Alentejo Vineyards Colors – 10 Days
Type of tour: Guided
Level: 2
Duration: 9 Nights
Distance: 32 Miles/day average
Dates: Feb 21, Aug 29, Nov 7, 2015 (minimum 4 participants)
Tour price: €3790
Start city: Albernoa, Portugal
End city: Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal
Tour Description
Delight yourself with the picturesque landscapes of Alentejo, the immense cork and olive tree meadows, and the rows of traditional whitewashed houses. Stop off at a vineyard, taste the Alentejo world renowned nectar, and visit the local wine cellars. Be enchanted by the beauty of the UNESCO city of Évora and travel back to ancient time at the Stone Circles. Enjoy the most exclusive luxury wine resorts as your nights’ accommodation
Highlights: Guided Daily Program: Guided Day 1: Arrival in Lisbon, transfer to Albernoa Day 2: Santa Vitoria Winery You will have guided visits to the vineyards and winery, exclusive wine tastings at the Santa Vitória Winery and then return to tonight’s lodgings for some relaxing activities. During the evening, a regional gourmet dinner will be accompanied by the local premium wines. Day 3: Albernoa – Vidigueira Day 4: Vidigueira Loop After the tasting you’ll get back to the Sobroso Winery where you’ll be given a more detailed visit to the cellars and vineyards, finishing with a very special tasting. Since it is a short cycling day, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy some spare time, either for pure relaxation or for engaging in other activities, such as ballooning, kayaking or sailing (all require 48 hours advance booking and are not included in the tour package). Day 5: Vidigueira – Monsaranz You’ll be heading to the medieval village of Monsaraz, considered a National Monument and the balcony of the great lake, with its impressive views over the Alqueva Dam and Spanish border. Before having dinner, enjoy a cocktail over the lake. Enjoy dinner and relax by the lakeside. Day 6: Monsaranz – Evora We’ll make one more stop before our destination, José de Sousa Winery, which still uses traditional winemaking methods and keeps alive a ritual initiated more than 2000 years ago with the Romans. This winery, below ground level, has 114 ânforas (clay pots) where an extremely rare type of fermentation takes place. This is the perfect place to create exceptional wines. After this fantastic activity we’ll grab our bikes and head to the next accommodation, a boutique hotel built under the most contemporary concepts of architecture and design. Day 7: Evora – Guadelupe Leaving the World Heritage City, you’ll take a guided visit to one of the most famous wineries and enjoy an Alentejo regional lunch with all the goodness of this rich region and the finest wines of the Cartuxa Winery. During the afternoon, you’ll be heading for tonight’s accommodation, a trendy and fashionable country house that shows the soulful side of Alentejo. Enjoy your dinner with the house wine “Improviso” – meaning impromptu. Day 8: Guadelupe – Montemor-o-novo Our day’s goal is a fabulous resort where you’ll be staying at an incredible suite where you’ll sleep under the stars. The wine resort is a piece of modern art with interiors designed by the world famous Architect Márcio Kogan. Indulge yourself with an exquisite traditional and gourmet dinner. Day 9: Montemor-o-novo Loop Day 10: Departure Included Services: Guided Bike Rentals: Guided For an additional cost, you may rent: Bikes come equipped with the following at no additional cost: Pedals: Seats: Helmets:
Arrival to Lisbon airport and VIP transfer to Albernôa (2.5 hours). You will be staying at an exclusive luxury wine and spa country house, surrounded by hectares of vineyards. After a general briefing about the tour, enjoy a fabulous regional dinner.
Overnight in Albernoa.
After the most wonderful evening, enjoy the exquisite breakfast that we’ve prepared for you with views of the vineyards. We’ll then start our tour on an easy road. Along the typical countryside landscape, we want you to see, feel, hear and breathe the region’s good life and atmosphere.
Overnight in Albernoa.
After the most delicious breakfast, you’re going to cycle northeast through endless meadows of cork and olive trees that extend until the eye can no longer see. Feel the warm aroma from the Alentejo vineyards and all the richness of this region. Our goal for today’s destination is a splendid and charming wine resort. You’ll have 2 nights in this country house, enough to discover 50 hectares of vineyards, visit the winery and enjoy a very exclusive tasting. Dinner will be dedicated to some of the most traditional dishes of the region.
Overnight in Vidigueira.
Today’s stage is a quite easy one that will take you around the traditional villages near your accommodation. Using your bike you’ll cycle to Moura village and visit the narrow streets that draw the architecture of Alentejo. Afterwards we’ve organized a very special olive oil tasting and a visit to the olive mill.
Overnight in Vidigueira.
After a reinvigorating breakfast overlooking the vineyards, it’s time to say goodbye to this lovely accommodation where you’ve spent the last 2 nights. You’ll cycle along the Alqueva Lake, witnessing two opposite landscapes, the Alentejo plains and the quietness of the biggest artificial lake of Europe. Just imagine the peacefulness.
Overnight in Monsaranz.
Our journey for today will lead us to the UNESCO city of Évora. You’ll be riding in a wine region known for producing high quality wine using ancestral traditions unique to the people, grapes, and landscape of this region.
Overnight in Evora.
Following breakfast, the morning will be spent cycling and visiting Evora’s wonderful Roman monuments – Diana’s Temple, Bones Chapel, São Francisco’s Church and the Aqueduct. Don’t be afraid to wander those ancient narrow streets.
Overnight in Guadelupe.
As we approach our final stage, we may say that we’ve saved the best for last. You’ll leave our trendy hotel and cycle trough a challenging off-road track with some of the most incredible scenic landscapes of the tour. Before our day’s rest, you’ll visit a Cromlech Megalithic Complex, one of the biggest in Europe, dating from the 6th century BC.
Overnight in Montemor-o-novo.
After breakfast you’ll be cycling on a smooth dirt track that will take you to a local wine cellar where you’ll be able to taste some of their wines with a very typical Portugese lunch. You’ll be given the rest of the afternoon off, so that you can enjoy the rest of the resort. Our farewell dinner is an exquisite wine-food pairing menu especially prepared by the Michelin 3 stars Chef Michael Lafan.
After breakfast, we’ll transfer you to the Lisbon airport.
Bikes available on this tour, included in the cost of the tour package (reserved in advance at the time of booking):
The bikes are equipped with flat pedals. You may bring your own pedals if desired.
Tour saddles are included, but you may bring your own seat. Please ensure that your seat has a universal seat post.
Helmets are provided as part of the tour package, but we recommend that you plan to bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene purposes.
