Portugal Untold

0839.36° N · 9.16° WFood & Wine

Flavours of the Silver CoastTaste the Portugal most travellers never discover.

A day of wine, cherry liqueur, convent sweets and the sea, between the vineyards of the Oeste, Óbidos, Alcobaça and Nazaré.

Private experience
Duration
About 6–7 hours · Full day
Group
Your group only, up to 6 guests
Destinations
Óbidos — Alcobaça — Nazaré
Plan this journey Itinerary

The story

Food, wine and local culture

This stretch of coast eats well and talks little about it. Vineyards run almost to the sea, orchards fill the valleys around Alcobaça, and in Óbidos the cherry liqueur called ginja is poured into small chocolate cups. Then there is Nazaré, where women still lay split fish on nets on the sand, as their grandmothers did.

We build the day around tastes rather than monuments: a glass of the region’s wine, a stop for ginja, the sugar and egg yolks of a convent sweet, a long lunch, and a walk by the fish drying on the beach. Producers are chosen according to who can welcome you on your date, and the order of the stops follows them.

You do the tasting; we do the driving. Your driver shares the stories behind each product along the way, from Cistercian monks to fishermen’s wives, and nobody in your group has to think about the road after a glass of wine.

Highlights

Moments to look forward to

  1. Rows of green summer vines and scattered trees across the rolling hills of Bombarral in the Oeste

    Wine of the Atlantic

    Fresh whites and supple reds from the Lisboa wine region, shaped by sea breezes and cooler nights than most of Portugal.

  2. Bottles of Ginja de Óbidos sour cherry liqueur lined up on a shop counter in Óbidos

    Ginja in Óbidos

    The sweet-sour cherry liqueur of Óbidos, sipped inside the town walls, traditionally from a small cup of chocolate.

  3. Cornucópias, crisp convent pastry cones filled with egg-yolk cream, at a pastry shop in Alcobaça

    Convent sweets of Alcobaça

    Egg yolks, sugar and almonds, turned by generations of nuns and pastry cooks into recipes that still carry the names of convents.

  4. Split fish laid out to dry on traditional wooden net racks on Nazaré beach, with painted boats behind

    Fish drying on the sand

    On Nazaré beach, horse mackerel and sardines are salted and laid out in the sun on wooden frames, a tradition kept alive by local women.

  5. A traditional painted fishing boat resting on the sand at Nazaré

    Lunch with the sea in it

    A long table, grilled fish or a fragrant caldeirada, bread to soak up the juices, and no hurry at all.

Itinerary

The journey, stop by stop

A suggested plan. Order and timing are adapted to your group, the day and opening hours.

  1. Pick-up

    Pick-up

    We collect your group at your accommodation or an agreed meeting point, mid-morning, so the first glass comes at a civilised hour.

    Why it matters

    On the drive, your driver introduces the region you are about to taste: the Oeste, its farms and vineyards, and the monks and fishermen who shaped its table.

  2. TastingTime here: 60–90 min

    A regional winery

    Rows of green summer vines and scattered trees across the rolling hills of Bombarral in the Oeste

    Walk among the vines, see where the wine is made and taste a selection with the people who produce it. The estate is chosen to suit your group and the date, and confirmed when you book.

    Why it matters

    The Lisboa wine region, known until 2009 as Estremadura, runs north from the capital along the Atlantic and includes designations such as Óbidos and Encostas d’Aire. Native grapes like Arinto and Fernão Pires give crisp whites; Castelão and Touriga Nacional give the reds.

    Good to know: Tastings of alcohol are for adults only; non-alcoholic alternatives on request. Tasting fees are not included unless confirmed.

  3. TastingTime here: 45–60 min

    Óbidos · 39.36° N · 9.16° W

    Bottles of Ginja de Óbidos sour cherry liqueur lined up on a shop counter in Óbidos

    Wander through the walled town and taste ginja, the local cherry liqueur, served the Óbidos way in a small chocolate cup. There is time to browse the shops along the main street.

    Why it matters

    Ginja is made by macerating sour Morello cherries in spirit with sugar, each house keeping its own recipe. The ginja cherries of Óbidos and Alcobaça hold EU Protected Geographical Indication status, and the liqueur has long been the town’s signature.

    Good to know: Cobbled, sloping streets. Óbidos is busiest at weekends and in summer; we time the visit to avoid the peak where possible.

  4. TastingTime here: 30–45 min

    Alcobaça · 39.55° N · 8.98° W

    Cornucópias, crisp convent pastry cones filled with egg-yolk cream, at a pastry shop in Alcobaça

    Stop at a traditional pastry shop near the monastery to taste convent sweets, and, in season, the crisp local apples. If you wish, step inside the great abbey church before moving on.

    Why it matters

    Alcobaça grew around a Cistercian abbey founded in the 12th century, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose monks farmed the surrounding land. Today the town is known for its convent sweets and for Maçã de Alcobaça, apples with Protected Geographical Indication status. Each November the town usually hosts an international show of convent sweets and liqueurs.

    Optional: A short detour for pão-de-ló de Alfeizerão, the soft, deliberately moist sponge cake of a nearby village.

    Good to know: Entry to the monastery’s cloisters and kitchen is ticketed; the church is usually free to enter.

  5. MealTime here: 90–120 min

    Traditional lunch

    A long, relaxed lunch in a traditional restaurant: fresh fish from the coast, a caldeirada, or a country dish from the inland farms, with wine or not, as you like. The restaurant is suggested according to your tastes and booked on request.

    Why it matters

    Portuguese lunch is a proper meal, not a sandwich on the go. In this region it usually means the day’s fish, grilled simply over charcoal, and local bread, olives and a jug of house wine on the table.

    Good to know: Meals and drinks are paid directly at the restaurant. Tell us about dietary needs in your request.

  6. WalkTime here: 45–60 min

    Nazaré · 39.60° N · 9.07° W

    Split fish laid out to dry on traditional wooden net racks on Nazaré beach, with painted boats behind

    Walk the beachfront to the open-air dried fish museum, where local women salt and dry fish on the sand, and taste or buy a little if it is on offer. Finish with a coffee facing the bay.

    Why it matters

    Drying fish in the sun and salt was how Nazaré’s families kept the catch for leaner months. The municipality’s open-air Museu do Peixe Seco preserves the tradition on the beach itself, with horse mackerel, sardines and octopus drying on traditional frames.

    Good to know: The drying depends on the weather and on the catch; on some days the frames are empty.

  7. Return

    Return

    A relaxed drive back to your accommodation, perhaps with a bottle or two in the boot.

    Why it matters

    The reason to have a driver on a day like this: everyone can enjoy the tastings, and nobody has to drive home.

Route map of Flavours of the Silver Coast1Óbidos and its ginja2Alcobaça3Nazaré and the dried fish

The route

  1. 1 Óbidos and its ginja
  2. 2 Alcobaça
  3. 3 Nazaré and the dried fish

Road routes calculated from OpenStreetMap data. Your driver may choose a different road on the day.

Places to be confirmed with your booking are listed in the itinerary but not drawn.

The tasting journey

One day, seven tastes of the coast

The menu of the day, more or less in the order you meet it. What you actually taste depends on the season and on the producers who welcome you.

Products and tastings vary with the season and with the producers available on your date. Tastings of alcohol are for adults only; non-alcoholic alternatives are available on request.

  1. Rows of green summer vines and scattered trees across the rolling hills of Bombarral in the Oeste

    01

    Wine of the Lisboa region

    Lisboa wine region · Oeste

    A crisp white from Arinto or Fernão Pires, or a supple red, from vineyards that feel the Atlantic. Taste it where it is made.

  2. Bottles of Ginja de Óbidos sour cherry liqueur lined up on a shop counter in Óbidos

    02

    Ginja de Óbidos

    Óbidos

    Sweet, sour and deep red, with a whole cherry at the bottom if you ask. Drink it, then eat the chocolate cup.

  3. 03

    Maçã de Alcobaça

    Alcobaça

    Crisp, aromatic apples grown between the hills and the sea, with Protected Geographical Indication status. At their best from late summer into winter.

  4. Cornucópias, crisp convent pastry cones filled with egg-yolk cream, at a pastry shop in Alcobaça

    04

    Convent sweets

    Alcobaça

    Golden, egg-rich sweets such as cornucópias, thin pastry cones filled with egg cream: recipes the town traces back to its convents.

  5. 05

    Pão-de-ló de Alfeizerão

    Alfeizerão

    A sponge cake with a soft, almost liquid centre. Local tradition links the recipe to the nuns of Cós, near Alcobaça.

  6. Split fish laid out to dry on traditional wooden net racks on Nazaré beach, with painted boats behind

    06

    Nazaré dried fish

    Nazaré

    Salted and dried in the sun on the beach: firm, intense and best grilled, with bread and a little olive oil.

  7. A traditional painted fishing boat resting on the sand at Nazaré

    07

    Caldeirada and fresh fish

    The coast

    Layers of fish, potato, tomato and onion, slowly stewed, or simply the day’s catch over charcoal.

Cornucópias, crisp convent pastry cones filled with egg-yolk cream, at a pastry shop in Alcobaça
Split fish laid out to dry on traditional wooden net racks on Nazaré beach, with painted boats behind
A traditional painted fishing boat resting on the sand at Nazaré

Practical information

Before you go

Duration
Typically about 6 to 7 hours including pick-up and return. Confirmed when you book.
Pick-up
At your accommodation or an agreed meeting point within the area we cover, on the Silver Coast or from Lisbon. Confirmed when you book.
Drop-off
At your accommodation or another agreed point.
Group size
Private: your group only, up to 6 guests (luggage permitting).
Walking
Light to moderate: short walks in vineyards, in Óbidos and along the seafront at Nazaré.
What to wear
Comfortable shoes for cobbles and vineyard paths, a layer for the sea breeze, and room in your appetite.
Accessibility
Óbidos has steep cobbled streets; wineries and producers vary. Tell us about mobility or dietary needs in your request and we will choose stops that suit.
Season
All year. Grape harvest is usually in September and early October; apples from late summer; fish drying depends on the weather.

Included

  • Private vehicle and local driver for the agreed itinerary
  • Pick-up and drop-off within the agreed area
  • Planning the day around your tastes, and arranging winery, producer and restaurant visits on request, subject to availability
  • Local knowledge and context along the way

Not included

  • Tastings and producer visit fees, unless confirmed when you book
  • Meals and drinks
  • Entrance tickets to monuments
  • Purchases of wine and local products

Arranged for each booking

  • Producer and winery visits depend on our partners’ availability and are confirmed in your proposal.
  • Meals and restaurant reservations are suggested and booked on request, subject to availability.

Price

One price for your whole group

The price covers the whole tour — a private vehicle and driver for your group alone, never seats on a shared excursion. It depends only on how many of you travel.

Your private experience

Guests

€290 total

€145 per person

Private tour · Just your group

Request your private tour Customize this journey

Open this route in the journey builder and make it yours.

Entrance tickets, meals and drinks are paid separately unless your proposal says otherwise.

Sending a request is free and is not a booking.

Questions

About this journey

Which winery will we visit?

It depends on which estates can welcome your group on your date. We suggest options when you request the day, and confirm the visit before you book.

Are tastings and lunch included?

No, unless we confirm otherwise when you book. Tastings, producer visits and meals are paid directly to the producers and restaurants.

Is the day suitable for children or guests who don’t drink?

Yes. Alcohol tastings are for adults only, and non-alcoholic alternatives can be requested. Children usually enjoy the sweets, the apples, the cherry stop and the beach at Nazaré.

Can you cater for dietary requirements?

Tell us in your request. We pass your needs on when we arrange lunch and tastings, though we cannot guarantee every producer can adapt.

Can we buy wine and take it with us?

Yes, you can buy directly from producers, and there is room in the car for a few bottles. Shipping, if offered, is arranged by the producer.

Will we see the fish drying in Nazaré?

Often, but not always. Drying depends on the weather and on the catch, and on some days the frames are empty.

Pair it with

  • Private7–8 hFull day

    Silver Coast Discovery

    Atlantic light, fishing villages and medieval walls

    The coast without the tastings: Nazaré, São Martinho, the Óbidos lagoon and Óbidos.

    1. Nazaré
    2. São Martinho do Porto
    3. Foz do Arelho
    4. Óbidos

    From €290 / private group Up to 6 guests.

  • Private7–8 hFull day

    Medieval Portugal

    Castles, queens and the legends of the Reconquest

    Óbidos and Alcobaça again, this time for their walls, castles and kings.

    1. Óbidos
    2. Alcobaça
    3. Leiria
    4. Porto de Mós

    From €310 / private group Up to 6 guests.

  • Private4–5 hHalf day

    Romantic Silver Coast Escape

    Coastal sunsets, quiet moments and celebrations

    A slower coastal day for two, ending at sunset above Nazaré, with dinner on request.

    1. São Martinho do Porto
    2. Nazaré

    From €250 / private group Up to 6 guests.

Taste the Portugal most travellers never discover.

Plan this journey Customize this journey

Priced per vehicle, not per person — only your group travels.