Costa Vicentina

Days Private Tour In the Algarve from Lisbon

The F irst Day we leave Lisbon crossing the beautiful suspension bridge, admiring the city  as well as monument to Christ-King. The path that leads to the Algarve, offers a landscape with white houses with large chimneys and a plain covered with olive trees, vineyards and cork oak. We arrived in the historic town of Sines, which became important in 1978 with its refinery entered work with a capacity to distill 220,000 barrels per day. We continue to the small but elegant beach and village of Porto Covo, and then Vila Nova de Mil Fontes, located on the Costa Vicentina, and being on the coast, was once heavily ravaged by pirates. Then we continue to the southwest corner of Portugal, the Cape of Saint Vincent, Sagres and the School of Navigation of the Infante D. Henrique. Now its time to enjoy the Algarve’s beaches, golf courses, travel back in time and feel the five centuries of Muslim heritage through its white houses and the trap of roofs and chimneys, which we can so well see in the city of Lagos, local of bad memory of the slave market and that there are still its walls, on the way to Albufeira we will stop at the fortress of Santa Catarina in the ” praia da Rocha”. Rest, eat and have fun, because here the nights are never old. The Second Day we will departure from the hotel and visit different beaches with its excellent conditions, pass by Oura beach, Olhos de Agua until we reach Vilamoura, with its luxurious marina, hotels and its casino. Then visit the beautiful church in Almancil filled with tiles from the Baroque period, hence the expression “gold on blue”. And from here to the capital Faro, which in the sixteenth century lived 2,000 whites and 500 black slaves, but miscegenation created this city in a multiracial society, where we can see black figures and saints in its 4 churches in the historic center: The Cathedral, S. Pedro, Carmo and Capuchos. Possible lunch here. In the afternoon we will visit the town of Tavira and its river and market. On the way back we are waiting for the mountain town of Loulé and its beautiful historic center. On the Third Day we left our hotel in the Algarve to visit Silves, which was one of the most important Muslim cities in the Algarve, devastated by the earthquake of 1755 that had its epicenter near Sagres, visible remains of Muslims heritage in their construction, castle and church. On the way back to Lisbon we stop for a good sardine in Setubal, and from here we cross Arrábida Park, with a majestic view of the Atlantic and the Peninsula of Troia, that James Bond was in the 007 “at the service of his majesty”, then we go to Piriquita winery and there we get lost in a guided tour between tunnels and barrels, until the throat refreshes with a couple of glasses of wine. Arriving in Lisbon  

3 Days Private Tour In the Algarve from Lisbon

ItineraryDay 1: Lisbon - Evora - Monsaraz - AlbufeiraStop At: Corticarte - Arte em Cortica, Azaruja, Evora District, AlentejoDeparture from Lisbon to the Alentejo region, more precisely Evora, crossing the beautiful suspension bridge, admiring the city as well as monument to Christ-King Our day arriving to a farmhouse, knew that cork is the bark of the cork oak, a kind of oak, a bark with great characteristics, is light, elastic and resistant to fire among othersEach year the bark grows, however, only after nine to nine years it must be removed from the tree, being able to reach 25 centimeters of thickness, defenitively an excellent protection for the tree against the heat, cold and fires, after removing the tree forms a new bark.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Centro Historico de Evora, Evora, Evora District, AlentejoEvora place where different civilizations had lived, the ancient “Temple of Diana” next to the Evora Cathedral built in the Roman´s period, we can see the magnificent aqueduct of “Agua da Prata”, outside the city walls and extend from the outskirts of the city, some of its arches are still visible inside the city, built in the 16th century to ensure the water transportation.The Arabs built their streets and alleys in the 11th and 12th centuries, Evora was the residence of some Portuguese kings, a point of convergence of renowned artists, supported by the patronage and dynasty reigning in Portugal.The period of the discoveries was of glory to Evora creating particularly favorable conditions in the construction of numerous aristocratic mansions of the city as the Jesuit university.Duration: 2 hoursStop At: Capela dos Ossos, Evora, Evora District, AlentejoHowever, the ex-libris will be the Church of San Francisco, especially the Bones Chapel, clothed with skulls and bones of 500 monks, attracting thousands every year and proclaiming “We bones, here we are, for yours we will wait” at the entrance of the it.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Monsaraz Castle and Walls, Monsaraz, Evora District, AlentejoMonsaraz is a small medieval village with narrow stone streets and houses painted white add special charm to this village and its inhabitants. As we pass through its walls, we return to medieval times, surrounded by plains that stretch out of sight and along with the Alqueva that divides Portugal and Spain.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Albufeira Marina, Albufeira, Faro District, AlgarveWe will arrive in Albufeira, its historic center with a traditional atmosphere with its whitewashed houses with narrow cobbled streets filled with cafes and shops with a lively nightlife being the central avenue is a succession of tempting bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Overnight in AlbufeiraDuration: 1 hourNo meals included on this day.No accommodation included on this day.Day 2: Albufeira - Lagres - Sagres - AlbufeiraStop At: Marina de Lagos, Lagos, Faro District, AlgarveNext on our three days private tour in Algarve from Lisbon we will departure from the hotel and visit Lagos, in the middle of the sixteenth century, lagos was the great base of support for the Discoveries, the place from which its main expeditions departed and where many of the products marketed.This strategic importance of Lagos gave rise to a considerable economic development, which was translated in the fixation of many people in the city, originating its urban growth.The continuous harassment that the city suffered on the part of the North African corso forced to the construction of a second waist of walls, adapted to the new concepts of the military architecture, that the generalization of the use of the artillery had introduced, and that the Portuguese, following the model Italian avant-garde, had been putting into practice in Morocco and in most of the territories integrated in the EmpireDuration: 2 hoursStop At: Fortaleza de Sagres, Sagres, Faro District, AlgarveThe Sagres Fortress, also known as Promotorium Sacrum, built by order of Prince Henry the Navigator, where inside we will see; cannons, a sixteenth-century tower and also the Church of Our Lady of Grace, one of the former monument ex-líbris is the rose of the winds, a sundial that some consider to be of the time of the infant and the nautical school that he founded in Sagres.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Cape Saint Vincent, Sagres, Faro District, AlgarveVery close by we have the Fortress of “Cabo de Sao Vicente”, built in the 16th century to protect the coast from the Moorish attacks, pirates and, according to the legend, the place where the fortress was built will have received the remains of San Vicente before they were moved to Lisbon. Overnight in AlbufeiraDuration: 1 hourNo meals included on this day.No accommodation included on this day.Day 3: Albufeira - Sesimbra - Stop At: Castelo de Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal District, AlentejoOn the way back to Lisbon we will visit a few cities before arrive in Lisbon, such as Sesimbra starring by visit its Moorish Castle, on the hillside north of the village, this fortress was classified as a national monument in 1910, and is today one of the most visited sites in the county.Built in the 9th century, still under Islamic occupation, its role throughout history has always been land and maritime defense of the region.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Castelo de Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal District, AlentejoIn the bay, you will find the Maritime Museum of Sesimbra where you will know the connection of this Portuguese village to the sea and fishing art, from the history of the local fishermen, how they traveled and the utensils they used, to maritime devotions, there are several rooms to explore. The ex-libris of this museum is a 3D movie that takes you on a journey back to the time of prehistory and medieval times, ending in a return to the ocean and the future of Sesimbra.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Baia de Setubal, Setubal, Setubal District, AlentejoSetubal and the sea, the fishermen´s, there boats, the river and the sea are inseparable and Setubal identity, demonstrated and colored by the hundreds of boats anchored along the riverfront contrasting with the bronze tanned skin of men of toil, real people of the sea, accustomed to overcome all different challenges, with a peculiar wisdom and humour, able to paint pictures with words that make anyone mesmerized.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Monastery of Jesus of Setubal, Setubal, Setubal District, AlentejoIn Setubal downtown you find stores for every taste, from some of the most recognized global brands, mingle with others from older times, where one can discover some rarities and less conventional products, culture peeks around every turn, where buildings are living testimonies of a city that grew, which is modernized, all without forgetting its sea roots.Most of the streets converge to “Praça do Bocage” Setubal´s meeting point of the locals, full of esplanades and dedicated to one of the greatest figures of Portuguese poetry, his statue with his eyes fixed on the sea, is the landmark of this busiest square.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Azulejos de Azeitao, Azeitao, Setubal District, AlentejoBeing in Portugal it is impossible to be indifferent to the churches, palaces and other buildings lined with tiles, it is true that they have Muslim roots, but they had become a symbol of the Portuguese culture, to visit a traditional tile factory is an authentic jewel for lovers and collectors, in this factory will find European, Islamic and Chinese drawings of the most different types, whether painted or relief, in the Hispano-Arabic style of the 15th and 16th century.A true lesson on the various stages of the manufacturing process, from the “making”, through the glazing and finishing in the painting, you can still live on the skin the experience of painting your own tile.Duration: 1 hourNo meals included on this day.No accommodation included on this day.

From Lagos: Wild Beaches Day

We will pick you up from your accommodation in Lagos. Then we go to a beach day that you will not forget! You will know the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve. Within the Natural Park of Costa Vicentina, these beaches are almost deserted and you will be able to spend some time in each one, to be able to dive, sunbath and relax! You go in a minivan with air conditioning, very comfortable. The group will be a maximum of 8 people, so we will have some privacy too, no big hurry! Bring the sunscreen and the towel and come with us!