Alentejo Bike Tour

Beyond Lisbon: Portugal's Cork Capital

6 days / 5 nights Level: 2Price From: $4,695Collection: Classic

Tour Highlights

  • Pedal on traffic-free roads through Portugal’s compelling countryside, sprawled with wildflower fields, gnarly cork trees, olive groves, and vineyards
  • Dine at our friend’s private country palace and renowned winery
  • Stay in Convento do Espinheiro, a gorgeously renovated 15th-century convent
  • Explore an ancient Roman temple and the meditative Chapel of Bones in Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage city
  • Accept a private invitation to a cooking class with a local chef

Eat

Smoked meats, porco preto, tangy sheep’s and cow’s milk cheese, gazpacho, bacalhau (dried salt cod), lamb and beef, and pasteis de nata (egg custard tarts)

Drink

Harmonious, full-bodied, and robust red wines; crisp, fruit-forward whites made from indigenous grapes

As featured in:
Print Itinerary
  • Day 1

    Welcome to Portugal’s Alentejo

    Your guides will greet you in Lisbon and drive east towards the Spanish border. The Alentejo region is a stark contrast to the bustling metropolis of Lisbon, with its unhurried pace of life, rolling hills of gold and green, cork tree quintas, hundred-year-old olive groves, and flocks of sheep that roam the meadows. Our day begins with a visit to the Alter do Chão royal stud farm, founded by King D. João V in 1748 in dedication to the nobility of the Lusitanian horse. Enjoy lunch on the property before we take off on our first ride of the week, making our way to our charming boutique wine hotel. Set in the heart of the Alto Alentejo wine region, this restored wine hotel is the former home of the prominent Basilii family who inhabited the property in the 14th century. Enjoy a welcome drink and get settled before meeting for a dinner of contemporary Alentejo cuisine at our hotel’s restaurant.

    Meals: Lunch / Dinner
    Destinations: Lisbon, Alter do Chão, Cabeço de Vide,
    Accomplished: 18 miles / 30 km, elevation gain: 1,135 feet / 346 meters
    Accommodations: Torre de Palma Wine Hotel 

  • Day 2

    Quintessential Alentejo

    A gourmet breakfast prepares us for a ride through the gently rolling countryside of upper Alentejo. Pass through the dreamy scenery of world-class vineyards before we pause for a mid-morning coffee next to a wild stream where the locals plunge. Our ride continues along the western edge of the São Mamede mountains to a beautifully renovated farmhouse where we’ll enjoy a picnic-style lunch prepared by our friends Walt and Hilde. Choose to hop in the van or bike all the way back to our hotel where you can take the rest of the afternoon to relax by the pool, explore the grounds of our historic hotel, or stroll through the surrounding vineyards. Tonight, we’re invited to the tower in the main house to learn how to make a medley of local Alentejo dishes with a local chef. Our class is followed by the dinner you helped prepare, paired with wines from the estate.

    Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
    Destinations: Monforte, Arronches, Mosteiros, Assumar
    Accomplished: 28 miles / 45 km, elevation gain: 1,683 feet / 513 meters
    Longer Option: 38 miles / 62 km, elevation gain: 2,224 feet / 678 meters
    Accommodations: Torre de Palma Wine Hotel 

  • Day 3

    Plains and Palaces of Alentejo

    Our ride today takes us through the idyllic villages and fertile plains of Alentejo. Stop for a coffee before continuing to our friend Vasco’s family farm for lunch and some true Portuguese hospitality. After lunch, ride to the historic town of Vila Viçosa—known for its heritage of manmade marble creations—where we’ll check into our hotel at the center of town. Owned by a titan of the marble industry, our hotel is a physical homage to the owner’s success in marble artistry. Relax this afternoon at the spa and pool, or wander into town to see the ancestral marble palace of the last kings of Portugal. Tonight, we dine like royalty with our friend Isabel at her family winery and ancestral home; a mid-18th-century palace built by King João V and gifted to a lady of the court (with whom he was madly in love).

    Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
    Destinations: Monforte, Santo Aleixo, Vila Fernando, Vila Viçosa
    Accomplished: 30 miles / 49 km, elevation gain: 1,522 feet / 464 meters
    Longer Option: 37 miles / 60 km, elevation gain: 2,312 feet / 705 meters
    Accommodations: Alentejo Marmòris Hotel + Spa

  • Day 4

    Pottery Traditions and Historic Évora

    Today’s ride is one of the week’s most challenging as we pedal past rows of gnarly olive trees, pristine vineyards, and whitewashed farms. In the town of Redondo, we visit an artisan potter at work in his studio and see how these traditional pieces are hand-painted. We’ll continue our travels over rolling country plains towards lunch in Nossa Senhora de Machede. End the day with an optional ride all the way to Convento do Espinheiro, our luxurious hotel built around a 15th-century convent, or hitch a ride in the van. This evening, join your guides for a guided visit to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Évora where we’ll stroll through centuries-old streets and squares, making our way from the intriguing Chapel of Bones to the Roman temple. Dinner follows at your discretion: your guides can suggest a few favorite restaurants in Évora, or you may prefer to return to your hotel for a laid-back meal from the once-upon-a-time monastic kitchen.

    Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
    Destinations: Bencatel, Redondo, Nossa Senhora de Machede, Évora
    Accomplished: 29 miles / 47 km, elevation gain: 1,230 feet / 375 meters
    Longer Option: 40 miles / 64 km, elevation gain: 1,817 feet / 554 meters
    Accommodations: Convento do Espinheiro

  • Day 5

    Cork and Wine: Treasures of Portugal

    Our first stop this morning is a local cork producer to learn about harvesting and processing this uniquely sustainable material and why it thrives here in particular. Afterward, spin through pastures, vineyards, and oak groves where the only sounds are chirping birds and the bells of grazing sheep. We’ll arrive at a 14th-century estate that has been rejuvenated at the hands of a Portuguese wine wunderkind. Tour the cork-walled winery, ending in the medieval cellar where a wine-paired lunch awaits us. Choose to finish the short ride back to Convento do Espinheiro or take a lift in the van. Our farewell dinner will take place at the hotel’s Divinus restaurant.

    Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
    Destinations: Azaruja, Évora
    Accomplished: 35 miles / 56 km, elevation gain: 1,407 feet / 429 meters
    Longer Option:
    41 miles / 66 km, elevation gain: 1,512 feet / 461 meters
    Accommodations:
    Convento do Espinheiro

  • Day 6

    Adeus to the Alentejo

    Relax this morning over a well-deserved gourmet breakfast before our drive back to Lisbon, where your guides will take you to your hotel or the airport.

    Meals: Breakfast
    Destinations: Lisbon

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications.



Arrival Details

Airport City: Lisbon, Portugal Pick-Up Location: InterContinental Hotel Lisbon Pick-Up Time: 8:30-8:45 am
Departure Details

Airport City: Lisbon, Portugal Drop-Off Location: InterContinental Hotel Lisbon or Lisbon Airport Drop-Off Time: 11:00 am

Any scheduled tour can be made private. Your group, your dates. Go Private

2024Single Supplement From: $600

See our cancellation policy

Weather by Month
Average Temperature + Precipitation

Average Temperature + Precipitation

Month
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
High (°F)
57°
60°
66°
69°
77°
86°
92°
92°
84°
74°
64°
58°
Low (°F)
42°
44°
46°
47°
52°
57°
61°
62°
59°
55°
48°
45°
Rain (in)
251
251
251
251
125
00
00
00
125
251
376
376

Accommodations

  • Thoughtfully selected accommodations that reveal the true character of the region
  • Luggage transfers

Meals

  • Daily breakfasts, all lunches, nutritious snacks, and après velo cocktails
  • 4 gourmet dinners at our favorite local restaurants and renowned culinary establishments
  • Carefully selected local wine, beer, or spirits with every meal

Activities

  • Wine tastings and activities as outlined in the tour itinerary
  • Entrance fees to historic sites, museums, parks, and all other exclusive events
  • Gratuities for baggage, porters, and hotel service

Gear

  • Top-of-the-line bicycle selection
  • Bike helmet
  • Complimentary DuVine gear including a custom cycling jersey, DuVine t-shirt, water bottle, and drawstring bag
  • GPS in most destinations

Support

  • Expert bilingual guides with extensive local knowledge
  • Support vehicle that follows the day’s route, distributes refreshments, and offers lifts
  • Pick-up and drop-off before and after your tour from predetermined meeting points
  • Daily bike maintenance to ensure optimal performance
NOT INCLUDED:
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Synapse 2 RLE

Manufacturer: Cannondale

Type: Road

Included in trip price

Quick 1 Disc

Manufacturer: Cannondale

Type: Hybrid

Included in trip price

Roadmachine AMP TWO

Manufacturer: BMC

Type: Road E-Bike

$400 supplement

Turbo Vado SL 4.0

Manufacturer: Specialized

Type: Hybrid E-Bike

Included in trip price