Day Trips from Lisbon
Portugal offers an ideal destination for wine lovers, and exploring the vineyards in the various wine regions around the country is a popular pastime. The wine estates range from modern to family-run, traditional and historical, some of which produce unique and rare varieties.
If you are based in Lisbon, there are many different wineries close to the city, so you don’t have to travel far to experience a wine tour and wine tasting session.
Whether you wish to visit as a day trip, or enjoy an overnight stay, some of the estates also offer picnic hampers so you can sample the local produce and enjoy a walk through the vineyards, or relax over a slow-paced lunch at one of the onsite restaurants in an idyllic countryside setting.
Sintra Wine Region
Quinta da Sant'Ana, Mafra
Quinta da Sant’Ana is a family-run organic vineyard in Mafra, located in the Sintra countryside just north of Lisbon, near the Atlantic coast. Owned by Ann and James Frost for the past thirty years, they live at the farm with their seven sons. The working estate is dedicated to the production of top-quality wines, as well as organising tailor-made events, and they also host guests where you can stay in one of their charming cottages.
The Quinta had been producing wine since it was founded in 1630 before falling into disrepair. Ann Frost’s parents bought the property in 1969 where she enjoyed an idyllic childhood, before returning to take over the property over twenty years later. In 1999 they planted over 2.4 hectares of new vines, including varieties Aragonès, Castelão and Fernão Pires.
The farm now focuses solely on organic growing practices amongst an abundant flora of wildflowers and herbs. You can take a tour of the vineyards with a tasting of 15 wines, and enjoy a picnic with one of their hampers, or private lunch with one of the Quinta owners.
Adega Regional, Colares
The oldest Cooperative Winery in Portugal, Adega Regional is in Colares, a traditional village in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, bordered by the Atlantic ocean and Sintra mountain range.
As a local cooperative, the wine estate focuses on the protection and preservation of the Colares wine culture, offering an original viticulture using unusual and ancestral cultural techniques. The unique qualities of the region, with its pre-phylloxera vines and unusual deep sandy soils, produce unique grape varieties and wine, such as Ramisco and Malvasia de Colares.
Visit this fascinating winery where you can book a guided wine tour with one of their winemakers, enjoy a wine tasting amongst the old barrels in their emblematic winery, and purchase unique local wines produced in the Colares region.
Adega Reginal de Colares Instagram
Setúbal Wine Region
Quinta da Alorna, Santarém
Quinta da Alorna is a family estate located on the south bank of the Tagus river, just 40 minutes from Lisbon in the beautiful countryside of Almeirim, near Santarém. Dating back to 1723, it is one of the oldest wine estates in the Tagus region, now in the hands of the Lopo de Carvalho family for five generations. The estate originally belonged to D. Pedro Miguel de Almeida Portugal, Viceroy of India and Marquis of Alorna.
With a total area of 2,800 hectares dedicated to farming, the estate entrains environmental and sustainability concerns in all their activities, which include horse breeding, cork oak, cereals, fruit, vegetables, forest and vineyards.
There is much to discover while you are here, including wine tasting, enjoying some of their organic produce with a picnic in the beautiful Quinta’s vineyards as well as making your own wine and “aroma” workshops. The wine shop is open daily, selling vintage and latest exclusive wines as well as their own food produce including honey, jams and olive oil.
Casa-Museu José Maria Da Fonseca, Azeitão
Located in the village of Azeitão on the Setúbal peninsula, José Maria da Fonseca House and Museum is the oldest producer of table wine and Setúbal Moscatel in Portugal, with almost two centuries of history.
Built in the 19th century, the Museum-House was restored in 1923 by the Swiss architect Ernesto Korrodi. Formerly the residence of the Soares Franco family until 1974, the family owned business was founded in 1834 and features a beautiful façade and gardens.
A visit to the winery begins with a brief explanation of the company’s history, followed by a tour of the ancient wine cellars Adega da Mata and Adega dos Teares, featuring some vintage relics over 100 years old. Enjoy a wine tasting at the end of the tour, where you can sample many varieties such as Periquita mature, and Adega dos Teares Velhos.
Experiences on offer include guided tours of the estate, wine tasting and sampling of regional products. There is also a wine shop and it is possible to rent the venue as an event space.
José Maria da Fonseca Instagram
Quinta de Alcube, Arrabida
The Quinta de Alcube is a family run property located in the Serra da Arrábida Natural Park, developed in harmony with the natural environment, offering a beautiful escape to this remote nature spot between the mountains and the sea, whether for a visit or to stay.
The property features an old manor house, the Solar do Morgado de Alcube, founded in the 15th century by Álvaro de Sousa and his wife D. Francisca de Távora. ****The Chapel Museum of S. Macário and the Chapel of Alto das Necessidades are next to the Solar, as well as a Vine and Wine Museum located in an original Roman press.
Enjoy a Spring or Summer morning exploring the various spaces of the Quinta, including a visit to the wine cellars where you will learn about the transformation process from grape to bottle. End the tour with a wine sampling from a Touriga Nacional to a Syrah, with local food tasting or a prepared picnic close to Ribeira de Alcube, in the heart of the Serra da Arrábida forest.
The property also offers accommodation where you can stay in one of the three rustic houses and wake up to a wonderful breakfast on your private terrace, full of regional flavours and local produce from the Quinta.
Alentejo Wine Region
Herdade do Esporão, Évora
Located in the heart of the Alentejo, the Herdade do Esporão winery is a unique family-run project that focuses on organic, sustainable production. For the third consecutive year, Esporáo has been awarded one of The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands. The house also offers beautiful accommodation overlooking the river for up to 10 people, where you can enjoy the gardens, a swimming pool and participate in the Estate’s activities.
During your visit, you can explore the vineyards, kitchen gardens and the unique ampelographic field, an experimental field covering 9.7 hectares set up in 2011 and planted with 189 grape varieties. The field boasts every variety of the Alentejo and Douro region, as well as the main varieties of Portugal’s other regions including the more rare.
This admirable project aims to mitigate the impact that climate change may have on wine quality in future and contribute to balancing ecosystems, and preserve Portuguese wine heritage, including varieties at risk of extinction.
Other experiences include visiting the wineries where you can enjoy a wine sampling, tasting of their regional products, including the olive oil produced in their mill. Discover their full range of products at the shop, or enjoy a farm to table lunch beside the lake at the Herdade do Esporáo Restaurant for a perfect end to the experience.
Although you can reach some of these places by public transport, you will need a car to visit the more remote locations. Leave your car at home and book a guided tour with one of our drivers, so you can fully take advantage of the wine tasting experience, and learn more about the surrounding area on the way.
Contact Lisbon Sintra Tours to Arrange a Bespoke Tour
If you would like to experience one or more of these fantastic wine experiences, you can either fill in our Enquiry Form, or send us an email, and we will gladly help you arrange the perfect Wine Tour for your party.