Slap bang in the heart of southern Portugal, stretching over one third of the country, from the Atlantic coast to the Spanish border and from the south bank of the Tagus down to the Algarve, lies sleepy Alentejo. Its coastal region is a long stretch of wild cliffs and untouched beaches, its undulating hinterlands an undiscovered territory of empty roads, white villages, cork-tree forests, vineyards and olive groves. Its evocative hilltop castles are reminders of the many battles and conquests of yore. The patios and gardens bear witness to the rich influence of the North African Arabs, roots that shaped the people and the nature of this sultry region.
The herbs and spices grown in the Alentejo countryside season, (and the wines tendered on the hillsides accompany), the medley of fish caught on its coastal waters – intimately connecting the land and sea to its people. And so, we arrive at Alentejo’s principal vices: food and wine. The stoic farmers of Alentejo are proud advocates for the richness of their gastronomic products. Here you’ll taste the much-loved and traditionally-tilled land in its pork and ham, seafood, cheese and olive oil, black pigs, lamb and hearty red wines.
From Moorish villages, Roman structures and Portugese kings, this region oozes big history, but Alentejo also offers incredible natural treasures. And, we think, much of the beauty of this region is encompassed in this tour. So, come along and join us on this journey around an unpretensiously sumptuous region; slow down with us to Alentejo’s very seductive, lost-in-time pace of life.
Only Great Explorations:
- Small groups, extraordinary guides, and authentic experiences.
- Each of our trips in Portugal has a local guide
- A ride you will never forget: Crato to Marvao
- Order off the menu at restaurants you won’t find in guidebooks
- Distinctive, charming hotels too small for larger groups.
- We design and operate our own trips so there are only good surprises.
Trip Reviews
“Good price. Good guides. Good quality of hotels and meals. Enjoyed little extras like the wine tour and the olive farm with meal. Low traffic routes so I felt safe. I liked riding the bikes in the countryside, spending 2 nights at hotels, good food and good coffee!”
“The restaurants/dinners were excellent. I liked having the RideWithGPS maps on my phone. It was nice to have access to water and snacks regularly. I really enjoyed the guides, the Alentejo countryside, the accommodations, the meals, the cycling. A fabulous tour, thank you.”
“Guided trips are the way to go. The guides are excellent and add so much more to the experience. Met a lovely group of people and had some fantastic meals and fabulous hotels and excellent bike routes. Walking tour in Evora with Olga was really fantastic. She was so enthusiastic. Pousada do Crato was amazing – very comfortable and an amazing historical structure with modern comfort. The guides were really fantastic and accommodating. So kind and knowledgeable. Super nice guys.”
“The trip was exactly what we expected. The group of cyclists helped make the trip a great trip. We had a fantastic trip and look forward to the next one. The rides were great. I liked the change up from harder to easier every other day. All the hotels were wonderful. We were super lucky to have arrived in Marvao the day of the festival which was a fantastic way to end the trip. Particularly liked the meal in Estremoz as well as Arrioles. The guides did a great job in ordering food. Never needed to read the route as the guides made sure we stayed all together. Bikes were all good- the gears were great. Enjoyed the guides and the food and the accommodation! And the 2 picnics we had were wonderful. Was great to not go to a restaurant everyday for lunch. We chose Great Explorations because we had had good recommendations from friends.”
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the small towns, their history and especially the accommodations..
Great trip!! Well organized, guides were very supportive and knowledgeable. Dinners and tours were awesome, hotels were top notch. Highly recommend Great Explorations and Portugal. We intend to make this type of trip a yearly experience.
Once again, we were blown away by this trip with GE. It is our favorite way to travel…with the support of a fantastic team, we could enjoy the beauty and culture of Portugal on our bikes with great friends… New and old!
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