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Monchique
Culture & history

Culture & history

Our most recommended Monchique Culture & history

From Albufeira: Historical Algarve Region Tour

1. From Albufeira: Historical Algarve Region Tour

Start the tour after getting picked up from your hotel or any meeting point in the Albufeira area, travel to the destination of Silves. The castle is a must-see, and the Silves Cathedral, a unique place full of historical pieces that tell the history of the region. Proceed onward to Fóia, the highest point in the Algarve region, with 902 meters of height. Next, visit Cabo São Vicente in Sagres, which is the most southwesterly point in Continental Europe. Admire the Fortaleza de Sagres, an essential military monument during the Age of Discovery. You will have spare time for lunch here. Travel next to the Praia da Cordoama with an outstanding rock formation on top of the sea. Finally, head to Lagos, where you will visit the city center, followed by the return journey to your hotel.

From Albufeira: Half-Day Winery Tour and Silves

2. From Albufeira: Half-Day Winery Tour and Silves

Start with pickup from your hotel or resort and travel by a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle through the Algarve countryside. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of cork trees, groves of orange trees, and picturesque villages throughout the journey.  Visit a family-owned winery and take a guided tour of the vineyard and wine cellar. Learn about the history of wine production in the region and the winemaking process. After the tour, enjoy tastings variety of wines produced onsite.  Then, travel to the charming town of Silves. Enjoy a short visit to the town and take a leisurely stroll along the cobblestone streets to the impressive Moorish castle - located at the top of the town. After some time in Silves, return to your hotel in Albufeira.

Algarve: Jeep Safari with Distillery Visit & Lunch

3. Algarve: Jeep Safari with Distillery Visit & Lunch

Get off the beaten track but straight into the heart of the Algarve on this Jeep safari adventure. Enjoy the fun and excitement of going up hills and down dales, crossing streams, and traversing meadows. Taste a local drink and savor a traditional lunch. After pickup, travel in a convoy of Jeeps through the spectacular scenery of an area almost untouched by time. Wind along earthen tracks to some of the most fascinating places in the Algarve. In tiny white-washed villages where time seems to stand still, you can see some of the old customs still in practice. Visit a small local distillery where the brave can taste “medronho” – a very potent local drink – and where you can see honey being produced in the old way. Afterward, enjoy lunch served in a typical restaurant before being dropped off at your original starting point.

Lagoa: 2.5-Hour Vineyard Dinner with Winetasting

4. Lagoa: 2.5-Hour Vineyard Dinner with Winetasting

Enjoy a vibrant evening of good food and delicious wine. Trade stories with family and friends over the table and admire the stunning views of the Algarvian countryside. Take a seat for a traditional dinner with sunset views of the Monchique mountains. Sample award-winning wines and experience the flavors of authentic Algarvian dishes. Throughout the evening, enjoy a delicious menu inspired by family recipes passed down through generations and hear the history of the estate and its unique terrain and vineyards.

Algarve: Winery Tour with Tastings and Transfer

5. Algarve: Winery Tour with Tastings and Transfer

See the Algarve from a unique perspective as you travel around the wine-growing region in a Volkswagen T2 van. Your trip will be punctuated with a lot of history and local knowledge while you explore the beauty of the region.   After getting picked up from your accommodation, board the charismatic Volkswagen T2 for a 2-hour wine tour. On a private tour with just your group or as part of a public tour open to others, visit a local winery (Quinta do Francês Winery). Upon arrival, be welcomed with a guided visit of the winery and the cellar, while you learn about its unique wines and how they are produced in the Demarcated Region of the Algarve. Later, enjoy a tasting of 4 delicious red, white, and rosé wines, and you are welcome to purchase some extra bottles as souvenirs. Get dropped off back at your hotel at the end of your tasting.

From Lagos: Small-Group 4-Hour Wine Tasting Tour

6. From Lagos: Small-Group 4-Hour Wine Tasting Tour

Enjoy a relaxing wine tasting experience and discover a rich diversity of high-quality wines from a local winery on a 4-hour small-group tour aboard a minivan. Discover three amazing local wines accompanied by a plate of tapas with cheese and sausages. Visit the winery's production room and wooden barrel room to see where the magic takes place. You will then return to Lagos via the region's stunning countryside, to stop and see the famous Algarve oranges, ancient Cork trees, and some of the oldest villages of the region. Enjoy some free time to visit the ancient Moorish village of Silves, and walk along its cobbled streets making your way up to its castle before you head back to your accommodation in Lagos.

Algarve: Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour with Lunch

7. Algarve: Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour with Lunch

Enjoy this day of discovery and history where you will visit some of the most interesting and scenic areas of the Algarve. Follows lesser traveled paths, giving you a discerning view of Portugal’s past and present. Meet your driver and travel to the town of Silves. Wander the narrow streets and alleys of the town and visit the impressive cathedral which you can pay to enter if you would like. From here, continue your ascent into Monchique Mountain. Stop in the charming spa village of Caldas de Monchique, with springs of proven medicinal properties. Following the winding road, reach the highest point in the Algarve, Fóia, standing at 902m above sea level. The views here are dramatic and the air is incredibly pure. Downhill then from Fóia, cross the countryside and take a break in the small village of Marmelete where you have time to enjoy lunch in one of the local restaurants. After lunch, go straight to Costa Vicentina, to admire the magnificent beaches where you can have some time to walk around, relax, and capture pictures of the views. Then it’s on to the ‘end of the world’, Cape St. Vincent, the southwestern point of Europe, where you can feel the wilderness of the place. The lighthouse that rises in this place defies the elements and is one of the most important lighthouses in Europe due to its strategic position. Lastly, pass through Sagres, a typical fishing village, and see its sheltered fishing port. At the end of the tour, the driver will drop you back at your hotel.

Lagos: Algarve Organic Wine Tour in a Volkswagen T2 Van

8. Lagos: Algarve Organic Wine Tour in a Volkswagen T2 Van

After being picked up from your accommodation, you will board a charismatic Volkswagen T2 for a 3-hour biological wine experience. See the Algarve in a unique way on a trip unlike most other tours. Your trip will be punctuated with plenty of history and local knowledge, as you explore the beauty of the region.   On a private tour with just your group or as part of a public tour open to others, you will visit a local biological winery. The winery visited is Monte da Casteleja, or Quinta do Francês Winery as a second option. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed with a guided visit to the winery and the cellar as you learn about its unique organic wines and the way they are produced in the demarcated region of the Algarve. Following that, you will have the opportunity to take part in a wine tasting of 3 wines with tapas, consisting of red, white, and rosé (or others, depending on availability). This will introduce you to the strong character and aromas of very ripe fruits, as well as the wines' velvety and warm flavors. Once your wine-tasting experience has concluded, you'll be returned to your accommodation in Lagos.

From Albufeira: Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with a Guide

9. From Albufeira: Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with a Guide

The day begins with pickup from your hotel in Albufeira and heads out into the rolling countryside of the Algarve. Soak up stunning views of the green landscapes that surround you as you make your way to two family-owned wineries. At each winery, learn about the wine making process from grape to glass and taste a selection of fine Portuguese wines. Afterwards, visit the charming town of Silves, boasting picturesque cobblestone streets and an impressive red brick castle. Spend some free time exploring on your own, learn about the rich-history of this Medieval town, and get a sense of Silves' culture as you mingle with the locals. At the end of an unforgettable day, sit back and relax on the return journey to your hotel.

Algarve: Serra de Monchique & Bravura Off-Road Day Trip

10. Algarve: Serra de Monchique & Bravura Off-Road Day Trip

This tour is perfect for anyone who wants to escape the tourist masses and explore areas surrounded by nature, largely untouched by man. 80% of the route takes place off-road, deep in the St. Vincent Natural Park, the finest preserved stretch of coastline in Europe. Due to our adventurous nature and love of extreme sports, in this tour lets explore the 4x4 to its limit and see how it performs on the wildest off-road tracks. What can be better than to explore all this with the locals, who know the region like the back of their hand? To start lets make a visit to the picturesque lake of Bravura, bring shorts or bikini. If the weather is inviting...let's go swimming If the weather not good...lets make a short walk close to this beautiful lake, and touch the surround nature After the lake it's time to wake up......lets go play a very adventure off-rod drive claiming to the highest point. To realize the real beauty of this area, lets visit to the best look-out point in Algarve Portugal, featuring 960m high cliffs and breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean. To fully relax and open the appetite lets visit a a ghost village, no one lives in this place, it's abandoned as if time freezes 100 years ago. The only one of this genre still existing in Algarve ( Very easy and pleasant, it is possible to be made by children and people in avance age )

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What people are saying about Monchique

Overall rating

4.9 / 5

based on 99 reviews

A super great experience and definitely a must if you are on holiday in the Algarve! The hinterland, away from the tourist places, was beautiful, but the west coast was also worth a visit. Lunch was delicious and Vasco, our tour guide, was super friendly, in a good mood and was able to tell us a lot about the Algarve. We would 100% recommend this tour!

We had an amazing day trip, Carlos our guide was so knowledgable and so entertaining throughout the day! Fabulous lunch and fire water tasting! Would highly recommend this trip. Wonderful views at Cape St Vincente , lovely to see the countryside Silves and Monchique were highlights too. Thank you Carlos and Portitours! From Jane and Nick

We loved our discovery day with Vanda. In addition to being extremely professional, caring and patient, she knows Portugal's rich history inside out. Each place visited is thus presented with historical facts and anecdotes. A busy day that we will remember. Thank you Vanda for this wonderful day!

Maravilhoso. Quero ressaltar o papel da motorista e guia Vanda. Atenciosa, bom papo, bom humor e muito educada. Entregou mais que o esperado. Recomendação fortíssima.

Great guide. Went to some really lovely places. Thoroughly recommend.