Painting-in-Spain-2024
Barcelona-and-Costa-Brava-2024
Extremadura & Andalucia 2024
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Cycling through rolling fields of wildflowers and olive trees, we'll celebrate an area of Portugal that many consider to be the last vestige of old Portugal. Medieval walled villages, white-washed and trimmed in blue, dot the hilltops while plains of wheat and oats spread out below, freckled with small flocks of sheep and goats.
The Alentejo was the scene of some of Portugal's bloodiest battles with Romans, Moors and later Spaniards - you'd almost expect a band of knights in armor to come riding across the fields as you cycle past! Nowadays, however, it'd more likely be a black garbed peasant lady riding her donkey into town.
We'll sample an assortment of Alentejo towns and villages starting with the graceful town of Evora with its Roman/Moorish past; the pristine walled villages of Monsaraz and Marvao; Vila Vicosa with its elegant Ducal Palace; the 14th century monastery in Flor da Rosa now a luxury hotel; and finally, delightful Castelo da Vide with its picturesque medieval Jewish quarter and tiny synagogue - the oldest in Portugal.
You'll be left with unforgettable memories of this lovely region - its serenity and heart-stopping beauty and, of course, days of idyllic cycling. Our last night finds us in old Lisbon where we'll celebrate and say "goodbye" with a Farewell Dinner and fado show.
After a mid-morning pickup in Lisbon, the group will be shuttled to the little museum town of Evora , the spiritual heart of the Alentejo and one of the most impressive and enchanting towns in Portugal. Evora is a fascinating mixture of 3 cultures - Roman, Moorish and medieval. In fact, so extraordinary for its beauty and history that the whole town has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We'll have plenty of time to visit the lovely little Roman temple to Diana and a medieval chapel lined with the bones of long ago monks, while wandering the labyrinth of cobbled Moorish streets. Group Welcome Dinner.
We cycle through the gentle countryside to the the ancient walled village of Monsaraz, virtually unchanged since the middle ages. En route we'll examine Celtic dolmens rising from a cornfield and begin our acquaintance with the Alentejo - the cork and olive groves, the whitewashed houses with their blue trim, and the black clothed figures patiently tilling the fields. We'll get to Monsaraz in time to explore this charming village and to enjoy the spectacular views all the way over to Spain. (Ride of 56k / 35m).
A wonderful ride today through vast, rolling expanses of wildflower covered plains leads us to the equally flower bedecked royal town of Vila Vicosa, the family seat of the Bragancas, last ruling family of Portugal. On the way, we'll visit a town famous for its pottery and watch the potters at work - a family trade that's fast dying out. Group dinner. (Ride of 63k / 39m).
Optional loop ride today to the tragic ruins of a castle overlooking the Guadiana River and the border with Spain. Riding on, we'll visit the medieval village of Alandroal with its Moorish castle and walls before heading back to Vila Vicosa. The ride will leave us with plenty of time to explore Vila Vicosa, the ducal palace and the 13th century castle built by King Dom Dinis after taking it from the Moors. Evening Free. (Ride of 50k / 31m).
Today we ride north to the little village of Flor da Rosa and its impressive 14th century monastery built by the father of one of Portugal's greatest warlords. On the way, we'll ride through the little marble town of Borba where even the curbs and sidewalks are made of marble. The walled town of Estremoz is next with its moat and drawbridge and towering ramparts. Riding on northwards we'll stop to visit the Royal Stud farm in Alter do Chao, where the beautiful Lusitanian horses have been bred for over two hundred years. Between stops, will be easy riding through some of the oldest olive groves in Portugal. Group Dinner. (Ride of 80k / 50m).
Our last day of riding will be through the beautiful oak-forested slopes of the Serra de Sao Mamede to the medieval spa town of Castelo da Vide with its enchanting Jewish quarter. Before we arrive, however, we'll stop in Portalegre to visit the fascinating Fabrica de Tapecarias (tapestry factory) - all that remains of an industry that reached its zenith in the 17th and 18th centuries. Riding onwards and upwards through the Serra we'll reach the breathtaking walled village of Marvao, high above the Alentejo plains before we ride on to lovely Castelo da Vide. Here we'll visit the tiny 13th century synagogue in the Judairia (Jewish quarter) set amid cottages, most of which still have Gothic doorways. Group Dinner. (Ride of 53k / 33m).
Today we'll catch a shuttle to old Lisboa where we'll have the day free to shop or join a sightseeing tour of Lisbon on foot. Farewell Dinner & Fado Show
From €
Duration: 7 NIGHTS/ 8 DAYS
Included: All breakfasts, 5 dinners w/ wine
Price is per person, based on double occupancy and exchange rates at the time when this page was published. Price subject to adjustment for exchange rate fluctuations. For smaller or larger groups, consult us for a quote.
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