Sunday – Arrival
Arrival in Lisbon and transfer at 5.30pm. You will travel north‐east to the town of Figueira e Barros, approximately 150kms. For your first night you stay in a renovated farmhouse, the Monte do Padrão.. This is lovely historic accommodation with a very welcoming host who may invite you to enjoy some of the wines from his cellar. Overnight and dinner at Monte do Padrão.
Monday – Meet your horses
Meet your horses and ride over hilly meadows and down to a river, where you stop for lunch. This is a large‐scale land‐holding and there are few fences and roads. Most of the stone bridges over the numerous rivers date back to the romans. For lunch, a delicious picnic will be prepared with grilled meats or fish with salad accompanied by fresh bread and local wine. In the afternoon you continue along the banks of the river – it may be necessary to dismount and lead your horse over some particularly rocky sections. The day ends at Monte dos Aroeirais where you can spend the evening and dinner in the beautiful garden by the pool. Dinner and overnight at Monte dos Aroeirais.
Tuesday – To Alter do Chão
Today you ride from Monte dos Aroeirais to the town of Alter do Chão, through meadows where they raise wild bulls. After a picnic lunch and siesta you arrive at the Alter Real stud farm where the horses are stabled. Dinner and overnight at the comfortable 4‐star Estalagem ‐ Varandas de Alter.
Wednesday – Visit the Royal Stud Farm
Today in the morning you will ride through the vast flower‐filled meadows on the lands of the stud farm. After lunch at the hotel, you will visit Alter do Chão, the stud and breeding farm. Horses bred here are very famous and traded under the name Alter. This is often a highlight and not only for horse‐lovers. In this idyllic location, hundreds of mares and their colts graze on large meadows filled with flowers. You should also get the opportunity to see some of the stallions and young horses.
Return to the town of Alter where, time allowing, we stop at a Portuguese tack shop where you can buy local riding products such as leather chaps, boots or belts. Dinner and overnight at Varandas de Alter.
Thursday – Ride throught the meadows
Today, leaving the stud farm behind, you ride to Ribeira da Seda through large meadows with only one remote farmhouse to remind you of the presence of people. Horses will stay in Monte do Padrão. and will make a small transfer to the manor of Monte dos Aroeirais. Dinner and overnight at Monte dos Aroeirais.
Friday – Exploring the plains
Today you ride through the fields of the 3000 hectare farm of Monte do Padrão, exploring the great plains of the upper Alentejo, which are home to extensive fruit and olive orchards. The horses will sleep there, you’ll have dinner and overnight at Monte dos Aroeirais.
Saturday – Ride to the dam
Today you ride from Monte do Padrão. towards Lake Maranhão through the private hunting grounds of the Calatrava, consisting of open fields and cork forests. There is lots of opportunity for long trots and canters. You enjoy lunch on the banks of the dam before returning to the farm by a similar route. Farewell dinner and overnight at Monte do Padrão.
Sunday – Bye bye
After breakfast, transfer back to Lisbon and departure.