Discover the Alentejo region of Portugal through the hands of its artisans, the warmth of its people, and the traditions that have shaped the country for generations. The program combines hands-on creative workshops, local artisans, Portuguese traditions, gastronomy, wine, nature, history, and meaningful time to relax and reconnect.

The Alentejo

Just south of Lisbon lies the Alentejo, a soulful region of rolling landscapes, ancient cork oak forests, olive groves, vineyards, whitewashed villages and a slower, more deeply rooted way of life. Here, traditions are still woven into everyday life, from handcrafts and ceramics to winemaking, olive oil and the harvesting of cork.

Our home base is Alcácer do Sal, a charming historic town perched along the Sado River. We chose it for its authentic character and its wonderful location between the Alentejo countryside and Portugal’s Atlantic coast. From here, we’ll venture into the surrounding villages and farms to meet local artisans, discover time-honored traditions, taste the region’s wines and olive oils, and experience the beautiful landscapes that make this corner of Portugal so special.

This is Portugal at a gentler pace, rich in tradition, creativity and connection, and wonderfully away from the crowds.

Casa Fortunato

The entire villa of Casa Fortunato is ours for the week. Designed and restored by architects Filipa and António Fortunato, each of the 7 rooms is unique with curated antiques, post-modern design icons, and artworks gathered from a lifetime of travel. The house does not have televisions; instead, there is the library, the garden, and the unhurried rhythm of Alentejo.

Breakfast will be served at the villa as will several chef-prepared dinners. The villa is within walking distance of restaurants and shops.

DEPOSITS, PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS

• A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required within 3 days of booking your trip.

• Half of your trip balance is due 120 days prior to the trip start date. 

• The remaining balance is due 90 days prior to the trip start date. 

• All bookings made within 90 days of the trip start date require full payment. 

Should an installment payment not be received seven (7) days of its due date, we will consider your space on the trip as cancelled and no refunds will be provided for any payments received. You understand the unique services Together in Tuscany provides. Deposits and payments are applied to third party vendors providing itinerary activities very shortly after payments are received. As such, once payments are made to Together in Tuscany, we cannot issue any refunds.

TRAVEL INSURANCE 

We HIGHLY recommend that you obtain travel insurance. If you must cancel your participation in a Together in Tuscany tour for any reason whatsoever, including health conditions, death of a family member, travel difficulties, personal reasons, or any other reason whatsoever, the travel insurance can cover some or all of these expenses. 

• Private transfers to and from the airport and the villa at scheduled times

• 7 nights' accommodations in an artfully restored villa in Alcácer do Sal

• 7 breakfasts

• 6 dinners (with wine)

• 4 lunches

• Ceramics and wine activity

• The art of cork activity

• Market visit and cooking class experience

• Evora tour

• Textiles, embroidery, and tapestry experience

• Comporta, Troia, and Setubal experience

• Private transportation to and from all activities (either by taxi for the shorter drives or car service for the longer drives)

• Local tax

• Gratuities for housekeeping, chef, tour guides, and drivers

• Airfare

• Travel insurance

• Any meals outside of the itinerary (3 lunches and 1 dinner)

• Alcohol and wine outside of the itinerary

• Transfers to and from the airport outside of the scheduled pick up and drop off times

Alcácer do Sal is one of Portugal’s oldest cities – 3,000 years of history on the banks of the Sado River, and still one of the country’s best-kept secrets. Alcácer do Sal is rich in Phoenician, Roman, Moorish and Portuguese history. Cobbled streets, a riverside castle, flamingos in the estuary and a handful of places that feel entirely, quietly, their own. Close to everything, discovered by almost no one.

• 50 minutes from Lisbon and airport

• 30 minutes from Comporta and Troia, some of Europe's best beaches

• 1 hour to Evora and Monsaraz

• Walking distance to the Sado River, castle, and town square

Comporta is decorated with pine forests, rice paddies and wild Atlantic beaches. Increasingly sought-after, but still wonderfully unhurried, and just 30 minutes from Casa Fortunato.

A Gentle Welcome to Alentejo

Your retreat begins with a gentle arrival and the chance to leave the pace of everyday life behind. Your private transfer will take you from Lisbon to our beautiful home for the week, Casa Fortunato, in the historic town of Alcácer do Sal.

After settling into your room, we’ll gather for a welcome drink featuring a local Alentejo wine. You'll have a chance to meet your fellow travelers, take a deep breath, and begin to settle into the rhythm of the week.

In the evening, we’ll come together around the table for our welcome dinner, sharing traditional Alentejo dishes and the warmth of Portuguese hospitality. It’s an easy, unhurried beginning to a week filled with creativity, connection, and discovery.

A Taste of Life in Alcácer

Today, we’ll slow down and get to know Alcácer do Sal through the places, flavors, and traditions that have shaped life here for generations. Begin with a self-paced walk through the historic town, taking in the hilltop castle, the Sado River, and the beautiful landscape surrounding us.

We’ll learn about the region’s long tradition of rice growing and discover the crafts and everyday traditions that continue to be part of Alentejo life. After a leisurely traditional lunch on your own, we’ll meet a local artisan and have the opportunity to hear their story and see how these time-honored skills are being carried forward.

The afternoon is yours to relax and enjoy the town or Casa Fortunato at your own pace.

Optional Adventure: For those who would like to explore by bike, join an electric bicycle ride from Alcácer do Sal toward Comporta, following the Vala dos Regantes irrigation canal through the rice fields and along the Sado landscape, with a stop at the charming Cais Palafítico—the traditional wooden stilt pier at Carrasqueira.

Clay, Wine & Alentejo

Today, we’ll spend the day at Herdade da Barrosinha, a beautiful Alentejo estate where the land, food, wine, and creativity come together.

Take time to explore the estate before settling in for a hands-on ceramics workshop. Working directly with clay, you’ll learn traditional techniques and create something of your own.

After our workshop, we’ll share a leisurely lunch at the estate before discovering another expression of the land through its wines. A wine tasting gives us the opportunity to learn more about the region and the traditions behind Alentejo winemaking.

It’s a day to create, taste, explore, and enjoy the simple pleasure of being fully immersed in the place around you.

Did you know that Portugal is the world’s largest cork producer and exporter, supplying about 50% of global cork products?

Cork is woven into the landscape and culture of Alentejo, where Portugal’s ancient cork oak forests have been part of life for centuries. Today, we’ll venture into the Montado to experience this remarkable tradition where it begins: with the trees, the land, and the people who care for them.

Walking among the cork oaks, we’ll learn why these trees are so important to the region and discover how cork is carefully harvested without harming the tree. We’ll follow its journey from the forest to the many beautiful and practical ways this natural material is transformed and used.

Along the way, we’ll have the opportunity to taste local products from the estate and gain a deeper appreciation for one of Alentejo’s most distinctive traditions.

It’s a chance to step into the landscape, meet the people who preserve its traditions, and see how something as simple as a tree can become such an important part of everyday life.

From Market to Table

Today is all about one of the things Portugal does best: bringing people together around food. We’ll begin at the local market in Alcácer do Sal, where our chef will guide us through the stalls as we discover the ingredients, flavors, and seasonal produce of the Alentejo. Together, we’ll choose what will become our meal, getting a taste of everyday life in the town along the way.

Back at Casa Fortunato, we’ll gather in the kitchen to prepare our feast. There will be plenty of hands-on cooking, new techniques to learn, stories and knowledge to share.

Then comes the best part: sitting down together at the table to enjoy what we’ve created. With good food, good conversation, and nowhere else we need to be, this is the kind of shared experience that becomes one of the memories we carry home with us.

Évora, Arraiolos & the Art of Making

Today, we’ll step into two of Alentejo’s most treasured traditions: its remarkable history and its living textile heritage.

We’ll begin in Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage city, where a private guide will bring the stories of this beautiful place to life as we wander its historic streets. Along the way, we’ll see the Roman Temple, Évora Cathedral, and the haunting Chapel of Bones, with time to browse local artisan and design shops before enjoying a traditional Alentejo lunch on your own.

In the afternoon, we’ll continue to Arraiolos, a village whose name is synonymous with its beautiful hand-stitched rugs. Here, we’ll meet local artisans and discover the centuries-old techniques that have been passed down through generations.

Then, it’s your turn to create a small piece of your own; a tangible reminder of the women, traditions, and craftsmanship you encountered along the way.

From the Rice Fields to the Atlantic

For our final day, we’ll follow the landscape from the rice fields of the Sado to the wide-open Atlantic coast.

We’ll begin in Setúbal at the traditional Livramento Market, discovering the colorful array of local fish, cheeses, breads, sweets, and regional specialties. From there, we’ll cross the Sado by boat, watching the landscape unfold as we make our way toward Tróia.

Then we’ll head to the coast for a long, leisurely lunch by the beach. With the sound of the Atlantic nearby, there will be time to linger over our meal, stroll along the dunes, or simply settle into the sand and enjoy the afternoon.

Our scenic drive back will take us through the rice fields toward Comporta, where we’ll explore the village and learn more about the relationship between the Sado River, the rice-growing traditions, and this extraordinary coastal landscape.

A fitting final day to reflect on all we’ve discovered—creating, tasting, sharing, and experiencing Portugal in a way that stays with us long after we return home.

Until We Meet Again

All good things must come to an end, and today we say goodbye to our beautiful home in Alentejo and to the women who shared this special journey with us.

Over the past week, we’ve created, explored, tasted, laughed, learned, and shared moments that will become memories we carry home. We hope you leave with new friendships, a deeper connection to Portugal, and a little piece of the Alentejo in your heart.

Private transportation will be arranged for your return to Lisbon Airport or your Lisbon hotel.

Until next time… boa viagem!