- Travel with a group of like-minded people
- Stay at a comfortable hotel or lodge, close to an area of outstanding botanical interest
- Enjoy a series of leisurely day excursions with ample time to appreciate the local flora
In addition to our dedicated flower tours, we also offer holidays with a wider theme to encompass birds, butterflies and other aspects of natural history as well as the flora. Our spring tours to 'Crete' and ‘The Island of Cyprus’ are both timed to allow us to enjoy the botanical highlights as well as the spring bird migration, whilst ‘Croatia and Slovenia – Spring in Istria’ also allows time to enjoy a little of the local culture. ‘Romania – the Wildlife of Transylvania’ combines an appreciation of the flora of the Carpathian Mountains with birding, butterflying and a trip to look for Brown Bears from a purpose built hide, and our holidays in both the ‘French Pyrenees’ and the ‘Spanish Pyrenees’ combine birds, butterflies and botany throughout the week.
Our specialist recommends...
"I'd recommend 'Wengen – Alpine Flowers of the Swiss Alps', 'Crete' and 'The French Pyrenees', which all offer some fascinating European botany, along with plenty of wider natural history and some stunning scenery. If you’re keen to travel a little further afield, I’d suggest joining us in South Africa for our 'Wild Flowers of the Cape & Namaqualand' tour”
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Relaxed Wildlife Holidays
Our programme of Go Slow wildlife holidays allows guests to enjoy the natural world at a more leisurely pace than on one of our conventional wildlife holidays. There will be more time to relax, more time to potter, excursions will be optional and we hope you will return, not only having enjoyed a fascinating mix of birds, plants and other wildlife, but also feeling refreshed and relaxed!
Our Go Slow tours range from week-long holidays that offer warm spring sunshine and gentle natural history excursions in Portugal, the Camargue and Mallorca, to tours which take on a more cultural air each afternoon, such as Go Slow … in Istria in Autumn and Go Slow … in Southern Spain. Our Go Slow holidays in the Swiss Alps and Cyprus both combine the best of the region’s botany and birdlife, or, if you would like to travel a little further afield, why not join us for a leisurely-paced exploration of India’s Tiger Country, Kenya’s Masai Mara, or South Africa’s Western Cape?
What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek Go Slow holiday?
On each Go Slow holiday we aim to offer as many of the following as possible:
- A single-centre holiday
- Direct flights with sociable timings
- Comfortable hotel of high quality (with swimming pool if possible), serving meals of a high standard
- Leisurely paced walks on gentle terrain
- Expert leaders, as ever, with more time for interpretation & explanation
- A maximum of 6 hours in the field each day (9.30am-3.30pm with picnic lunch or two 3-hour excursions)
- Morning and afternoon toilet/comfort stops
- Minimal long drives
- Back in time for afternoon tea
- All excursions optional
- All-inclusive cost (except bar drinks & laundry)
- Time to relax, read, paint, potter, swim or enjoy anything else that you might wish to do!
Our specialist recommends...
"If you’re looking for wonderful wildlife and great hospitality at a slower, more relaxing pace, our Go Slow portfolio could be just right. Why not consider Go Slow … in Extremadura, based at Viña las Torres in the heart of the Extremadura countryside, to enjoy some of Europe’s top birdwatching? Or, for something more exotic, have a look at Go Slow … in Trinidad, which is based at the incomparable Asa Wright Centre.”
Andy Tucker - Operations Manager
Andy Tucker - Operations Manager
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Tour Reports
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
