Itinerary

Day 1

Sunday
Arrival in Lisbon, transfer to hotel by taxi. Enjoy free time before a Welcome Reception and Dinner this evening. Overnight: Hotel Avenida Palace or Similar.

Day 2

Monday
This morning, we drive to the small Alentejo town of Portel, and Refúgio da Vila, our base for the week. After an orientation walk around Portel, past the 13th century castle and Baroque Church, and lunch, we'll enter a Portuguese kitchen and have our first Cooking Class: Introduction to Portuguese Gastronomy, a study in influences and seasonings. Dinner at Adega do Refúgio. Overnight: Refúgio da Vila

Day 3

Tuesday
After breakfast our third Cooking Class begins: The Importance of fish and Olive Oil in Portuguese Cuisine. Lunch is a chance to sample your own cooking! Non-cooking partners join at the table. This afternoon you'll visit the Esporão Wine State, blending ancient and modern winemaking techniques. The grapes of this wine region include Periquita, Trincadeira, Tinta Roriz, and Moreto for red wines, and Roupeiro, Manteudo, Perrum, Rabo de Ovelha for the whites - all Portuguese varieties, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz. The nearby Arts & Crafts Center of Reguengos displays a wonderful collection of Alentejo wares. The road winds past megalithic sites to the thousand-year-old village of Monsaraz. Here we'll dine under the shadow of the 13th century castle built by King Afonso III.

Day 4

Wednesday
Today's focus is on local produce: The Abundance from Local Quintas/Farms and Ranches. This afternoon, we'll tour nearby Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cultural Center of the Alentejo, and a beautiful white town with a wealth of monuments, from Roman times to the 19th century. After a walking tour, you'll have free time to explore and shop on your own. Dinner at Adega do Refúgio.

Day 5

Thursday
Cooks, This is your day off! Today we'll drive into the northern Alentejo, and before lunch at Vila Viçosa, we visit its Renaissance Ducal Palace. Passing through the marble area we visit the historical and white town of Estremoz, enclosed within its ramparts and overlooks a vast plain of gnarled olive trees and wheat fields. After passing through Estremoz, we return to Portel in time for dinner.

Day 6

Friday
This region is known for its Aromatic Herbs, and wild flowers. This morning we'll use them in dishes that the locals have passed on through the generations. Enjoy an afternoon excursion to several traditional peculiar villages. This evening, sit down to a Farewell Dinner at the Adega do Refúgio.

Day 7

Saturday
Today's Cooking Class focuses on: The Flavors of the South... After lunch, enjoy a siesta and a free afternoon to stroll, ride out on horseback, bicycle, or simply lounge by the pool. This evening, dinner includes entertainment from a local folklore group.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Accomodation with Breakfast

Exclusions -

Flights not Included

Extras -

Accomodation based on double occupancy
arrive Monday