Portugal
Alentejo, landscapes and heritage, cork and excellent wines .A hidden gem of the South of Portugal, Alentejo offers a magnificent landscape of sweeping fields of wheat and sunflowers dotted with tiny whitewashed villages, forests of cork and extensive vineyards.Évora, the capital, is one of Portugal’s oldest and most interesting cities, once famous throughout Europe as a seat of culture and today a World Heritage UNESCO’s site. It is full of narrow streets, fine buildings, old palaces, churches and fountains. Evora, the capital of the Alto Alentejo province, is one of Portugal’s oldest and most interesting cities and once famous throughout Europe as a seat of culture. There is plenty to explore in this UNESCO World Heritage site. The town is full of narrow streets, fine buildings, old palaces, churches and fountains.
7 NIGHTS / 8 DAYS LISBON AND ALENTEJO WINE AND FOOD TOUR ITINERARY
- Arrival at Lisbon airport - Welcome at the airport by the Tour Guide and departure towards you hotel at Évora (about 1h30, 125km) Check-in in at the selected hotel in Évora (description in annex). Dinner at a local and famous restaurant Fialho, a Portuguese traditional cooking in Évora
- Check-in at the selected Hotel in the Douro Valley Winemaking Region (descriptions in annexe).
- In the evening: Guided visit followed by dinner at the famous Quinta do Vallado Wine Estate
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Guided walk visit by the historic center of Évora, World Heritage by Unesco
- Transfer to an Alentejo wine estate for visit and lunch Visit, wine tasting and lunch at an Alentejo Wine producer
- Visiting program:
- - Arrive and welcome by a member of the Estate
- - Guided visit to the private carriage collection of the Estate
- - Walk tour through the vineyards and visit to the Adega and wine cellar
- - Degustation of wines from the estate and regional products as an appetizer before lunch (cheese,smoked meats, bred, olives, jams)
- - Lunch:
- > Option 1 (included in price): 3 course menu, with wines from the producer
- > Option 2 (with price supplement): Picnic lunch style (seated outside, buffet self-service)
- • 4x4 vehicle tour by the wine estate property
- • Bicycle tour by the wine estate property
- Guided visit to a small cork manufacturer
- Transfer back to the hotel
- Free time for the rest of the afternoon
- Dinner on their own and accommodation
- OR
- Departure to Estremoz (40min)
- Guided visit to Estremoz a heritage city rich in white marble and handcrafts
- Wine visit and dinner at an elegant family wine estate - Quinta de Dona Maria
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Visit and lunch at Herdade do Esporão wine estate
- Visit to the traditional wine cellar of José de Sousa where wine is still produced in clay pots (optional)
- Visit to the historic hilltop village of Monsaraz
- Return to Évora and dinner or their own OR
- Dinner in a traditional restaurant at Monsaraz located in a former olive-oil press
- After dinner: Guided visit and observation at the Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve
- Transfer back to the hotel and accommodation
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Transfer to Sousel
- Visit to a small old-style producer of Alentejo black pork smoked sausages of high quality
- Nearby: Visit and tasting-lunch at a traditional quality cheese producer
- Follow until Vila Viçosa
- Guided visit to the majestic Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa, former residence of the Kings of Portugal
- Marble Tour (optional visit)
- Return to your hotel at Évora and dinner on your own. Or stop in Estremoz: Winery visit and dinner at a wine producer (optional)
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out
- Departure towards Lisbon. Stop at Setúbal, by the Arrábida Natural Park: Walk tour in the beauty of the Arrábida Natural Park
- By the end of morning arrive to Setúbal, and: Visit and oyster tasting at the beautiful Livramento market
- Free time to lunch in one of the several restaurants at Setúbal, or, as option:
- Lunch in a small restaurant with great local cuisine
- Free time to explore the centre of Setúbal. For the afternoon:
- Visit to a traditional workshop of Portuguese tiles (azulejos)
- And nearby: Wine visit and tasting at a producer in the Setubal wine region
- As option for this afternoon: Boat tour in the Sado Estuary Nature Park to visit oyster production and taste oysters (optional)
- Before arriving to Lisbon, enjoy a visit to the typical fishing town of Sesimbra. There: Seafood and fish dinner at Sesimbra, in front of the bay
- Continue until Lisbon
- Check-in in at the selected hotel in the Lisbon center
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the Hotel.
- Private walk tour through the old town of Lisbon and its historic Burroughs
- Enjoy free time for lunch on your own at the trendy Time Out market in Lisbon. At this local fresh produce market, some of Lisbon’s most notable chefs have installed food stands where they make some informal dishes that the locals adore, from grilled steak with Portuguese sauce or the many varieties of cod fish and seafood rice or the sweet custard tarts.
- After lunch, local transfer with our guide to the historic neighborhood of Belém
- Visit to Belém, a mesh of history and contemporary with Unesco world heritage monuments (included)
- Tasting of the legendary pastry Pastéis de Belém
- As an EXTRA OPTION, you can add a local hand-on cooking class of these Portuguese custard tarts in the city center of Lisbon.
- Time at leisure
- Dinner on your own
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the Hotel.
- Transfer to the Unesco town of Sintra
- Private walk visit to Sintra, World Heritage by Unesco
- During the visit to Sintra, a stop for a guided visit at the historic Villa Palace, the home of Kings.
- Guided visit to the Villa Palace of Sintra, the summer retreat of the Portuguese royal family
- Transfer towards the coast for lunch
- Fish and seafood lunch by the seaside near Sintra
- In the afternoon, Panoramic visit to the seaside town of Cascais, lifestyle destination for Lisbon locals
- Arrive at your hotel and free time.
- Special dinner with Fado show in a traditional neighborhood of Lisbon
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out
- Transfer to the Lisbon airport
- Assistance at the airport and departure
- End of the program.
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7 NIGHTS / 8 DAYS PORTO, DOURO VALLEY & GALICIA WINE, FOOD AND CULTURE TOUR
- Arrival at Porto airport
- Welcome and assistance at the airport by a Vinitur English speaking guide
- Continue to the Douro Valley Region
- Douro Valley Winemaking Region, classified as a World Heritage Landscape by Unesco
- Check-in at the selected Hotel in the Douro Valley Winemaking Region
- In the evening: Guided visit followed by dinner at the famous Quinta do Vallado Wine Estate
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Transfer by bus to Pinhão
- Visit the small village of Pinhão
- OR as option:
- -Transfer to the village of Provesende and meeting with local hiking guide.
- -Hike along historic villages and vineyard terraces until the Douro River
- Private Douro River cruise in a typical Rabelo – approximately 50 minutes
- Or, as alternative, Private Douro River cruise in a luxury vintage boat – 2 hours
- Short transfer in the estate’s farm truck from the river dock to Quinta do Crasto (if available)
- Visit and lunch at the outstanding wine estate Quinta do Crasto, Douro and Port producer
- After lunch to options: Helicopter tour (15 min per group) to discover the incredible Douro Valley
- Taste & discover great Old Tawnies and a special 100 year old Port, at a historic Douro Wine Estate
- Or
- Visit to Palace of Mateus and its magnificent gardens
- Return to the hotel and time at leisure
- Dinner on your own
- Or as options:
- Grape Harvest Festivity and dinner at a family traditional wine estate producing Douro and Port wines (from mid-September to beginning of October)
- Or
- Cooking experience and dinner at a family traditional wine estate producing Douro and Port wines
- Or
- Gourmet dinner at the DOC restaurant, an excellent restaurant with scenic views over the Douro River
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out
- Bus transfer towards Galicia (Spain), visiting the Vinho Verde wine region in the way
- Visit the Vinho Verde wine region, with its green rolling hills between the mountains and the ocean
- Visit and lunch at Quinta do Soalheiro, a renewed family white wine producers
- Continue to Galicia (Spain) along the:
- Rias Baixas wine region, green and blue landscapes and a gourmet destination
- Arrive to Cambados. Check-in at the selected hotel. Time to rest and refresh.
- By the end of the afternoon:
- Gentle walking visit to Cambados, an historical fishing town and capital of Albariño wine
- Dinner on your own at the Parador restaurant, or enjoy a:
- Wine & tapas informal tasting dinner at a local wine bar
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Short transfer towards O Grove, the seafood capital of Galicia
- Walk visit at the island of La Toja and to O Grove, the seafood capital of Galicia
- During the morning: Boat cruise to visit mussel production, including tasting mussels, oysters & wine on board (around 1h00)
- Options for lunch: Lunch at a small authentic tavern restaurant at the typical fisherman village, by Cambados
- Or, in O Grove, during the Seafood Festival in October: Informal lunch in the popular ambience of the Seafood Festival of O Grove
- During the afternoon, near Cambados: Clam fishing at the sandbanks of a seaside village (subject to the tide, and might be moved to the morning)
- Or, instead the clam fishing: Visit and tasting at a renew traditional cannery of fish and seafood
- At Cambados: Visit and wine tasting at the winery Pazo de Fefiñanes, a top producer of Rias Baixas
- At dinner: Farewell dinner at Taberna de Trasno, combining traditional products with author concepts
- After the dinner, as optional: Queimada, mystirious Galician ritual against evil spirits
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Transfer to santiago de Compostela
- Half-day guided visit to Santiago de Compostela; including visit to the Cathedral
- Short walk until the Abastos food market for a visit and tasting of local specialties
- Lunch at the original restaurant Abastos 2.0, by the marketside
- Remaining part of the day at leisure
- Return to the hotel and dinner on your own
- Accomodation
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out
- Departure to Ribeira Sacra wine region, unique by the heroic viticulture
- Guided visit and tasting at the winery Adega Algueira
- After the visit, enjoy a lunch at the winery:
- Transfer to the river by mini-train
- From the quay: River Cruise along the Sil Canyon
- Transfer and check-in at the Parador Santo Estevo
- Remaining afternoon at leisure and dinner at the Parador
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out
- Departure to Porto. At arrival:
- Short panoramic Porto sightseeing tour for familiarization with the city
- Lunch at the modern restaurant DOP, in the edge of historic quarter of Porto
- Guided visit and tasting to a historic Port Wine cellar
- Dinner at the restaurant of the Graham’s Port wine cellars
- Accommodation
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out
- Transfer to airport Porto and assistance
- Departure oand end of the tour
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