In this activity proposal, we'll hike in the fantastic area of the Great Lake of Alqueva. On the first day we'll walk arm in arm with the dam, from Amieira to Alqueva, through hills and valleys very close to this fantastic body of water. On the second day, we'll have time to walk around the fortified town of Monsaraz, enjoy a meal at Restaurante Sem Fim and then board a sailing boat for a pleasant cruise, with breathtaking views of the lake's surroundings, especially the houses and fortress of Monsaraz and the Castle of Mourão. This weekend we will of course have the opportunity to sample the best flavours of the local cuisine. Come and join us!

26th September (Saturday)

Estimated start time of the walk: 10.45 a.m.

Walk: “Amieira to Alqueva with the lake at your feet”

This day's activities include the following points of interest:

- Village of Amieira - Walkways - Ancoradouro - Amieira Marina - Antas da Torrejona - Picnic Park - Village of Alqueva (Mother Church) - Natural landscapes -

Level of difficulty of the route: 3 (Scale from 1 to 5)
Route length: 16 kilometres
Expected duration: 4h30m

Lunch will be in the form of a picnic, which is the responsibility of each participant

16h15 - Visit to the Medronho Museum
17.30 - Visit to Moura
20.30 - Group dinner in a restaurant in Moura

Village of Amieira

The name “amieira or alder”, which means “frequent tree in wetlands”, may be the origin of this parish's name. The proximity of water from various streams, especially the River Degebe, would have made those lands humid, allowing for an abundance of vegetation, including alder trees. This natural name may have come to identify the place, along with the name given to the parish: Nossa Senhora das Neves da Amieira.

Alqueva Village

The first references to this village appear in documents from 1285. The name Alqueva derives from “alqueive”, which means “fallow land” or “deserted land”, which is true of the parish's very dry and rough soils. This was one of the biggest obstacles to the development of this region.
Then, a few decades ago, there was a proposal to build a dam near the town with the aim of irrigating the land and bringing development to a region whose main activity was agriculture.

27th September (Sunday)

Estimated start time of the walk: 9am (in Monsaraz)

Walk: “Writings of Stone and Lime”

This day's activities include the following points of interest:

- Town of Monsaraz - Chapel of St Benedict - Orada Convent - Sherry Cromlech - Pêga Roman Bridge - Outeiro Village - Outeiro Menhir - Belhoa Menhir - Natural landscapes -

Level of difficulty of the route: 2+ (Scale from 1 to 5)
Route length: 12 kilometres
Expected duration: 3h30m

1pm - Lunch in the Endless Restaurant
14h45 - Cruise on the Alqueva aboard a sailboat
16h15 - End of activity and return to Lisbon

Monsaraz

Due to its geographical position, the hill of Monsaraz has always occupied an important place in the history of the municipality, having been occupied by various peoples since prehistoric times.
In the 8th century, Monsaraz fell under the rule of Islam through the Muslim invasions that occupied a large part of the Iberian Peninsula. It was renamed Saris or Sarish and belonged to the kingdom of Badajoz, one of the largest and most important centres of Arab culture.
In 1167, it was conquered from the Muslims by Geraldo Sem Pavor on an expedition from Évora, which had also just been conquered. After the defeat of King Afonso Henriques at Badajoz, Monsaraz once again fell to the Arabs. In 1232, supported by Knights Templar, King Sancho II reconquered it definitively, and it was later donated to the Order of the Temple.
After the wars of 1383-1385, the town of Monsaraz was integrated into the House of Bragança and became one of the most precious sources of income for the great Portuguese ducal house.
In 1512, King Manuel granted a new charter to the town of Monsaraz, reshaping the public and legal life of the municipality. After the Restoration in 1640, the town received important tactical additions, such as the erection of a new bastion belt, making it a powerful “impregnable citadel”, interconnected with the defence system of Elvas, Juromenha, Olivença and Mourão.
Its status as a medieval castle town, the impetuous growth of the villages of Reguengos, the wealth of craft and wine-making activities and the loyalty of the population of Monsaraz to the ideals of the miguelistas defeated in the civil war (1828-1834) were the factors that contributed to the transfer of the seat of the municipality of Monsaraz to Vila Nova de Reguengos in 1838, where it was definitively established in 1851.

Price includes:

- Bus transport from Lisbon to Moura
- Transport to the locations of each walk and accommodation
- Visit to the Medronho Museum
- Saturday dinner
- Hotel accommodation
- Sunday breakfast
- Sunday lunch at Restaurante Sem-Fim in the village of Telheiro
- Cruise on the Alqueva aboard a sailboat
- The proposed accommodation option includes various room types
- Guided Walks
- Compulsory insurance

Price in double room: 170€
Price in single room: 185€
Seat reservation fee: 50€

Comments:
a) Registrations are limited and accommodation options are limited to availability at the time of booking.
b) If you have a group interested in this trip, contact us, we have personalised solutions.