Program

Programma

(Departure on Friday if you want to experience the market day on Saturday in Estremoz)

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL LISBON – ARRAIOLOS – ESTREMOZ (D)

Today you will arrive at the largest city in Portugal, Lisbon. Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to your hotel in the Alentejo and driven to Estremoz. Estremoz is one of the most important wine towns in the Alentejo and is also known as the Portuguese Bordeaux wine region. There are many beautiful wineries here. During your transfer, you will cross the new Vasco da Gama suspension bridge, an impressive 16 km long, which will take you directly to the other bank of the Tejo river. Upon arrival, check-in at your 5-star hotel where you will be staying for the next two nights. Afterwards you are expected in the hotel bar for a glass of wine as a welcome drink. After this, you will have a wine dinner in the hotel restaurant with great Alentejo wines.

Overnight.

DAY 2 – ESTREMOZ (B)

After breakfast you will go on a city walk with your guide through the picturesque town of Estremoz. You will learn about Portuguese history close to the Spanish border and about the way of life in the Alentejo. Then you can immerse yourself in the crowds because Saturday morning is market day here! From ceramics to handicrafts and local gastronomic products. A real feast for the eyes. After this lunch in the city centre on your own.

In the afternoon you visit a cheese production. Sheeps are bred in the Alentejo and many special tasty cheeses from Portugal come exactly from this region. Of course, there is also the possibility to taste the cheese. Then you will visit one of the most characteristic and famous wineries from Estremoz and the Alentejo. Learn about the history of this charismatic family and of course also the excellent wines and olive oil from their own production.

Tonight, you can fill in at your own discretion. In Estremoz there are some fantastic restaurants that we can recommend you. Enjoy an evening in this “gourmet paradise” with ham, wine and cheese.

Overnight.

DAY 3 – ESTREMOZ – EVORA – BEJA (B, L)

In the morning after breakfast you will leave for Evora. You will visit this special city with more than 2000 years of history.

In the afternoon you will be introduced to Portuguese cuisine. In a studio you have the opportunity to cook some typical regional dishes. The cuisine of this region is known for the special art of refining the dishes with different spices. After lunch you will have some free time in Evora. Then you continue to Beja, the capital in the south of the country. Here you will sleep in a special accommodation. You will spend the next 2 days in a pousada located in a historic monastery. Here, you can enjoy the special atmosphere with a drink at the bar or a snack in the restaurant.

Overnight.

DAY 4 – BEJA – ALQUEVA DAM – BEJA (B, L)

After breakfast at your hotel, travel today to the Alqueva Dam, which the Portuguese call the Great Lake, and which has forever changed the landscape of the Alentejo. It is the largest artificial water reservoir in Europe and was created by the damming of the Guadiana River, the border river between Spain and Portugal. First visit one of the most important wineries in this region where you will be offered a wine tasting and wine cellar tour. Then follows a lunch with different wines.

In the afternoon, enjoy a boat trip and learn about the Alqueva Dam, an impressive masterpiece. After this you will return to your hotel. The evening is entirely at your disposal.

Overnight.

DAY 5 – BEJA – VIDIGUEIRA – VILA NOVA DE MILFONTES – SÃO LUIS (B, D)

After breakfast, depart for a new wine area of the Alentejo wine region, located southwest of Beja called Vidigueira. This beautiful wine area has some very famous wineries. Here we would like to present you a particularly innovative project where wine and modern art are combined. Not only is the winery a masterpiece of modern architecture, this art centre houses a permanent exhibition of international and Portuguese artists. Special are the Guadalupe wines that are made here, especially the rosé is reminiscent of the fresh light wines from Provence. After this you will be offered a light snack.

Then drive west towards the sea where you will arrive in the early afternoon. The Alentejo coast is a true natural and beach paradise with the rugged and turbulent Atlantic Ocean. You will experience this during a walk on the beach of the famous coastal town of Vila Nova de Milfontes. Then drive to your hotel in the village of São Luis where you will spend the next two nights. Free evening.

Overnight.

DAY 6 – SÃO LUIS – ZAMBUJEIRA DO MAR – PORTO COVO – SÃO LUIS (B, D)

After breakfast you will explore the beautiful Alentejo coast today. You will visit places such as Zambujeira do Mar and Porto Covo with your guide and enjoy a beach and cliff walk with special flora.

In the afternoon you return to your hotel and the rest of the afternoon is at your own discretion. This evening, you will enjoy dinner at a famous restaurant in Vila Nova de Milfontes. A typical place of the Alentejo where you can enjoy the delicious local cuisine and of course the best fish in the world.

Overnight.

DAY 7 – SÃO LUIS – LISBON, THE MOST EXOTIC CAPITAL OF EUROPE (B)

After breakfast you will be transferred to Lisbon. Here you can see the main sights during an orientation tour 2.5 hours. The rest of the day is at your own discretion. You will stay in a centrally located 4-star hotel with an ideal connection to the old town of Lisbon. For the last evening we would like to give you some nice tips.

Overnight.

DAY 8 – ADEUS LISBOA, BYE PORTUGAL! (B)

After breakfast, and depending on your flight schedule, you will get a transfer to Lisbon airport for your flight back home… or an extension of your trip to one of the other beautiful wine regions and islands of Portugal like the Douro valley or why not the islands of Madeira and the Azores? Ask us about the possibilities for a non-binding customized quote.