Guerin® Blog
Tourism in Portugal
Alentejo Wine Tour: a 3-day itinerary of wine, history and landscapes.
Share
Alentejo wine tour is an experience that brings together wine, gastronomy, heritage and nature. In three days, you can enjoy tastings at historic wineries, savour traditional Alentejo dishes, explore medieval villages and drive through vineyards and cork oak landscapes that will take your breath away. To enjoy the itinerary with greater freedom, travelling by car is the most practical option, as many producers are located in rural areas away from the main public transport networks. That is why Guerin can be the ideal partner for your trip.
The diverse Guerin fleet includes comfortable vehicles for long journeys, SUVs and minivans, allowing you to choose the right rental car for the number of travellers and the route you have planned.
If you’re not travelling alone on this wine tour itinerary, you can also add an Additional Driver to your rental. After all, this is a journey best shared safely, particularly when it comes to being on the road.
Is it worth taking a wine-tasting tour trip through the Alentejo?
Absolutely. The Alentejo is a region with unique characteristics, where history, culture and traditions all come together. One of the most iconic wine-producing regions in Portugal and Europe.
The Alentejo Wine Route comprises eight "DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada)”/ PDO Protected Designation of Origin areas, including Évora, Borba, Redondo, Reguengos, Vidigueira, Granja-Amareleja and Moura, each with its own distinctive character.
Évora is an excellent starting point for your trip.
Day 1: start in Évora and visit Cartuxa Winery
Set aside the morning to explore Évora before entering the world of wine. Its historic centre, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to landmarks such as the Roman Temple, the Chapel of Bones and Praça do Giraldo. If you would like to travel more than five millennia back in time, do not miss the Anta do Zambujeiro dolmen and the Almendres Cromlech.
Around 2 km from the city, you will find Cartuxa Winery, at Quinta de Valbom. The centuries-old building was once a retreat for the Jesuits and later became an important wine press. Today, it hosts visits that explore the history of the site and the evolution of wine production.
A visit without a tasting costs €15 per person. The Cartuxa experience, including a winery visit and tasting of three wines, costs €35, while the Sto. Inácio de Loyola tasting, featuring six premium wines, costs €60. Visits last around 1.5 hours and start at 10:30, 11:30, 15:00 and 16:30. Advance booking is recommended.
Tip: set aside the afternoon to discover the city at your own pace and leave time for an Alentejo meal.
Day 2: discover Reguengos de Monsaraz with views over Alqueva
On the second day of your Alentejo wine tour, head to Reguengos de Monsaraz and visit Ervideira, at Herdade da Herdadinha in Vendinha. The experience takes you behind the scenes of wine production, from the arrival of the grapes to bottling, followed by a wine tasting.
Among the seven options available is the Terras D’Ervideira Experience, featuring a tasting of four wines for €18 per person. For a more immersive and personalised experience, the "Conde D’Ervideira – Winemaker for a Day” is the one to choose. Priced at €55 per person and lasting up to 4 hours, it allows you to create, bottle and label your own wine and take your bottle home with you.
After your visit, continue to Monsaraz. This enchanting medieval village, overlooking Alqueva, is well worth a late-afternoon stop to admire the landscape of shimmering waters before settling in for dinner at the inviting Sem-Fim restaurant, a wellness and dining space created inside a former olive oil mill.
Tip: book your experiences in advance, especially during the high season.
Day 3: Vidigueira in your glass and Beja at your feet
By the third day, the journey will already have clocked up plenty of miles. So, before setting off on this adventure, consider adding Guerin’s Premium Roadside Assistance to your rental agreement. This gives you greater peace of mind when driving through the more remote areas of the interior. On this Alentejo wine tourism adventure, we want all the surprises to be good ones.
On the final leg of the journey, head down to Vidigueira, a region with more than 2,000 years of winemaking tradition, where you can discover talha wines, made using an ancient winemaking process in the clay amphorae. Allow time for an Alentejo meal, too. At Ribafreixo Wines, for example, you can combine both experiences at the winery restaurant, where traditional cuisine is served alongside the estate’s wines, with panoramic views over the vineyards.
In Beja, visit the Queen Leonor Museum or the Visigothic Nucleus of the Beja Regional Museum, home to one of the oldest collections of rare Visigothic artefacts. Finish your itinerary with one of the finest views over the city and surrounding landscape from the Beja Castle Keep, which rises 40 metres above the ground.
Tip: arrange your visits to local wine producers in advance and book a table if you choose Ribafreixo Wines, by calling +351 963 559 964.
When is the best time to go on a wine tour in the Alentejo?
Spring is an excellent time to enjoy the countryside in bloom and more moderate temperatures. Late summer and early autumn offer an extra attraction: the grape harvest. This year, Cartuxa Winery offered a dedicated harvest programme including grape selection and traditional grape treading, followed by a tasting of six wines.
Tip: always check the visiting hours, prices and conditions directly with each producer before setting off.
Why should you explore this itinerary by car with Guerin?
The Alentejo’s wineries and estates are spread across the region. Travelling by car allows you to set your own pace, stop at viewpoints, change the order of your visits and discover unexpected places or locations with limited access.
The Guerin fleet caters to different types of trips, from a getaway for two to a family holiday or a trip with friends.
Prepare for your Alentejo wine tour. Guerin helps you with the checklist.
- Define the places you want to visit, the number of people travelling and your route.
- Book your wine tour experiences in advance.
- Book your rental car and remember to consider:
- Additional Driver – add more than one driver to the vehicle, helping ensure a responsible and safe journey.
- Collection, Return and Extension – collect the car at one Guerin station and return it at another. That means you can start your journey in Lisbon and finish in another station in southern Portugal instead of driving back to your starting point.
- Premium Road Assistance – avoid towing and roadside assistance costs in various situations covered by the service.
- Glass and Wheel Protection – recommended for more demanding routes, including dirt roads or roads in poor condition, covering damage specified in the applicable terms and conditions.
Guerin offers you a 100% digital rental process. Simplify key steps and manage your booking more easily. Find out how it works.
Now all that’s left is to choose your dates, book your experiences and rent your car from Guerin. The Alentejo is waiting for you.
Share