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Europe / / Alentejo Alentejo Bike Tour Beyond : Portugal's Cork Capital

© 2021 DuVine Adventure + Cycling Co. Pedal on traffic-free roads through Portugal’s compelling countryside, sprawled with wildflower fields, gnarly cork trees, olive groves, and vineyards Visit magnificent Vila Viçosa and its famous marble quarries Stay in Convento do Espinheiro, a gorgeously renovated 15th-century convent Explore the Roman temples and Gothic cathedrals in Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage city Accept a private invitation to a cooking class with a local chef Arrival Details Departure Details Airport City: Airport City: Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon, Portugal Pick-Up Location: Drop-Off Location: InterContinental Hotel Lisbon InterContinental Hotel Lisbon or Lisbon Pick-Up Time: Airport 10:30 am Drop-Off Time: 11:00 am

NOTE: DuVine provides group transfers to and from the tour, within reason and in accordance with the pick-up and drop-off recommendations. In the event your train, flight, or other travel falls outside the recommended departure or arrival time or location, you may be responsible for extra costs incurred in arranging a separate transfer.

Emergency Assistance For urgent assistance on your way to tour or while on tour, please always contact your guides first. You may also contact the Boston office during business hours at +1 617 776 4441 or [email protected]. Tour By Day

PRE- TOUR Lisbon Pre-Tour Package

Begin your trip in Portugal’s coastal capital of Lisbon. A private airport transfer will deliver you to the luxurious InterContinental Hotel, ideally located across from Eduardo VII Park and Marques de Pombal Square. Take a moment to freshen up, then head out and meet your local guide. Explore this charming city on foot as you visit Lisbon’s renowned neighborhoods: Baixa, , and —the oldest part of the city. This afternoon and evening are yours to further discover Lisbon and enjoy a restful night before your bicycle tour begins tomorrow. Supplement will apply for a single traveler.

Accommodations: InterContinental Hotel Lisbon

Price Per Person: $455

DAY 1 Welcome to Portugal’s Alentejo

Your guides will greet you in Lisbon and drive east to the Spanish border. The 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. We’ll start our adventure in the town of Vila Viçosa with a delicious lunch before riding to the picturesque fortress of Juromenha. Cycle back to the hotel or hop in the van and head back to refresh at the hotel’s spa or pool. Tonight we dine in the delightful hotel restaurant.

Meals: Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Lisbon, Vila Viçosa, Juromenha Accomplished: 14 miles / 22 km, elevation gain: 581 feet / 177 meters Longer Option: 27 miles / 43 km, elevation gain: 1,794 feet / 547 meters Accommodations: Alentejo Marmòris Hotel + Spa

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications. DAY 2 Marble Palaces and Saintly Queens

A gourmet breakfast preps us for an easy ride past marble quarries and olive trees, through the wine village of Borba, and on to . A short but energetic climb takes us to the citadel and a marvelous marble castle that was built to survey the countryside. We ride back to Vila Viçosa after a light tapas-style lunch in Estremoz, stopping along the way to visit a massive marble quarry. Back at the hotel, take some time to relax at the spa or have a poolside siesta. Tonight, we dine like royalty as our friend Isabel invites us into her ancestral home, a mid-18th-century palace built by a king.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Borba, Estremoz, Bencatel, Vila Viçosa Accomplished: 32 miles / 51 km, elevation gain: 1,653 feet / 504 meters Accommodations: Alentejo Marmòris Hotel + Spa

DAY 3 Ceramics and Convents

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. After a picnic lunch of local fruit and fresh salads in the pottery town of Redondo, we'll continue to work our way through the rolling countryside towards a cold drink 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, enjoy a complimentary tour of this incredible property and an optional wine tasting hosted in the hotel’s wine cellar. Dinner is at your discretion: your guides can happily suggest some of their favorite Évora eateries, or you may prefer to stay on the terrace of your room with a bottle of wine and some local cheese.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch Destinations: , Redondo, Nossa Senhora de Machede, Évora Accomplished: 33 miles / 54 km, elevation gain: 1,463 feet / 446 meters Longer Option: 44 miles / 71 km, elevation gain: 2,007 feet / 612 meters Accommodations: Convento do Espinheiro

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications. DAY 4 Évora and Country Cooking

Take a brief transfer from our hotel to a 16th-century convent, where we set out pedaling on tranquil country roads. We'll pass sleepy villages, cattle pastures, and fragrant eucalyptus trees before today's main climb. Pause for a mid-morning espresso in a village cafe, then spin back to Convento do Espinheiro. After lunch at the hotel, meet up for a guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Évora. Stroll through centuries-old streets and squares from the Roman Temple of Diana to the intriguing Chapel of Bones. Tonight, we'll design our own dinner at the pretty country home of our friend Susana. Learn to prepare a selection of Alentejano dishes and enjoy them with some of Susana’s favorite local wines.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Valverde, São Brissos, São Sebastião, Évora Accomplished: 27 miles / 44 km, elevation gain: 1,578 feet / 481 meters Accommodations: Convento do Espinheiro

DAY 5 Portugal's Cork Trade

Our first stop this morning is a local cork producer to learn about harvesting and processing this ubiquitous crop. Afterwards, spin through pastures, vineyards, and oak groves, where the only sounds are the chirping of birds and the jangling bells of flocking sheep. We’ll arrive in , revered for its colorful, precious hand-stitched woolen floor tapestries. Enjoy a light lunch of local tapas while we contemplate the pretty town park, then shuttle back in the van or finish riding all the way to our hotel. Our farewell dinner will take place at the hotel’s Divinus restaurant, surrounded by colonnades and gothic arches.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Arraiolos, Évora Accomplished: 37 miles / 60 km, elevation gain: 1,820 feet / 555 meters Longer Option: 50 miles / 81 km, elevation gain: 2,142 feet / 653 meters Accommodations: Convento do Espinheiro

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