Algarve Private Wine Tour

Your driver will meet you this morning at Faro Airport (Lisbon airport is also viable), and your short but unforgettable gourmet wine tour begins! But, first, you will head straight to your villa-style luxury hotel to settle in. This small, elegant Moorish-style palace is perched right over the ocean with lush gardens and palm trees, making this quiet and private address feel like an oasis.

After freshening up in your room or their fabulous spa, prepare for an incredible, two Michelin-starred, wine-soaked lunch on the terrace with sea views. Austrian chef Dieter Koschina has been working at Vila Joya for almost three decades, having secured his first star in ’95 and the second star in ’99 (indeed, he was the first chef in Portugal to get 2 Michelin stars). Sit back, let him tickle your taste buds, and enjoy this experience to the max!

The afternoon then is yours to catch up on jet lag, relax, swim at the pool or the beach, and enjoy the hotel facilities. Welcome to the Algarve!

Today will be a fascinating introduction to the wines of the Algarve. Your driver will pick you up in the late morning (giving you a chance to sleep in and enjoy an excellent breakfast), and you will head first to Morgado do Quintão, a boutique wine estate dating back to the early 1810s and is today still run by the same family four generations later. The winery also cultivates olive groves and almonds.

After a private tour, sit at a pleasant farmhouse table next to their Negramole-planted vineyard under a 2000-year-old tree. You will savor a traditional three-course Algarvian lunch paired with their estate wines. Sunshine, birds singing, vineyard views, delicious food, and wine- bliss!

After lunch, the wine fun continues at the next estate, Quinta dos Vales, where you will create your wine blend with the winemaker! This premium wine estate lauded as the best winery in the Algarve is famous for its wines and beautiful property, home to an impressive art and sculpture collection. You can admire the multitude of sculptures in their extensive gardens. In addition, we have something very entertaining planned for you- a private bottle-blending workshop. The winemaker will guide you through the basics, from choosing grape varietals to what you need to look for in a wine blend and executing the assemblage.

You have the unique opportunity today to tailor a wine to your preferences, bottle it yourself, label it with your custom-designed label, and seal it with a cork. This is a neat and creative experience; you will leave the Algarve with your handmade wine!

Before returning to your luxury sanctuary this afternoon, stretch your legs and get some fresh air in nearby Silves. This fortified Moorish hamlet is one of the prettiest villages in the Algarve and the perfect place to enjoy a stroll after a beautiful day of wine tasting. You will have free time to explore the cafe-lined cobblestoned streets, the Gothic cathedral, the ancient walls, and the medieval castle. Then, before dinner tonight, you will have time to freshen up and relax at the resort.

You can dress up tonight (formal dress is optional) for a fancy, glamorous dinner at Two Michelin-starred Ocean, aptly named for its mesmerizing ocean view. A VIP table will be reserved for you, and you’ll be pampered with their four-course, gourmet-tasting menu with super-premium wine pairings. This is the good life! Your driver will take you back after dinner.

Thanks to the astonishingly good weather, the ample coastline, and the varying landscapes, the Algarve has some of the freshest, naturally organic fruit and vegetables and the most abundant seafood in Europe. And the raw materials are a pleasure to shop for and cook with. Today, your driver will take you to Faro, a vibrant, modern city with a pristine old town, where you will meet your private chef host for the morning.

The first stop is the colorful market, with a spectacular seafood selection. Your private chef will lead you on a market tour, selecting fresh ingredients for your cooking class today. You will cook with a Cataplana, a copper, clam-shaped cooking vessel used frequently in the Algarvian kitchen. You can make a fish-based one, free-range chicken, or octopus and sweet potato, another classic flavor combo. After you have completed your ingredients shopping and market tour, it will be time for a pre-class aperitif in the old town called the Vila-Adentro. Your private class will then take place in a professional chef’s studio, and you can sip zippy wine while you cook. After an engaging hands-on class, sit down to the fruit of your efforts for lunch paired with delicious local wines.

After lunch, you will have some free time to check out the rest of Faro’s old town, enjoy a stroll or a coffee, check out the storks in the cathedral bell tower, and, if you can stomach the macabre, visit the Capela dos Ossos chapel behind the gorgeous Igreja do Carmo church. This chapel houses the ghoulish skulls and bones of over 1200 Carmletine monks and is a creepy but very intriguing visit.

On the way back to Vila Joya, there is an optional fascinating stop for you in the cute village of Estoi- to see one of the best-preserved Roman mosaics dating back to the 1st century. Afterwards, relax with an end-of-afternoon cocktail at the Palácio do Visconde de Estoi. This historic, pink palace, converted into a Portuguese Pousada hotel, has delightful gardens you can visit before having a drink and then heading back to Vila Joya.

Freshen up, go for a swim, or have a massage. Your driver will then collect you to take you to a gourmet hotspot tonight in Sesmarias- Bon Bon. This is one of the Algarve’s newer and more exciting Michelin-starred eateries. You will indulge in chef Louis Anjos’ Essence tasting menu served on their atmospheric terrace, with top-class Portuguese wine pairings.

Fresh air, exquisite coastal scenery, and seafood are all on the menu today. Remember the camera! Your driver will take you back east, stopping at the Ria Formosa pier. This is the gateway to the natural park of Ria Formosa, an unspoiled and protected coastal lagoon rich with birdlife (including flamingos, our fave), seafood nurseries, and incredible beaches. The park stretches over 60 km from Faro to Tavira and is called one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal; this area is truly paradise! You will meet your captain at the pier and spend a thoroughly relaxing morning on a private catamaran cruise. The boat has snorkeling equipment, paddleboards, wine, and snacks, and you will have a private skipper and hostess. Spend a few hours enjoying the boat, views, and the water.

Stop for lunch on a secluded island! Dine at an eco-conscious, solar-powered restaurant, the lone structure on this pristine desert isle, nestled amid turquoise waters, white dunes, and a vast azure sky. Relax at a casual, nautical-themed table, taking in the views. Enjoy dishes like charcoal-grilled fish, octopus salad, oven-roasted sheep’s cheese, and rice with razor clams- served with excellent Portuguese wine.

After lunch, your catamaran cruise will continue with stops at more secret beaches and an oyster tasting with wine before finally bringing you back to the pier to meet your driver. What a day!

Free evening back at the resort to dine in or head out. We highly recommend Al Quimia (25 min taxi) and Henrique Leis in Almancil (half-hour taxi). You could also enjoy a private dinner in Vila Joya’s wine cellar!

Explore a bit further afield today and head to the Southern Alentejo region. This dreamy region, north of the Algarve, is known for its cork forests, beautiful medieval villages, and timeless “out of Africa” landscapes. It is also home to some of Portugal’s best wines, many of which you will savor this morning and afternoon.

Your first visit is at the whimsical Herdade da Malhadinha Nova estate, comprised of a luxury hotel, winery, and gastronomic restaurant. After a private tour, taste their range of Arinto, Malhadinha White, Aragonez, Malhadinha Red, and late-harvest wines.

Next, you will enjoy a gourmet lunch at the on-site restaurant where the renowned Michelin-starred chef Joachim Koerper, owner of Eleven in Lisbon, collaborated with Vitalina Santos, an expert in traditional Alentejo recipes, to create a menu inspired by local cuisine. The dishes utilize organic produce from the estate’s fields, vineyard, olive groves, and pastures, including honey, free-range eggs, olive oil, bread, and vegetables. Your tasting menu will be paired with the estate wines, such as their delicious Monte da Peceguina Rosé and Verdelho.

After lunch, drive north to the Vidigueira area, to one of the country’s most celebrated wineries- Cortes de Cima. This sub-region has 3,000 hours of annual sunshine and benefits from cooling Atlantic breezes, resulting in perfect winemaking conditions. This wine estate was established in the late ’80s by a Danish-American couple and has become one of the most highly respected, award-winning properties in the Alentejo in a few short decades.

Your hosts will lead you on an educational and relaxing wine lovers’ tour of their property, culminating in an al fresco private tasting of 6 of their best wines overlooking the vines.

You might enjoy a “sesta” (nap) returning to the coast this afternoon. The evening is free to rest, pack, and get a late swim or spa treatment.

After breakfast, your chauffeur will transfer you by comfortable Mercedes to Faro or Lisbon airport for your outbound flight. If you would like to extend this trip to discover the gems of Northern Portugal, contact us for more information! Thank you for choosing us, and we hope you had a fantastic time on this luxury food and wine adventure in the Algarve. Safe travels, and we look forward to hosting you again!