The 15 VIP Experiences in Portugal That Earn Their Price

1.Funchal Bay: Dolphin & Whale Watch Luxury Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 2,684 reviews · 3 hours · from $47Our pick

Sail from Funchal’s New Marina aboard the Atlantic Pearl, a comfortable catamaran with covered seating, hammocks, bathrooms, and a bar. Your English or Portuguese-speaking crew searches for dolphins and whales, then stops beneath Cabo Girão for swimming before the coastal return.

“Terrific , good access to the boat, good seating. Great staff and we were lucky and saw both sperm whales and dolphins.”

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2.All Inclusive Whale and Dolphin Watching Luxury Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,573 reviews · 3 hours · from $93

Sail from Funchal aboard a spacious luxury catamaran with a small group, crew such as Liv, David, Bruno, and Maggie, and a welcome glass of sparkling wine. Look for whales, dolphins, and turtles, then swim beneath Cabo Girão with local snacks and unlimited drinks included.

“Wonderful morning out on the water. Top notch service from this Crew. Highly recommend”

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3.Dolphin and Whale Watching by Luxury Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,709 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

Join Magic Dolphin Atividades Maritimas for a three-hour catamaran cruise from Funchal. Portuguese and English-speaking guides explain Madeira’s whales, dolphins, birds, and turtles as you sail toward Cabo Girão. Choose shaded indoor seats or outdoor nets, with a welcome drink and seasonal swim stop included.

“Absolutely loved this trip, the chap speaking to us about the wildlife found off the coast was incredibly knowledgeable. Really good value for money. And we saw a group of dolphins up close! You also get a free drink included which was a nice touch. Would definitely go back to this company again!”

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4.VipDolphins Luxury Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,709 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $95Top rated

Sail from Funchal with a maximum of 17 people aboard a modern catamaran. The crew, which may include Sheila, Liv, Maggie, Francisco, Nico, or Chico, serves drinks, snacks, and local treats while you look for dolphins and whales. Finish with swimming and snorkeling beneath Cabo Girao.

“Fantastic afternoon, well worth doing. The drinks flowed the nibbles we're lovely the staff were Fabulous & couldn't do enough & the dolphins were so amazing.”

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5.Pub Crawl with 6 Drinks and VIP Club Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,414 reviews · 4 hours · from $19Best value

Meet the red umbrella at Praça Gomes Teixeira at 10:30 p.m. for a four-hour Porto Walkers crawl through four Galerias bars and a city-center nightclub. Guides such as Alysson, Gabi, Patricia, and Carlos lead the group, with six drinks, local nightlife, and skip-the-line club entry included.

“This was the best pub crawl I’ve ever been on! Everyone was so friendly and our two guides were the life of the party! When I come back to Porto, I’m booking this again and again!”

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6.Pub Crawl with Open Bar and VIP Club Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,361 reviews · from $23

Meet your English-speaking guide in Praça Luís de Camões for five hours of Lisbon nightlife. Visit three Bairro Alto bars, enjoy unlimited beer or sangria for one hour, collect two shots, then skip the line at a local club. Guides such as Mateo, Miguel, and Tiago bring plenty of energy.

“Mateo was an amazing guide - very friendly and welcoming. Value for money was AMAZING!! definitely recommend for younger tourists as opportunity to make friends with others was great.”

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7.Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots & VIP Club Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,280 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $24

Start at Praça Luís de Camões at 10pm, then walk through Bairro Alto, Pink Street, and Cais do Sodré with guides such as Roe, Leyla, Vito, and Natalia. Expect welcome shots, one hour of beer and sangria, drinking games, and skip-the-line club entry. English service, age 18+.

“Met great people! The guide was great and friendly! Loved all the pubs but the club was not the best”

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8.Lisbon Sunset Sailing Tour on Luxury Sailing Yacht with 2 Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,109 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $61

Board at Doca de Belém for a two-hour sunset sail with a captain and host. Expect English guidance, possible multilingual commentary, two drinks per person, Portuguese cheese and chouriço, and views of Belém Tower, the 25th of April Bridge, Alfama, and more.

“Christina and the Captain were delightful and so knowledgeable about the landmarks we passed and the history of Lisbon!”

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9.Lisbon Sailing Tour on a Luxury Sailing Yacht with 2 Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 703 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $46

Spend about two hours aboard a 50-foot sailing yacht from Belém, with a captain and host pointing out Lisbon landmarks in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese. You’ll see Belém Tower, the 25 de Abril Bridge, Alfama, and more, while enjoying two drinks and Portuguese cheese.

“Wonderful way to spend an afternoon with experienced captains and hear some history sipping on a glass of wine or iced tea! Definitely a must!”

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10.Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots & VIP Club Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 486 reviews · 5 hours · from $23

Meet your guide in central Lisbon for a five-hour night through Bairro Alto, Pink Street, and Cais do Sodré. You get a welcome shot, one hour of beer and sangria, another shot, drink deals, games, and VIP club entry. Premium options add gin, vodka, whiskey, and rum.

“Gabriel was great, he knows seemingly every person in Lisboa. Best value on a pub crawl I have been to, fine venues, very cool club we never would have found on our own. Had good control of the group, sociable and open. Great time!”

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11.Pub Crawl with 7 Drinks, Games, and VIP Club Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 292 reviews · from $20

Meet the yellow-shirted Porto Crawl team at Fonte dos Leões for five hours of drinking games, seven included drinks, four bar stops, and VIP club entry. Guides such as Regina, Tex, Heloisa, Pietro, and Francisco have been praised for keeping solo visitors and mixed groups involved. English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French are offered.

“Thanks to the whole crew for such a good night. Definitely value for money and it made my trip so much more memorable. A special mention to Kobe for being so much fun and providing many great tips for exploring Porto!”

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12.Sunset Tour on a Luxury Sailing Yacht

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 249 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $58

Join a 2.5-hour sailing cruise from Vilamoura toward Albufeira, passing Falésia and Tomato Beach. You get a welcome drink, aperitifs, music, and time to relax on deck. Guides speak English, Portuguese, and Spanish, with private groups available.

“Lovely, comfortable boat, with seating inside and out front. Views were superb, Kyle and the captain were both very charming and informative. We didn’t really have warm clothes to wear as travelling light, but blankets provided so all was well. Refreshments were good and served frequently and at a decent price. Would definitely recommend and repeat.”

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13.Funchal Private 4-Seater VIP Mercedes / 8-Seater Minibus

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 223 reviews

Spend eight hours exploring Madeira with a private guide in a four-seat Mercedes or eight-seat minibus. Choose an east, west, north, central, romantic, family, or special-occasion route. Guides such as Lucy, Carlos, Victor, Pedro, Phil, and Tony tailor the day to your pace.

“I cannot recommend this tour more highly! One of the highlights of our trip to Madeira! Victor was an incredible guide, so professional and courteous. He had extensive knowledge and was very insightful! He booked a lunch spot for us and planned an amazing tour encompassing a vast array of sights and scenes! Will definitely be booking this tour again!”

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14.2-Hour Sunset Sailing Tour on Luxury Sailing Yacht

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 171 reviews · 2 hours · from $70

Board near Lisbon’s Discoveries Monument for a two-hour sunset sail with a live guide in English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese. You’ll pass Belém Tower, the 25 de Abril Bridge, Praça do Comércio, Alfama, and São Jorge Castle, with a glass of sparkling wine as Lisbon turns gold.

“Is was a beautiful trip! My brother and sister said the same, she was very happy! The atmosphere was delicious!!! And the woman Christina the speaker was greatly!!! Thank you!!!!”

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15.Luxury Sail-Yacht Cruise with Sunset Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 126 reviews · 2 - 2.5 hours · from $37

Cruise from Portimão Marina aboard a spacious sailing yacht with two crew members and live commentary in four languages. Expect golden cliffs, beaches, rock formations, and possible stops for swimming or paddleboarding. Sunset departures add warm light, though the yacht cannot enter Benagil Cave.

“Although I cannot guarantee you an experience like ours, where we were the only passengers on the cruice, and therefor egot a lot of love, attention care and service, you’ll render yourself to a warm hospitality of the crew (thanks for being a wonderful guide Roger). The sailingtrip itself was a smooth ride with plenty of onboard space to wander around on the ship (you are not strapoed to a seat in a lifejacket unlike the smaller boats). And we were able to customize the trip to some extent. The only flipside to this cruice is that you cannot enter the Benagil cave due to the size of the boat,…”

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