24 September – 2 October 2026
24 September – 2 October 2026
The Alentejo has been Portugal’s best-kept secret for decades—but that secret may not last much longer. Major international investment, improvements to Beja Airport and infrastructure, and a wave of new hotels and developments are set to transform this beautiful, sparsely populated region over the next five years. So there has never been a better time to experience the real Alentejo: its warm hospitality, extraordinary food and wine, and vast, unspoilt landscapes.
This small-group culinary journey takes you through one of Europe’s most exciting yet still relatively undiscovered food and wine regions. Over nine days, we’ll visit wineries, cook together, taste exceptional olive oils, meet artisan producers and stay in carefully chosen boutique hotels, all while discovering the landscapes, culture and gastronomy of southern Portugal.
It is a feast for anyone passionate about food, wine and culture. The itinerary is full, but all you’ll need to decide is one thing: red or white?
The 2026 tour will be my fifth journey to the Alentejo, and I honestly can’t wait to return.
Lisbon x 1 night
Albernoa x 2 nights
Evora x 3 nights
Vaiamonte x 2 nights
It basically includes everything except one dinner in Evora (detox time!) and a lunch in Evora – but you will be having a late-morning feast of chicken pies (typical for breakfast) and custard tarts.
Transfers on arrival into Lisbon is not included. It is easy to catch a taxi from the airport to our Lisbon hotel. A 16 minute cab ride. You will be dropped back into Lisbon airport by 1pm on departure day.
Extra nights in Lisbon are definitely worth considering if you have the time.
2026 departure;
Meeting point – Central Lisbon, 8pm, 24 September 2026
Departure – Lisbon airport, at 1pm, 2 October 2026
Day to day
Arrive in Lisbon and check into the elegant Hotel Blue Liberdade, perfectly located in Praça dos Restauradores. In the evening, we’ll gather for a welcome glass of wine before heading out together for a delicious first dinner in the city.
We’ll start the day with Lisbon’s most iconic breakfast — freshly baked custard tarts from the famous bakery next door.
At 9:30am, our guide Rita will lead us on a walking food tour, sampling authentic Portuguese specialties (and a little wine too!) as we stroll through the city.
Afterwards, we journey south to the enchanting Malhadinha Farmhouse. On arrival, an engaging educational wine class, before settling in. Dinner this evening is at Malhadinha’s acclaimed restaurant, reached by a fun jeep ride across the estate.
After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll explore the farm & vineyards. Followed by a hands-on cooking class before sitting down to lunch. The afternoon is yours — perhaps treat yourself to the spa or simply relax by the pool. Dinner is again at the main restaurant, reached by jeep under the stars.
We set off after breakfast, we head to the hilltop village of Monsaraz, famous for its charm, artisan shops, and sweeping Alentejo views. Lunch is at the much-loved Sabores de Monsaraz before we continue to Évora, where we check in at the welcoming Cicioso. Dinner tonight will be at a local favourite restaurant.
Marie will guide us on a walking tour of Évora, uncovering its Roman, Moorish, and medieval treasures. The afternoon is free for lunch and exploring as you wish. In the evening, we’ll roll up our sleeves and join Sofia for a fun and delicious cooking class, followed by supper.
Portugal produces the majority of the world's cork and this morning we head to Redondo to learn all about the heritage & production of cork. From here we’ll continue to a family-run olive oil farm, where we’ll tour the ancient organic groves and enjoy a farmhouse lunch with our hosts.
On the way back to Evora, we'll stop by Corkarcite and their quirky shop full of cork creations.
The evening is free for you to wander Évora at your own pace.
After checking out, we’ll head to the beautiful vineyard of Fitapreta, where you’ll step into the shoes of a winemaker and blend your own creation, followed by a vineyard lunch.
In the afternoon we arrive at the charming Torre de Palma Wine Hotel. As the sun sets, we’ll enjoy a glass of wine high in the tower before gathering for dinner.
Our morning begins with visiting Torre de Palma’s gardens and orchards. We’ll bake bread in a traditional wood-fired oven and prepare several regional dishes to enjoy over a leisurely lunch. Early evening, we’ll meet winemaker Duarte de Deus for a tremendous tasting in the winery before a memorable farewell dinner.
An 8-night small-group culinary tour of the Alentejo, Portugal's most exciting and least-discovered food and wine region. Starting in Lisbon, the tour takes you through some of the region's most beautiful landscapes, wineries, farms and towns — including Évora, Monsaraz and Vaiamonte — with cooking classes, winery visits, market tours and exceptional food throughout.
The Alentejo is a vast, fertile region in southern Portugal, stretching inland from Lisbon. It's relatively undiscovered compared to the Algarve or Lisbon, which is precisely what makes it so special. Think rolling plains, cork forests, olive groves, ancient hilltop villages and some of Portugal's finest wines.
The Alentejo produces outstanding wine from native grape varieties you won't find anywhere else, world-class olive oil, artisanal cheeses, honey, exceptional Iberian pork and beef, and a food culture that is deeply regional and proudly traditional. It also produces a third of the world's cork. The culinary scene is only just beginning to get the international attention it deserves — now is the perfect time to visit.
Alentejo winemakers work with distinctive native grapes including Antão Vaz, Roupeiro, Alicante Bouschet and Aragonez. With fewer restrictions than many other Portuguese wine regions, producers here are bold and experimental. We visit multiple wineries, enjoy wine pairing dinners, taste directly from the barrel and even blend our own wine at Fitapreta — one of the region's most exciting estates.
Yes — several. You'll take part in a hands-on cooking class at Malhadinha Nova, an evening cooking class in Évora with local chef Sofia, a bread-baking session in a traditional wood-fired oven at Torre de Palma, and more. Each class reflects the local ingredients and traditions of the area you're in.
Évora is one of Portugal's most beautiful and historically significant cities, named European Capital of Culture for 2027. It has a remarkably well-preserved Roman temple, medieval architecture, a fascinating bone chapel and a thriving local food scene. We spend three nights here, with a guided cultural tour, a cooking class and time to explore at your own pace.
Both are exceptional rural estates — working farms and wineries with boutique accommodation set in the Alentejo countryside. They offer a level of immersion in the landscape, food and wine culture that you simply can't get from a city hotel. Dinners are paired with estate wines, and the settings are breathtaking.
The two cuisines share some DNA — both love pork, olive oil, bread and wine — but the Alentejo has its own very distinct identity. Coriander and watercress appear where Spain would use parsley. Bacalhau (salt cod) is everywhere. The bread is extraordinary. And the pastries — particularly the Pastéis de Nata — are legendary. It's familiar enough to feel welcoming, different enough to feel genuinely exciting.
Absolutely. Several guests travel alone and the small group format — a maximum of 12 people — makes it easy to feel at home immediately. By day two, you'll have friends for life.
A maximum of 12 people, and currently only 4 places remain for the September 2026 departure. Small groups are central to how I work — they allow access to experiences, people and places that simply aren't possible with larger tours.
Almost everything — 8 nights accommodation across four exceptional properties, 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners, all wine with meals, all cooking classes, winery visits, guided tours and all transport during the tour. The only things not included are your flights and your airport transfer into Lisbon on arrival (a straightforward 16-minute taxi ride).
The tour runs from Thursday 24 September to Friday 2 October 2026. We meet in central Lisbon at 8pm on 24 September and depart from Lisbon airport at 1pm on 2 October. It's well worth considering extra nights in Lisbon before or after — it's a wonderful city.
Because the Alentejo is my genuine passion and this itinerary reflects years of exploring the region personally. Every property, winemaker, chef and guide has been chosen by me. I travel with you throughout, groups are small, and the result is an experience that goes far deeper than any standard Portugal tour.
It's one of the best. September brings the grape harvest — which means the wineries are alive with activity and the landscape is at its most dramatic. Temperatures are warm but easing from summer heat, and the region is at its most beautiful.
To reserve your place on this unforgettable journey into the heart of Andalusian culinary tradition, please contact us at info@anniebspain.com or whatsapp me.
