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Trips > Alentejo and its wines

Alentejo and its wines

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Much of the inGamba team of soigneurs and mechanics call Portugal home. This incredible week is an opportunity to share their intimate knowledge and discover Alentejo, the sparsely populated, agrarian region known as Portugal’s breadbasket, that is also one of the world’s most charming and unique destinations.

Alentejo is famous for rich, uncomplicated cooking and for its salt cod, sheep’s cheese, black pork, olive oils, and mushrooms – and its wine. The region makes almost half of Portugal’s total, and in some neat synergy, it’s also the largest producer of cork in the world.

In recent times it has become renowned as a major wine-producer, with vineyards stretching out into Alentejo’s vast horizon, harnessing the power of the landscape’s fertile soils and the uninterrupted sunshine in its cloudless skies. There are common varietals and indigenous grapes, a wide diversity of terroirs, and confluence of styles that blend timeless Portuguese tradition with the latest winemaking trends. It’s a combination that is producing some of the most talked about wines of today.

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You can read more about what this part of Portugal is like on our blog, or check out this article from Travel + Leisure, who traveled to Alentejo with inGamba. 

Included With Trip:

  • All lodging*
  • All food and beverages**
  • Pinarello Dogma F with SRAM RED eTap AXS
  • Daily Bike Wash
  • Custom Castelli × inGamba cycling kit
  • Daily post-ride massage from a professional soigneur
  • Laundry service for cycling clothing

*Pre/post-trip lodging is not included

**Beverages ordered by guests beyond normal amounts and away from group activities will incur additional charges

Trip at a Glance

Start Location:

Lisbon

Finish Location:

Lisbon

Days Riding:

6

Group Size:

8 – 12

Total Distance:

406km

Total Elevation:

4,011m

Longest Day:

Day 6. Sousel Loop. 84km

Biggest Climbing Day:

Day 3. Redondo Loop. 894m

...

Day by Day Breakdown

1

ESTREMOZ Test Ride

Bem-vindo a Portugal! Our trip will be around Estremoz, a fortified town that was the house of many Portuguese queens and kings. This is an easy ride to shake off the cobwebs and make sure everything on your Pinarello is to your liking. If something isn’t quite right, now is the time to speak to the mechanic.
2

Vila Viçosa Loop

Just shy of 80 kilometers, it should test your stamina, but also reward your efforts with some stunning countryside and plenty of quiet roads. The ride is undulating with a period of sustained climbing and going as far as Vila Viçosa, which was once home to the Portuguese royal family.
3

Redondo Loop

Riding around Estremoz is like stepping back in time, into a land of little villages and farms stretching out in every direction, criss-crossed by empty, undulating roads. This route begins by heading South as far as Redondo, before turning toward Aldeia dos Orvalhos, and back North to Estremoz. Aside from the occasional tractor, we can expect to have the road to ourselves all day.
4

Vieiros Loop

A loop that tours Northeast of Estremoz until we reach the 13th century town of Vieiros. There are no big climbs, but expect plenty of what we call “Portuguese rollers,” the leg-sapping hills that look small on paper but take their toll over the course of a long day in the saddle. Your aperitivo will definitely be earned after this ride.
5

Évora Monte Loop

A stunning loop that tours the town of Évora Monte, a picturesque village with walls which still protect its residentes on the mountain top. There are no big climbs, but expect plenty of what we call “Portuguese rollers,” the leg-sapping hills that look small on paper but take their toll over the course of a long day in the saddle. Your aperitivo will definitely be earned after this ride.
6

Sousel Loop

This route begins by heading North as far as Sousel, before turning toward Vierios, and back south to Estremoz. Sousel is a lovely village situated in the quietness of the Alentejo region plain terrains, which was once home of the greatest Portuguese Poet Luís de Camões, which is why this Tower is often known as the “Camões Tower”.
7

Departure

This is our final morning together and after a leisurely breakfast, it will be time to say goodbye until the next time. Transfers to the airport will be arranged by our hard-working crew but if you’re planning on staying a few extra days, let us know if we can help with reservations or a few recommendations. 

YOUR Guides

Manuel Cardoso

The Quiet Crusher

Manuel Cardoso is no longer sitting on the front of the pack, pulling everyone along at what some would describe as a “brisk” pace and what others are unable to describe at all, because they're too busy gasping for breath and holding onto the wheel in front of them for dear life. Manuel is now sitting just slightly off the back of the pack. As I look back, I realize he has that look on his face. The look which struck fear in the hearts of the Pro Peleton for many years. The look which is part grin, part mischievous child and all business. He is about to start some shenanigans. Sure enough, just a few kilometers later and Manuel has picked one lucky contestant out of the pack and they are sitting-in, waiting, like predators, for the perfect moment. For Manuel, just like when he raced pro, this is when the road turns slightly up, a spot in the road where it gets tough for everyone. And he accelerates with his breakaway “partner” in tow. It is something to see. He ramps it up to a speed with which no one can latch onto the back and with such precision you have to question whether or not you actually want to try and close the gap he has created. And you can’t see it, but you just know, he is grinning from ear-to-ear.

Sérgio Paulinho

After an impressive pro career that started back in 2003, Sérgio Paulinho joined the inGamba team at the start of 2022 after his retirement. But we've known him for a long time, as not only did he race against our founder João Correia, but he was also a teammate of our star guide Manuel Cardoso back in the day. A two-time national champion in Portugal, Sérgio has also won stages at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, and in 2004, he won a silver medal in the road race at the Athens Olympics. So it's fair to say the man has pedigree! It isn't the racing victories that impress us most about Sérgio though, it's his personality, his friendly nature on and off the bike, and the fact that he's always ready with a smile. That said, if you find yourself running out of gas on a big climb, it certainly helps to have someone like him beside you!

BIKE OPTION

PINARELLO DOGMA F

FRAMESET:

Pinarello Dogma F

COCKPIT:

ZIPP Service Course SL

GRUPPO:

SRAM RED eTap AXS

PEDALS:

Speedplay (or your own)

SADDLE:

Selle Italia

WHEELSET:

Zipp 303 S Carbon Tubeless

TIRES:

Vittoria Corsa

BOTTLE CAGES:

Elite Custom Race

BIDON:

Elite Corsa Team

COMPUTER:

Garmin Edge 1030