135€/person
Quick description: A journey trough the Mountain of Monchique, the highest mountain of the South of Portugal known for its green forest area, extense views to the Algarve coast and iconic mountain delicacies. Learn and taste wine, olive oil, Medronho Firewater (local mountain distilled spirit), liqueurs. Plus a full and free choice meal in great authentic mountain restaurant and a visit to thge highest peak of the mountain to enjoy the panoramic 360º views (here, option of visiting a shop of local artisans).
Necessary condition:
This tour requires a minimum of 4 persons to be realized. Please ask for conditions if your group are less people.
Detailed description and Inclusions
- Pick-up and drop-off in the area of Portimão (Other locations also available, please ask for conditions).
- Visit to the vineyard and winery of "Quinta do Francês", located north Portimão, on the base of the Monchique Mountain. It's a small, local and familiar producer of wine. Owned by a portuguese-french couple that met at Bordeaux, where he was born and grew up surroundend by the influence of wine. They moved in the region at the beginning of the century to start this project from zero. In the slopes of Odelouca River Vlley, they planted their vineyard and built their small but well equiped winery, that also hosts a tasting room, barrels room and laboratory. We will learn about the production from the cultivation in the vineyards to the winemaking process at the winery. Includes a tasting of 4 wines of different style.
- Visit to" Lagar dos Pardieiros" a traditional family mountain farm, where we'll see:
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An olive oil mill of small scale, producing premium olive oils since 1953, still using ancient methods and equipments like millstones, it’s like visiting a museum with life. Includes visit of the olive oil mil and explanation of the methods of production. Includes a tasting of 2 different preparations of olive oil and a tasting of a preparation with a gourmet olive oil made for chefs and high cuisine restaurants, all accompanied with the local famous bread of the Monchique Mountain baked in wood oven in the same day.
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A Traditional rustic distillery of Medronho Firewater, one of the most authentic and artisanal activities of this mountain area, a true hidden gem. Includes explanation of the growth and production method and taste of the spirits and liqueurs produced from this fruit, typical of this region. Tasting of a minimum of 3 different drinks (Some other seasonal liqueurs may be available in specific times)
- Lunch or dinner at restaurant "A Charrete", located in the middle of the town of Monchique. This a great authentic mountain restaurant of high quality. Here we can taste an excellent selection of some of the best delicacies and cuisine specialities from the mountain with emphasis for the black iberian pork (local breed). The meal includes starters, main course and desert with free choice, plus house wine, water and coffee.
- Visit to Fóia, the highest peak of Monchique Mountains and also the highest point of south Portugal. Here,we can have the most spectacular panoramic views of the region, where in total clear days we can see around 100Kms of the Algarve Coast. In this peak we can stay a few minutes enjoying the view and, if of interest, there is a shop where local artisans of Monchique expose their handmade works.
Times:
Morning tour with lunch - pick-up at 9:40AM, winery, olive oil mill and distillery visit in the morning, dropp-off expected around 4:30PM
Afternoon tour with dinner - pick-up at 2:40, winery olive oil mill and distillery visit in the afternoon, dropp-off expected around 9:30PM
Days when this tour can happen:
Monday to saturday (except wednesday)
Groups size and privacy
Groups of 6 to 24 people:
The tour will be totally private and exclusive for your party.
Groups of 2-5 people:
- May have to share the tour. Maximum of 8 travellers for shared tours. Maximum of 3 different groups in the same tour.
- Total private tours are possible to operate with an extra fee. Price on request.