A self-drive tour to discover the various wines of the Tagus Valley and the Alentejo. The towns visited along the way boast a rich historical and natural heritage that remains well-preserved.
Day 1: Lisbon
Pick up your rental car at the counter at Lisbon Airport. Head north toward the Areais do Seixo Hotel, a true haven of peace where time stands still.
About a 1-hour drive.
Pick up your rental car at the airport counter. Spend the night at the intimate boutique hotel Areias do Seixo. This unique, modern property boldly blends a rustic atmosphere with contemporary design. The hotel’s luxurious spa offers a wide range of treatments designed to provide a long, relaxing experience.
Room category: Suite with a suspended fireplace and an outdoor hot tub.
Day 2: Aldeia Galega da Merceana
Stop at Quinta de Chocapalha, a family-owned estate in the Tagus wine region, for a tour of the vineyards, the winery, and the cooperage. This will be followed by a wine tasting accompanied by local cheese and charcuterie.
It will then be time to sit down for lunch with the estate owner, featuring a starter, a main course, dessert, and coffee. Wine will also be served during the meal.
Duration: About 3 to 4 hours Suggested nearby visits: 20 km east to the Rio Maior salt marshes, which are still in operation and are believed to date back to prehistoric times. Here, the water extracted is seven times saltier than ocean water; learn all about the process of evaporation, drying, harvesting, and marketing of this “white gold.”
Continue on to the small town of Santarém. Spend the night at the cozy boutique hotel Areias do Seixo.
Room category: Suite with a suspended fireplace and an outdoor hot tub.
Day 3: Mafra
About 30 km north of Lisbon, nestled between the ocean and the mainland, lies Bucelas, a wine region renowned for its white wines. Visit a small, family-run winery operated by a French winemaker, featuring a tasting of several of the estate’s wines. With a focus on biodynamic farming, the wines are produced using natural winemaking methods free of chemicals (approximately 1.5 hours).
Tours are available in English or French. Discover Mafra, known for its palace and monastery—the largest complex on the entire Iberian Peninsula. From there, it’s just a short drive to the fishing port of Ericeira, famous for its beautiful white and blue houses and its surf spots. Spend the night at the intimate boutique hotel Areias do Seixo.
Room category: Suite with a suspended fireplace and an outdoor hot tub.
Day 4: Aldeia Galega da Merceana
Guided tour of the Casa Santos Lima winery, which has been operating in the Tagus Valley since the 19th century and produces wines from 400 hectares of vineyards across Portugal.
You’ll have the chance to taste three wines from the region around Lisbon and get a closer look at how they’re made. Enjoy a buggy ride through the vineyards. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the different grape varieties and take in the beautiful rolling countryside up close (about 30 minutes).
Explore Óbidos at your own pace. A simple stroll through the town’s quaint streets is all it takes to soak up its centuries of history. Given as a dowry to Queen Isabel in 1282, the walled city is a perfect example of the fortresses of yesteryear. You enter through a medieval gate decorated with beautiful 18th-century azulejos, which opens onto a maze of winding cobblestone alleys and whitewashed houses. Enjoy a self-guided walking tour of this veritable open-air museum. Unwind with a massage combining Japanese and Indian-inspired techniques along with massage therapy at the hotel spa (60 minutes).
Overnight stay at the intimate boutique hotel Areias do Seixo.
Room category: Suite with a suspended fireplace and an outdoor hot tub.
Day 5: Vila Viçosa
Known for its abundance of marble, which is quarried and mined in over 160 quarries, we recommend the Marble Route, particularly the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança in Vila Viçosa, the medieval town of Estremoz, and Elvas with its star-shaped military fortifications and aqueducts, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In the small village of Arraiolos, set against a typical Alentejo landscape, lies Monte de Ravasqueira, a 3,000-hectare estate where both grapes and olives are grown. The winery also has several purebred Lusitano horses as well as a significant collection of horse-drawn carriages from the last century. A stroll through the vineyards leads to the winery, and the tour naturally concludes with a tasting of five different wines (approximately 2 hours).
Dinner is included at the Pousada’s gourmet restaurant, followed by an overnight stay in a superior room at Pousada Convento Arraiolos, a former convent in the heart of the authentic Alentejo region.
Day 6: Évora
Half-day tour of Évora with an English-speaking guide. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, Évora is a charming city with a rich and long history; its center, surrounded by medieval ramparts, resembles a medina, with its winding alleyways and colorful terraces and patios inviting you to stroll. Starting from Praça do Giraldo, a walking tour spanning some 2,000 years unfolds: the Church of São Francisco, marking the beginning of the Manueline period and famous for its Chapel of Bones; the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral; the Roman Temple of Diana; and the University of Évora (exterior), founded in the 16th century.
Admission to the Cathedral, the Chapel of Bones, and the University of Évora is included. At this winery, which grows organic grapes, Dona Dorinda and the owners welcome you for a tour of the estate. The tour concludes with a tasting of the estate’s wines, accompanied by regional products (cheeses and other local specialties). Tour in French subject to availability (approx. 1 hour).
Dinner is included at the Pousada’s gourmet restaurant, followed by an overnight stay in a superior room at Pousada Convento Arraiolos, a former convent in the heart of the authentic Alentejo region.
Day 7: Monsaraz
Heading to Monsaraz, one of the most picturesque hilltop villages in the Alentejo, with a brief stop along the way at the village of Sao Pedro de Corval, known for its ceramists and potters. Monsaraz is dominated by a citadel that for centuries kept watch over the Spanish enemy; the small medieval village is a maze of whitewashed cottages and cobblestone alleys, while the Church of Santa Maria de Lagoa houses a beautiful 14th-century fresco whose bas-reliefs depict 14 saints.
Tour of the cellars and winery to learn more about the winemaking process, followed by a blind tasting of various wines from the estate for a fun and sensory experience. The tasting includes commentary (approximately 2 hours, in English).
You can extend your visit with a guided tasting of various extra-virgin olive oils from the estate.
Overnight stay at a rural guesthouse in the Monsaraz area.
Day 8: Arrábida – Palmela – Azeitão
On the way to Lisbon, you’ll pass through the Arrábida Natural Park, with its Mediterranean scents, covered in pine forests, and bordered by turquoise waters. Photo stop in Palmela, whose hills are dotted with windmills. Continue on to Setúbal, the country’s third-largest fishing port. Proceed to Azeitão, a region famous for its cheese and Muscat vineyards. You’ll finally reach Cape Espichel and its “end-of-the-world” atmosphere.
This is the southernmost tip of the European continent: a unique and impressive place with its high cliffs, lighthouse, Baroque church, and large square lined with small arcaded houses that once welcomed pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Visit one of the region’s oldest wineries, now converted into a museum. The José Maria da Fonseca estate, founded in 1834 in Azeitão, has been the largest producer of Moscatel in the Setúbal region for seven generations. Explore over 200 years of history with a tour of the House Museum and various cellars where its oldest Muscat wines are aged. Also discover where the Periquita wine matures, followed by a tasting of 3 wines. Return your vehicle to the rental agency in the city center. Overnight stay at the Portugal Boutique Hotel, ideally located on Martim Moniz Square in the historic center of Lisbon. The hotel features a small wine cellar with a selection of Portuguese wines.
Day 9: Lisbon
Spend the day exploring Lisbon’s historic center on foot at your own pace. Start in the Pombaline Baixa district and Rossio, home to stunning squares and palaces (such as Praça do Comércio, lined with arcades and housing various government ministries, or Praça Dom Pedro IV, where the National Theater stands). Also nearby is the Santa Justa Elevator, a designated national monument.
Head to Alfama, the capital’s oldest and most picturesque neighborhood, a maze of narrow, cobblestone streets where you’ll find the Sé Patriarcal, a 12th-century Romanesque-Gothic cathedral, then on to Chiado and its department stores, and Barrio Alto, accessible notably via the popular Elevador da Glória, which carries visitors up to the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint. Full-day tour with an English-speaking guide. Head to the Alfama district for a Port wine tasting at Taylor’s, founded in 1692.
Guided tasting of three premium Port wines (dry white, young red, and aged red). The tasting will be accompanied by a pastel de nata, the traditional Portuguese pastry. Overnight stay at the Portugal Boutique Hotel, ideally located on Martim Moniz Square in Lisbon’s historic center. The hotel features a small wine cellar with a selection of Portuguese wines.
Day 10: Ribeira Market
Self-guided tour of the Mercado da Ribeira, one of Lisbon’s oldest covered markets, which reopened in 2014. In addition to stalls selling fruit, vegetables, meat, and of course fish, it now features a dining area with huge wooden tables under a glass roof, where a warm, welcoming atmosphere reigns. Lisbon’s top chefs gather here to showcase the delights of Portuguese cuisine and tantalize your taste buds; a few stalls and specialty food shops are also set up under the arcades, selling artisanal products. An authentic culinary stop in the heart of the historic center where you can meet the locals. Private transfer from your hotel to Lisbon Airport, based on your flight schedule.
Would you like to experience it or plan your own custom trip with our team?