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Tag: Alenquer

The best 7 wineries to visit in the West region of Portugal

World Wine Tourism Day is celebrated yearly on the second Sunday of November as an initiative of the European network of wine cities to publicize their activities and experiences.

As we have already highlighted on several occasions in this blog, in the Oeste region of Portugal there are many interesting wineries that are worth visiting, in combination with the excellent gastronomy and cultural richness of the region.

In the Torres Vedras area, we especially recommend Adega Mae, which has several internationally awarded wines. And less than a kilometer from there, it is also interesting to visit the Quinta da Almiara, with its modern exterior design.

In the Óbidos and Bombarral area, we recommend Quinta do Sanguinhal, with its excellent value for money wines, and Quinta do Gradil, one of the oldest wineries in the area.

And in the Alenquer area, don’t miss the magnificent Quinta do Monte D’Oiro or the Quinta de Pancas, founded in 1495 and a pioneer in introducing French varieties to Portugal.

Brandy lovers also have an appointment in November with the Aguardente DOC Lourinhã Gastronomic Fortnight, which this year reaches its eleventh edition and is already a world reference. And in the Óbidos area, also stand out the original liquor tourism experiences proposed by Vila das Rainhas around its famous cherry liqueur.

Most of these visits are indoors and, therefore, perfect to enjoy during the autumn and winter months. So, let’s take advantage of these days and fully enjoy this array of wine tourism experiences that are offered in the Oeste region.

Day trip to Alenquer

Alenquer is a small jewel of the Oeste region, offering various interesting activities to fill a day trip.

Wine has particular importance in the economic and cultural life of the municipality of Alenquer. Therefore, we would propose to spend half a day visiting the city and half a day at one of the wineries in the area.

We begin with a walk through the upper part of the city, going through the picturesque alleys of the Jewish quarter and the remains of the 13th century castle. In this area there is also a fascinating museum dedicated to Damião de Gois and the victims of the Inquisition, located on the ruins of the church where he was baptized and buried. Damião de Gois was a key figure in the modernization of Portuguese medieval culture. The museum includes several documents and interactive installations to learn about his life and work and appreciate his importance as a humanist, artist and royal advisor. If there are not many people on the day of the visit, it is worth staying for a chat with the museum’s curator. This historian did his doctoral thesis on Damião himself, and can offer unique details about his life and times, quite an example of the cultural richness offered by the coexistence of Christian, Jewish and Mozarabic cultures; something that even today, in the 21st century, is so hard to find again.

Less than 100 meters from the Damião museum is also the Wine Museum. There is a representation of the more than forty wineries that are in the Alenquer area, a wine bar for tastings, and a cultural space with explanations and instruments to discover everything that surrounds wine production. If you had not booked a visit to one of the wineries, the museum itself can help organize an afternoon visit to one of them.

At lunchtime, one of the most recommended places is the Casta 85 restaurant, with its pleasant terrace overlooking the Alenquer river.

Among the wineries to visit, Quinta do Carneiro and Quinta do Monte D’Oiro stand out, with a good combination of tradition, reputation, and friendliness.

And for more information about Alenquer, you can check the viveralenquer.pt website, although our recommendation is to take advantage of the fact that the city is not very big, get lost in its alleys and discover for yourself the many secret corners of this little gem.