InBound Portugal
Group Program

Alentejo Wine & Cheese — A Journey Through Portugal's Golden Plains

16 participants Ages 40-60 4 days

A four-day immersive program for 16 discerning guests dedicated entirely to the world of Portuguese wine and artisan cheese. Rooted in the Alentejo — Portugal's most celebrated wine region and heartland of raw-milk cheese production — this itinerary combines private quinta visits, working dairy farms, master tastings with winemakers and affineurs, and exceptional regional dining. Every experience is exclusive, unhurried, and designed for guests who want depth over tourism. Professionally managed end-to-end by InBound Portugal.

01
Day 1
Arrival & First Taste of Alentejo
08:00
Airport Meet & Greet — Lisbon
Private reception at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport arrivals hall. InBound coordinator with branded signage. Welcome pack distributed: program booklet, regional wine map, tasting journal, and pen.
Transfer
08:30
Executive Transfer — Lisbon to Alentejo
Private executive minibus departs airport heading southeast into the Alentejo plains. 1h40 drive. On-board: chilled water, fresh fruit, and a brief audio introduction to Alentejo wine geography narrated by the InBound guide.
Transfer
10:15
Arrival & Check-in — Évora Historic Centre Area
Check-in at a boutique 5-star property housed in a restored convent in the historic centre of Évora. Pre-assigned rooms. InBound coordinator manages rooming list and special requirements. Welcome drink served in the internal cloister garden.
Accommodation
11:30
Private Walking Tour — Évora UNESCO Historic Centre
Private guided walk through Évora's UNESCO-classified historic centre. Route covers the Roman Temple of Diana, the Cathedral of Évora (exterior and cloister), the Giraldo Square, and the medieval walls. Expert local guide contextualises the city's role as the capital of the Alentejo and its deep connection to monastic wine and cheese traditions.
Sightseeing
13:30
Welcome Lunch — Évora Historic Centre
Seated lunch at a celebrated Alentejo restaurant in the Giraldo Square area. Introduction to the regional cuisine: açorda alentejana, black pork preto presunto, regional sheep's cheese, and traditional migas. First encounter with Alentejo wines selected by the restaurant's sommelier.
Gastronomy
15:30
Cheese Introduction Masterclass — Private Session
Private session hosted by a specialist Portuguese cheese affineur in a dedicated tasting room arranged at the hotel. Introduction to Portugal's major cheese-producing regions, milk types, and DOP classifications. First hands-on tasting: Queijo de Évora DOP (fresh and cured), Serpa DOP, and Azeitão DOP. Pairing with Alentejo white wines.
Gastronomy
17:30
Chapel of Bones — São Francisco Church
Private guided visit to the Igreja de São Francisco and its extraordinary Capela dos Ossos, constructed from the bones of over 5,000 monks. A profoundly Alentejano experience, deeply connected to the Franciscan monastic tradition that shaped the region's culture and viticulture.
Sightseeing
19:00
Hotel Return & Free Time
Return to hotel. Personal time for rest and preparation for dinner.
Free Time
20:30
Dinner — Évora Wine-Focused Restaurant
Private dining at a wine-centric restaurant in the Évora historic quarter, renowned for its extraordinary Alentejo cellar. 4-course dinner paired with a vertical of wines from a single Alentejo estate across three vintages, guided by the sommelier. Menu: salt cod with olive oil, slow-cooked lamb, sheep's cheese board, and almond tart.
Gastronomy
22:30
Return to Hotel
Short walk or private vehicle to hotel in the historic centre.
Transfer
02
Day 2
Into the Vines — Quinta Day in the Alentejo
07:30
Hotel Breakfast
Full buffet breakfast at hotel. Regional produce featured: Alentejo honey, sheep's cheese, presunto, fresh bread, and local olive oil. Departure briefing by InBound coordinator at 08:45.
Accommodation
09:00
Transfer to Reguengos de Monsaraz Area
Private executive minibus departs Évora heading towards the Reguengos de Monsaraz sub-region, 45 minutes east. One of the most distinctive wine zones in the Alentejo, producing powerful, structured reds from Aragonez, Trincadeira, and Alicante Bouschet.
Transfer
09:45
Vineyard Walk with Winemaker — Reguengos Area
Private guided vineyard walk with the estate's winemaker. 90-minute tour of the organic plots, covering vine training systems, soil composition (schist and granite), canopy management, and the harvesting process. Discussion on the impact of the Alentejo's extreme heat on wine style and how the estate responds through altitude and night harvesting.
Sightseeing
11:30
Winery & Adega Tour
Private cellar tour: stainless steel tanks, clay amphora room (talha wine is a unique Alentejo tradition), French and Portuguese oak barrel room, and bottling line. Winemaker explains the talha method — fermenting and ageing wine in 2,000-litre clay vessels, a technique dating to Roman times and now classified as UNESCO Intangible Heritage.
Sightseeing
13:00
Wine Tasting & Lunch on the Estate
Seated lunch on the quinta's shaded terrace or in the private tasting room. Regional menu prepared by the estate's kitchen: tomato and bread soup, roast lamb with roasted vegetables and migas, regional cheese board, and honey and almond dessert. Paired with a structured tasting of 6 estate wines: 2 whites, 1 rosé, 2 reds, 1 talha wine.
Gastronomy
15:00
Monsaraz Village & Castle — Medieval Walled Town
Transfer to the hilltop walled village of Monsaraz, one of the most preserved medieval settlements in Portugal. Private guided walk through the cobbled streets, the castle keep with panoramic views over the Alqueva reservoir and Spanish border, and the parish church. The village sits above 800 metres of altitude and the views across the Alentejo are extraordinary.
Sightseeing
16:30
Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve — Sunset Point
Transfer to a designated viewpoint above the Alqueva reservoir — Europe's largest artificial lake and a certified Dark Sky Reserve. Informal sunset moment with local craft beer and cheese canapés served by InBound team. Brief introduction to the Dark Sky programme by a local astronomer (pre-arranged).
Sightseeing
18:00
Return Transfer to Évora Hotel
Private executive minibus returns group to hotel in Évora. Approximately 50 minutes.
Transfer
19:30
Free Time & Hotel
Personal time at hotel. Cloister garden open for informal gathering.
Free Time
21:00
Dinner — Évora Contemporary Alentejo Cuisine
Dinner at a modern Alentejo restaurant near the city walls, known for an inventive approach to traditional ingredients. Tasting menu of 6 dishes built around black pork, wild asparagus, Serpa cheese, and Alentejo olive oil. Wine pairing featuring small-producer Alentejo natural wines.
Gastronomy
22:45
Return to Hotel
Short walk or private transfer to hotel.
Transfer
03
Day 3
Cheese Country — Serpa & the Baixo Alentejo
07:30
Hotel Breakfast
Full regional buffet breakfast. Today's focus shifts south to the Serpa area, home of one of Portugal's most complex and celebrated cheeses. Departure briefing at 08:30.
Accommodation
08:30
Transfer to Serpa — Baixo Alentejo
Private executive minibus departs Évora south towards Serpa, 80 kilometres. 1h10 drive through cork oak and olive groves. On-board guide provides context on the Queijo de Serpa DOP: raw sheep's milk, thistle flower rennet, 30+ days maturation, protected designation since 1994.
Transfer
09:45
Working Dairy Farm Visit — Serpa Area
Private visit to a working sheep dairy farm producing Serpa DOP cheese. The farmer guides the group through the morning milking process (depending on season), the use of cardo (wild thistle flower) as natural rennet, the hand-pressing technique, and the ageing cave where wheels at different maturity stages can be examined and tasted. Entirely authentic — this is a functioning farm, not a tourism facility.
Sightseeing
11:15
Serpa Cheese Masterclass & Comparative Tasting
Dedicated comparative tasting session in the farm's private room or a nearby dedicated space. Flight of 6 cheeses: Queijo de Serpa at 30 days, 60 days, and 90+ days (semi-cured to fully cured), plus Queijo de Évora DOP, Queijo de Azeitão DOP, and Queijo da Serra da Estrela DOP for national comparison. Paired with 3 Alentejo whites and a skin-contact orange wine. Affineur provides structured notes.
Gastronomy
13:00
Lunch — Serpa Village
Lunch at a traditional tasca in Serpa village, known for unpretentious cooking with exceptional local produce. Menu: sheep's trotter soup, slow-roasted pork with chickpeas, cheese board, and orange cake. House wine from a local cooperative.
Gastronomy
14:30
Serpa Historic Village Walk
Private 45-minute guided walk through Serpa's beautifully preserved historic centre: the aqueduct ruins, the castle, the clock tower, and the old oil press museum. One of the most authentic and least-visited small towns in the Alentejo.
Sightseeing
15:30
Transfer to Vidigueira — Talha Wine Country
Transfer north to the Vidigueira sub-region, 50 minutes from Serpa. Vidigueira is the epicentre of talha wine production — the ancient Roman clay amphora method — and produces some of the Alentejo's most distinctive whites.
Transfer
16:15
Talha Wine Producer — Private Visit & Tasting
Private visit to a small-scale talha wine producer in the Vidigueira area. The producer explains the Roman origins of the method, the sizing and sealing of the clay vessels with olive oil (pingo), and the unique harvest-to-table speed (talha wine is typically ready in November of the harvest year). Tasting of 4 talha wines: 2 whites, 1 rosé, 1 red — poured directly from the vessel with traditional caneca (clay cup).
Sightseeing
17:45
Return Transfer to Évora Hotel
Private minibus returns group to hotel. Approximately 45 minutes.
Transfer
19:00
Hotel Time & Optional Spa
Personal time at hotel. Spa facilities available on request (pre-bookable through InBound). Informal drinks at hotel bar for those who wish.
Free Time
20:30
Final Evening Dinner — Évora Rooftop or Garden Venue
Exclusive dinner at a rooftop or private garden venue in Évora's historic centre with views over the Roman temple and city walls. Farewell atmosphere. Menu built around the week's themes: a full Portuguese cheese board as centrepiece, paired progressively with 5 wines — moving from a crisp Alentejo white through to a 20-year old tawny Port. Main course of slow-roasted lamb. Informal and celebratory.
Gastronomy
22:30
Return to Hotel
Short walk through the illuminated historic streets to hotel.
Transfer
04
Day 4
Olive Oil, Departure & Last Flavours
07:30
Hotel Breakfast & Luggage Preparation
Final breakfast at hotel. Regional produce. Luggage to be left outside rooms by 08:15 for collection. Assisted checkout by InBound coordinator.
Accommodation
09:00
Private Olive Oil Estate Visit — Évora Outskirts
Morning excursion to an olive oil estate 20 minutes from Évora. The Alentejo produces some of Europe's finest extra-virgin olive oil — often alongside wine on the same estate. Private guided tour of the olive groves and the modern mill. Guided tasting of 4 monovarietal olive oils (Galega, Cobrançosa, Arbequina, Picual) with regional bread and fleur de sel. Direct comparison with a mass-market oil for contrast.
Sightseeing
10:30
Alentejo Artisan Market or Cork Factory Visit
Depending on day of week: if weekend, a visit to a local artisan market in the Évora region featuring regional produce, cork crafts, and hand-painted ceramics. If weekday, a private visit to a cork processing facility — the Alentejo produces over 50% of the world's cork and the process from bark stripping to bottle stopper is extraordinary and little-known.
Sightseeing
12:30
Farewell Lunch — Évora Countryside Restaurant
Final lunch at a countryside restaurant or herdade on the outskirts of Évora, set among cork oaks. Simple, generous, Alentejo in spirit: bread, olives, cheese, black pork presa, and seasonal vegetables. A final Alentejo red to close the program.
Gastronomy
14:30
Departure Transfer — Évora to Lisbon Airport
Executive minibus departs for Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport. 1h40 drive. InBound coordinator accompanies group. Chilled water and regional sweets on board. Guest gift bags distributed en route: a selection of Alentejo wine, cheese, and olive oil from producers visited during the program.
Transfer
16:30
Arrival Lisbon Airport & Farewell
Group arrives at Lisbon airport. InBound coordinator assists with check-in desks and luggage drop. Farewell and handover. Post-program tasting summary and producer contact list sent to all guests within 48 hours.
Transfer
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