choose from 2 different excursions starting at €639

•  4-hour, or 8-hour private wine tasting tours     

•  family wine estates     

•  food & wine items included     

•  reservations required

alentejo dream tour

Alentejo wines are strikingly different from their more famous northern cousins around the Douro River, which are renowned for Ports and influences from Bordeaux and Burgundy. The wines of the Alentejo taste sun-riper and fuller, with hints of exotic dried fruits, aromatics, and jammy notes. This is the least populated of Portugal’s regions, with a good number of small to medium-sized Quintas (Estates) in semi-arid microclimates and clay soils that rely on agricultural and production methods such as foot-pressing grapes and midnight harvesting, which date back to ancient times.

Our first stop discovers an 18th-century Quinta complete with its own chapel, gardens, and works of art, where a father and son are engaged in a friendly, and sometimes tenuous competition to outdo each other in a battle of the old world vs. the new world. Their relationship seems almost emblematic of the transformations happening in Alentejo wines. After the tour, we will gather in their rustic farmhouse for a tasting of authentic local Petiscos and Enchidos (savory Portuguese meats and tapas), including the famous Porco Preto, all prepared by the Donna da Casa (Mother of the house). This intimate family setting will bring us a deeper understanding of the people and flavors of the Alentejo.

Our second stop is a larger family-owned and operated vineyard. Today, it’s one of Portugal's top wine and olive oil producers. The winemaker comes from a family with a long history of wine production, and he obtained a degree in agronomy from the Institute of Agronomy in Lisbon. After a period at training at the National Viticulture Studies Centre in Dois Portos in 1980, he began making his first wines from the Alentejo region. After a short tour of their winery, we enjoy sampling their wines in the rustic tasting room. Local Alentejano "petiscos" (tapas) will be prepared with local, farm-fresh ingredients that complement the wines.

Before heading back to Lisbon, there is an essential stop in historic Évora, the region’s capital. A well-preserved landmark village and UNESCO World Heritage Site enclosed by medieval walls, with a standing Roman Temple, an Aqueduct, and the macabre Chapel of the Bones. There is also a wealth of Gothic-Renaissance architecture that is best admired in Praça do Geraldo (Giraldo Square), where locals gather to see and be seen over pastries and drinks.

This excursion is all inclusive:

     1 luxury vehicle with heat, A/C and cargo space

     1 driver

     1 guide

     10 wines

     1 vineyard for tour & tasting lunch

     1 vineyard tasting room in Evora

     Family style, homemade "petiscos" (tapas)

     Local Petiscos and Enchidos

     Historical tour of Evora

     A full itinerary description with vineyards are provided on tour confirmation.

this tour price starts at €719  total

•  8-hour driving and walking private tour

•  10 wines, 2 vineyards

•  gourmet lunch of local petiscos and enchidos

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        WALKING LEVEL

80% level ground with few upstairs and inclines. 20% in vehicle. No elevators. Cobblestones and unpaved paths on tour route. Must be able to walk at casual pace for at least 1-hour without resting.

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          INFORMATION

Wear comfortable athletic shoes. Bring windbreakers or umbrellas.

There are stops for clean restrooms, and food & beverage breaks if needed.

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        MEETING POINT

Hotel, apartment, or ship dock.

Meetings at hotels or apartments located outside of Lisbon can effect tour price because of fuel and time expenses.

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         START TIMES

7-days a week, year round.

Morning: 9:00am, 9:30am, or 10:00am

Custom start times subject to guide availability.

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            TICKET FEES

Entry fees vary by season and age, but general prices are:

€5 Chapel of the Bones

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          EXCLUDED

Ticket fees are additional, €4 pp

Lunch, but the foodstuffs served during the tasting easily replace lunch cravings.

Audio headsets when required in palaces for parties of 20 or more. Price €3.00 per person.

         ADD SERVICES

The winemakers can often ship wines which are purchased at their estates. This can be discussed with each estate, and is subject to restrictions and limits the estate may encounter.

         INCLUDED

Lunch & wine at a vineyard.

Tour guide with excellent language abilities.

Round-trip transfer in a luxury vehicle with a dedicated driver.

All planned food & wine items.

VAT tax.

tours for the culturally curious traveler

Lisbon Explorer

• Tiered pricing at a flat fee

• Customizable

• Meets where you like

• Luxury vehicles and drivers

• Multi-lingual guides

• Flexible cancellation policy