Join General Manager, Regina Mc Carthy, on a week long wine tour in Portugal!
The Vineyards at Dodon presents an insider’s view of Southern Portugal, the Alentejo
May 11th to May 17th, 2026
Saúde! We invite you to join The Vineyards at Dodon's first international Wine Club trip to Portugal, led by our general manager, Regina Mc Carthy. This exciting journey will take place from May 11 to 17, 2026.
Discover why Travel & Leisure Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and many others are falling in love with Portugal. Using the UNESCO World Heritage town of Évora as our base for six nights, we will explore the gastronomic and cultural treasures of the Alentejo region. Highlights include visits to the fairytale-walled village of Monsaraz, the marble town of Estremoz with its bustling Saturday market, and a prehistoric megalith that predates Stonehenge by 2,000 years. We'll savor the wines and dishes of Alentejo along the way.
This trip includes:
Accommodations in a four-star hotel
Breakfast daily
Daily long lunch or dinner (includes food, wine, gratuity)
Wine tastings – all, generally including tapas
Transportation – all
Admission and entrance fees – all
Does not include:
Airfare
Trip insurance, if applicable
Cost per person: $3,500
Single travelers welcome. If you prefer a single room, additional charge is $600.
6 nights in the Alentejo- Limited to 20 participants
Arriving early or extending your stay: Lisbon is a city that can easily be explored on your own, and if you have the time, you could easily spend a week there.
If you want to extend your trip or arrive early, our travel partners are happy to assist with hotel recommendations and things to see and do. All flights to Portugal from the United States are overnight flights. Please plan to arrive in Lisbon no later than the Sunday before the tour starts.
Current Itinerary
Pick up and drop off in Lisbon
On Monday, we will pick you up at 10:00 AM in the center of Lisbon. All hotels are within a brief taxi or Uber ride of our pickup location. We will drop you off in Lisbon on the concluding Sunday at 10:00 AM. We can coordinate the transport if you need transportation to a different destination and/or at a different time. The cost varies depending on distance.
Day 1 - Monday
A private group bus will meet you at our pickup location in Lisbon at 10:00 AM and take you to lunch in the small village of Arraiolos, where we will eat traditional dishes from the Alentejo.
We will then head off to our first wine tasting at Monte de Pintor.
Following the tasting, we will drive to our hotel in Évora, offering a brief walking tour of the city in the evening. Seeing the nearly 2,000-year-old Roman temple lit up at night is a highlight.
Fala Português?
You can begin each morning with a fun, informative half-hour Portuguese lesson.
Day 2 - Tuesday
Cultural Stopover: Learn why cork is such an incredibly sustainable resource. We will visit a cork forest led by Andreia, who is always jovial and engaging. You will never look at a wine cork the same way again
Lunch & Wine Tasting: We will stop for lunch at Senhor Daurindo's for a traditional Alentejo feast accompanied by local wines.
More Culture: On the way back to our home base, we will stop by the prehistoric megalith, Cromeleque dos Almendres, a stone circle that predates Stonehenge by 2,000 years. At almost 8,000 years old, it puts things in perspective.
Day 3 - Wednesday
Cultural Stop: A guided visit to the royal summer palace in Vila Viçosa.
Wine Tasting: Howard's Folly. It's a funny name and a serious wine. Lead winemaker David Baverstock is better known for running the wine operation at Esporão. Howard's Folly is a new, small venture by David's good friend, Howard, who lived for 30 years in Hong Kong.
Lunch: Innovative Chef Bernardo creates perfect dishes to pair with Howard's wines.
Day 4 - Thursday
Cultural Stopover: The fairytale village of Monsaraz, one of the best-preserved villages in the country. If it were anywhere else, it would be mobbed with tourists year-round. We will stop in the pottery town of São Pedro do Corval along the way to shop.
Lunch: We will enjoy an easy and light tapas lunch while tasting Rui's simple but delicious creations at Gaspacho. Of course, plenty of wine (and beer) will be present.
Exceptional Musical Performance: Feel free to dance!
Free Afternoon: Explore Évora and all its nooks and crannies.
Day 5 - Friday
Wine: We will visit our friends at Quinta do Quetzal, who love art and wine. The winery's head, Reto Jorg, will lead our excursion.
Lunch: João Mourato, head chef at Quetzal, may one day receive a Michelin star. You will not believe he is still in his 20s!
Cultural Highlight: The imposing Roman Villa of São Cucufate has stood for over 1,800 years.
Day 6 - Saturday
Cultural Stopover: We will visit one of the oldest outdoor markets in Europe in the marble town of Estremoz.
Winery Tasting: Owner and winemaker Luis Louro of Monte Branco was practically born into the wine business. Luis has strong opinions about winemaking and looks forward to sharing them with you. It also helps that his tasting area offers a glorious countryside view.
Lunch: Luis will show off and cook a leg of lamb for the group.
Day 7 - Sunday
Early Breakfast, Check Out, and Transfer Back to Lisbon Airport: Most of you will be departing on a noon flight that day, so that you will be leaving the Évora hotel at around 8:00 AM. If you are staying in the country, breakfast is at your leisure.
We can help you book transfers at other times and to different locations. Just let us know what you need.