5-Day Heritage & Food Tour in Alentejo

Day 1: Évora, a world heritage site by UNESCO

The Private transfer is waiting for you at Lisbon International Airport (LIS) or your hotel in Lisbon.

We will take you to visit one of the most serene and unique landscapes in the world, the Alentejo.

Drop-off at the hotel.

Check-in at Mar de Ar Aqueduto Historic Design Hotel & SPA. Located very near the historic center of Évora, this is your starting point for the best wine experiences in the Alentejo region. The hotel arises from the adaptation of the old Sepúlveda Palace, a sixteenth-century building that has preserved a magnificent chapel, vaulted ceilings, and a set of three windows in Manuelino style (architectural style named after King Manuel) in the main façade. This boutique hotel, built according to the modern concepts of architecture and contemporary design, offers a 220 m2 SPA, 64 rooms, and comprises the Degust'AR restaurant, where you can enjoy the Mediterranean flavors with the signature of Chef António Nobre.

On your own, we suggest a visit to Évora's well-preserved historic center is one of the richest monuments in Portugal, worth the epithet of City-Museum. The Roman Temple of Évora is one of the most important Roman monuments in Portugal. It is located at the highest point of the city and was part of the Roman Forum. It is thought to have been created around the 1st century to honor Emperor Augustus but later came to be known as the Temple of Diana. The Cathedral was built between the 13th and 14th centuries in Gothic style, it is one of the most important medieval cathedrals in the country, with a plan inspired by the Romanesque Lisbon Cathedral. In the 14th century a cloister was built and the statues of the apostles of the main portal, the masterpiece of Portuguese medieval sculpture, were carved. In the 18th century, the chancel was rebuilt in an exuberant Baroque style. The Church of San Francisco was reconstructed during the reign of D. João II and finished in the time of D. Manuel. Its architecture and decoration mix the Gothic, Mudejar, and Manueline styles. Chapel of the Bones located in the Church of San Francisco was built in the eighteenth century and is entirely lined with human bones. It is known by the famous phrase written at the entrance "We bones that we are here for your hope".

In the evening, dinner is waiting at Degust'ar Restaurant. Located on the ground floor of the Sepúlveda Palace building, the Degust'AR restaurant has the gastronomic signature of Chef António Nobre. The menu has as its starting point the Alentejo cuisine, and the Chef develops his creative inspiration by exploring the Mediterranean flavors. The atmosphere is refined, comfortable, and intimate. The vaulted ceilings, the horseshoe arches, and some frescos on the walls give the restaurant a unique and special character.

End of your day.

Day 2: Alentejo Wine Region

Breakfast in the hotel.

The Private Driver is waiting for you in the lobby of the Hotel.

Your first stop will be at Monte da Ravasqueira. Connected to José de Mello's family for several generations, Monte da Ravasqueira is located in the municipality of Arraiolos, one hour away from Lisbon, and covers a vast area of the typical Alentejo landscape. Monte da Ravasqueira enjoys excellent geological and climatic conditions for the production of the best wine that Alentejo can offer, taking advantage of its terroir. The cellar of Monte da Ravasqueira is inspired in Napa Valley, California, and is equipped with the most advanced technology for qualified and rigorous control of the wine-making process. You will have a guided visit to the vineyards, the Carriage Driving Museum (one of the best carriage private collections in the country), and a reserved wine tasting.

After the wine experience, you will enjoy lunch, at O Alpendre Restaurant. The Chef interprets the Alentejo cuisine with great passion, taking it as his starting point for the original recipes of this gastronomy and treating each delicacy as unique. In this typically Alentejo space we find the typical hospitality of these people. Here, meat from the Alentejo region predominates, such as black pork, veal, and lamb. In terms of "Migas", this is a true temple because the offer ranges from typical Migas to asparagus, tomato, and coriander, among others. The different variations are not there to confuse you, but to invite the discovery of different and subtle flavors of Alentejo gastronomy, based on simple ingredients but with an extraordinary richness when well combined. These will be joined by the ideal pairing. When dessert arrives, we confirm that Alpendre Restaurant is justly recognized for its conventual sweets.

Then, a drive/walking tour to Arraiolos Village. Arraiolos is a pleasant Alentejo town, whose foundation dates back to the second century BC. The medieval castle was built at the orders of D. Dinis (1279-1325), although the town soon spread beyond its walls. An important part of the town's artistic heritage is the sixteenth-century Salvador church, with some extremely beautiful paintings. The name of this town is well known internationally thanks to the famous Arraiolos carpets, which are produced here by the local craftsmen and women, having been referred to in documents as long ago as the sixteenth century.

Afterwards, you will discover Adega da Cartuxa. Two km from the historic center of Évora, a World Heritage city, and 200 meters from the Cartuxa Convent which inspired its name, the Wine Tourism Cartuxa is located in the former refectory of the Jesuit retirement home, they taught at the University of Évora in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Acquired in the nineteenth century by the Eugénio de Almeida family, the Cartuxa Cellar has undergone several renovations and expansions over time, preserving the richness of its architectural and historical memory. The Cartuxa Cellar - Quinta Valbom is now one of the stage centers of the wines produced by the Eugénio de Almeida Foundation. The effort Fundação Eugénio de Almeida Foundation has poured into creating excellent products has been recognized over the years with various prizes. You will have a guided visit with a wine tasting accompanied by regional products.

End of day.

Day 3: Heritage and Wine

Breakfast in the Hotel.

In the morning, the Private Driver is waiting for you in the lobby of the Hotel.

Day 4: Herdade do Sobroso and Rocim

Breakfast in the Hotel.

The Private Driver is waiting for you in the lobby of the Hotel.

Herdade do Sobroso is located in the county of Vidigueira and is delimited by the mountain of Mendro at the north, the river Guadiana at the east and south an immense plain as far as the eyes can see. To the lovers of wine tourism and synergetic tourism, Herdado do Sobroso offers a unit of Rural Tourism integrated in the middle of the property vines. 50 hectares of vineyards of Herdade do Sobroso where you will visit the winery and taste the wine but also where you can buy wine, olive oil, honey, and jams produced in the Herdade.

You will enjoy a lunch of traditional cuisine. Pure moments from Alentejo, The Herdade do Sobroso Restaurant presents traditional dishes from Alentejo cuisine, one of the tastiest and most appreciated in the country, accompanied by the wine which is produced on it. This place breathes authenticity and good wines.

In the afternoon, discover Herdade do Rocim. The estate with approximately 120 hectares, of which 70 hectares are vineyards, is situated between Vidigueira and Cuba in the Baixo Alentejo. A new adventure and a dream would follow. The first years were dedicated to the restructuring and qualification of the estate, with the planting of new vines and the introduction of new wine grape varieties, in a project that mixed new and old knowledge, with reason and emotion, supported by the love of father and daughter. Then, the cellar was built and the production of wine with its brands started. Today, Rocim is renowned for the quality of its wine and cellar, and speaking of its history is speaking of a dream and therefore it's speaking of the present and the future. The visitor will have the opportunity to visit the winery and taste the most modern and classic talha wines from the Herdade do Rocim, paired with a selection of Alentejo cheeses and sausages.

Drop-off at the Hotel.

End of day

Day 5: Last day in paradise

Breakfast in the Hotel followed by Check-out.

Private Transfer to Lisbon.

End of the Tour

Highlights:

• Stay at Mar de Ar Aqueduto Historic Design Hotel & SPA.
• Alentejo Heritage
• Dinner at Degust'ar Restaurant
• Visit Herdade do Esporão Winery and Restaurant
• Alentejo gastronomy