Have you considered visiting Portugal but don’t know where to go beyond Lisbon? Are you looking for ways to travel without having to do the planning? Or, maybe you really want to visit Europe but don’t have a travel buddy to go with you?
What if you could experience the best of Portugal, both the popular spots and the lesser-known, without having to worry about a single detail? Better yet, what if you could have a luxurious food and wine experience while enjoying Portuguese culture in the company of a small group of like-minded women?
Join me in Portugal from October 20-25, 2024 for a 5-night, small-group trip to Lisbon and Alentejo for a Portuguese food and wine experience.
Bring a friend or meet new ones, this trip is open to women of all ages who wish to experience the local culture, food, and wine of Portugal. With a maximum of 10 attendees, including me, your host, you will have an opportunity to see some of Lisbon’s most famous sights while also visiting a part of the country that not as many people see (yet it is one of my favorites!)…Alentejo!
Located in the heart of Portugal, Alentejo is like Tuscany without the crowds. You will find rolling hills, vineyards galore, and charming small towns. In Alentejo, you will interact with locals and get to experience the authentic Portugal that you just can’t find in the bigger cities.
You will meet local olive oil producers and winemakers, try your hand a cooking Portuguese cuisine, experience the Portuguese tradition of Fado, and enjoy a traditional Alentejan sunset picnic. The group will enjoy guided tours with professional local guides and have all in-country arrangements made by my friends and partners at EPIC Travel.
As a fan of slow travel as the ideal way to experience a destination, we will also make sure that you have downtime to enjoy lounging by the pool, shopping for locally-made souvenirs, exploring on your own, or doing an optional activity such as horseback riding.
Portuguese Food & Wine 5-Night Itinerary Overview
Day 1 – You will be met at the Lisbon airport and have a private transfer to your accommodations for the next two nights at Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel in the heart of Lisbon.
Once everyone has arrived, the group will head out to the suburbs of Lisbon to the historic Belém via a private tuk tuk tour, which is a great way to navigate the hilly streets of Lisbon while overcoming your jet lag. Belém is where you will find many famous landmarks including the Belém Tower, Monument to the Discoveries, and the Jeronimo Monastery. Of course, you will be able to jump out and take photos and also get to sample the famous Pasteis de Belém custard tarts before returning to the hotel.
We will enjoy an early light dinner at a nearby restaurant, hosted by Tamara at Your Time to Fly, with plenty of opportunity to get to know one another.
Day 2 – We will start exploring central Lisbon on a private food tour to discover some of Portugal’s culinary gems while learning more about the neighborhoods and history of the city. Later, we will experience the soulful melodies of Fado in a historic setting and finish the day with the opportunity for a sunset cocktail at a local rooftop bar. Dinner will be on your own but we are happy to make recommendations or reservations.
Day 3 – In the morning we will journey to the heart of the country through the rolling hills covered with olive groves, vineyards, and cork trees to our hotel in Alentejo. On the way, we will stop at an olive oil farm where a family has been raising native Galega olive oil trees for three generations. You will learn about the traditional methods of making olive oil, including an educational tasting, followed by an exclusive lunch prepared using local, organic, seasonal produce and featuring the olive oils.
We will arrive at the Torre de Palma Wine Hotel in time for a sunset welcome glass of wine on the rooftop of this former palace with beautiful views out over the vineyards below.
Dinner reservations will be made at the hotel, but dinner is on your own (or with your new friends!)
Day 4 – After a hearty breakfast, you will have time to enjoy the property at Torre de Palma for leisure time including relaxing at the pool, walking to nearby Roman ruins, hiking through the vineyards, or booking an optional spa appointment or horseback ride.
In the afternoon, we will visit a nearby farm and pick produce from the gardens that we will use to cook a seasonal, plant-based dinner. Then we can enjoy the fruits of our labor with a home-cooked meal accompanied by a glass of Portuguese wine before returning to the hotel.
Day 5 – The final full day begins with a private, guided walking tour of the historic town of Evora, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can then enjoy some leisure time for shopping or lunch on your own before returning to Torre de Palma.
You will have a little more downtime before enjoying a wine tour and tasting at Torre de Palma. Immediately following, we will finish our time together with a sunset picnic paired with local wines for a perfect farewell!
Day 6 – The group will then be transported back to the Lisbon airport for your journey home. Please book a late morning or afternoon flight to ensure you have enough time to get to the airport. If you wish to extend your stay in Portugal to visit other regions or stay longer in Lisbon, EPIC Travel can assist in making arrangements.
Download the full itinerary here.
What’s Included?
- 5 nights of travel through Lisbon and Alentejo, Portugal from October 20-25, 2024
- 2 nights of lodging in a double-occupancy room at Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel (singles available for an additional cost)
- 3 nights of lodging in a double-occupancy room at Torre de Palma (singles available for an additional cost)
- Daily breakfast October 21 – 25, 2025
- 2 lunches (food tour and olive oil farm)
- 3 dinners (welcome dinner, cooking class, sunset picnic)
- Guided tuk tuk tour of Belém
- Guided food tour of Lisbon
- Olive oil farm visit
- Cooking class
- Guided tour of Evora
- Wine tasting at Torre de Palma
- Welcome gift from Your Time to Fly
- Transfers to and from the Lisbon airport and all ground transportation in Portugal to activities included in the itinerary. Plan to arrive in Lisbon on the morning of October 20th and depart Lisbon in the late morning or afternoon of October 25th to utilize included transfers.
What’s Not Included?
- Round trip airfare to and from Lisbon
- Gratuities for guides, drivers, servers, and/or hotel staff
- Travel insurance
- Meals or activities not listed above
Why Travel with Us?
This is a small group tour with a minimum of eight women and a maximum of 10 attendees, allowing you to experience Portugal without hassle, but also without big bus tours. We are keeping this trip to women only because we want to encourage women to take time for themselves. Independent travel can be very empowering, but small group travel gives you the opportunity to connect with others, make new friends, and feel comfortable traveling.
I’d encourage you to bring a friend or relative but I also want to welcome those that may not have a favorite travel companion who still want to get out and experience the world.
This trip is designed to be experience-rich, rather than tick off a lot of boxes of sights and attractions. You will get the highlights, but also move at a pace that allows for downtime and free exploration. You will experience the culture through its food and drink in a way that allows you to truly connect with locals.
You will get to experience Portugal during one of its best seasons. In October the crowds have thinned some and the weather is typically still spectacular but not too hot.
I have spent over two weeks traveling around Portugal with EPIC Travel, whose team lives in Portugal and has developed close relationships with all its suppliers. We have worked hard to put together a balanced and beautiful itinerary that lets you experience the Portugal that we love. EPIC will be working hard behind the scenes to ensure your trip is fantastic and I will be on-the-ground with you to lead our group and take photos for you to capture the memories.
What Does it Cost?
The total price of this tour is €3,500 per person based on double occupancy in twin rooms (approximately $3,782 based on the current exchange rate). There is a €1,050 per person supplement to have an individual room for the whole journey.
To book, please complete this booking form and put “Your Time to Fly” in the “How did you hear about EPIC” field. EPIC will then contact you to complete the booking. A 30% deposit is required at time of booking, with the remaining 70% due 90 days prior to the trip.
This trip will be confirmed as soon as we receive the minimum of eight guests and no later than June 1, 2024. Please do not book your airfare until this trip is confirmed. We also require that you purchase appropriate travel insurance.
Cancellations must be made in writing prior to June 1, 2024 for a loss of the deposit. If the trip is cancelled due to lack of participation, your deposit will be returned in full. Cancellations made after that date will forfeit the full amount of the trip unless a replacement guest is found.
Questions?
Have questions? Please email me directly and I will be happy to answer them or refer you to EPIC Travel for more information.
Tamara is an over 50, award-winning travel writer, and recent empty nester based in Rhode Island. After years of writing about family travel on We3Travel and inspiring wanderlust as co-host of the Vacation Mavens family travel podcast, she started Your Time to Fly as a place to share ideas for girlfriend getaways, romantic escapes, and solo female travel for midlife women.
