If you have a free day and love vineyards, book a wine tour from Lisbon to Setúbal or the Alentejo. If you have an evening, want to compare several Portuguese regions and would rather not spend six hours in a minivan, a guided wine tasting in the city is the better deal. In Lisbon, that means about an hour, five wines from five regions, and a bill that starts at €35.
We get asked this question almost every day at POP, so here is the honest version, including when we would send you out of town.
What a wine tour from Lisbon really involves
A classic wine tour leaves Lisbon in the morning and comes back in the evening. The three usual destinations are close enough for a day trip:
- Setúbal Peninsula (Azeitão, Palmela): about 40 minutes by car across the 25 de Abril bridge. Home of Moscatel de Setúbal and of big historic houses like José Maria da Fonseca and Bacalhôa. The easiest wine day trip from Lisbon.
- Alentejo (around Évora): about 1h30 each way. Big, warm reds, cork oak landscapes, and a very good lunch. It makes a long day.
- Colares, near Sintra: a tiny, strange appellation where the vines grow in sand close to the Atlantic. Worth it if you are already visiting Sintra and like rare wines.
The Douro Valley, where Port comes from, is around three hours from Lisbon by car or train. As a day trip from Lisbon it is mostly transport. If the Douro is your dream, plan it from Porto.
If you want someone to handle the driving and the winery bookings, our friends at VisitmyLisbon run a private vineyard tour from Lisbon.
A tour gives you the landscape, the cellars and the people who make the wine. It also takes most of a day, usually costs several times the price of a city tasting, and you taste the wines of one or two estates only.
What a wine tasting in Lisbon gives you instead
A tasting in the city does the opposite: no vineyard views, but a much wider picture of Portuguese wine in a short time. At POP, in Graça, our guided wine tasting pours five wines from small family producers, usually from Vinho Verde, the Douro, the Dão, the Alentejo and the Lisbon region. Our sommelier explains the grapes and the soils in plain words, with bread and olive oil on the table.
It lasts about an hour. Sessions run every day at 15:00, 17:00 and 19:00, so it fits between a morning in Alfama and dinner. And because we are a wine shop, every bottle you taste is on the shelf behind you, with 5% off on the day.
Wine tour or wine tasting: a quick comparison
| Wine tour from Lisbon | Wine tasting in Lisbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Time needed | A full day (often 8 hours or more) | About 1 hour |
| Regions tasted | One region, one or two estates | Five regions in one session |
| Price | Usually several times a city tasting | From €35 per person at POP |
| Transport | Minivan or car, someone must not drink | Tram 28 to Graça, then walk home |
| Best for | Vineyard lovers with a free day | Short stays, first time in Portugal |
Our advice, depending on your trip
Two or three days in Lisbon: keep your days for the city and do a tasting. You will learn which regions you like, and you can plan a vineyard trip for your next visit knowing exactly where to go.
A week or more: do both, in this order. Start with a tasting in Lisbon to find your region, then spend a day in the Alentejo or Setúbal. You will get much more out of the visit.
You mostly want Port: the Port wine tasting covers White, Ruby, 10 Year Tawny and LBV side by side in one hour. Our guide to the types of Port is a good read before you come.
You are a group: hen parties and company teams have their own formats, see groups and private tastings.
Where to find us
POP is at Rua da Senhora do Monte 38C, in Graça, 30 metres from the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, one of the highest viewpoints in Lisbon. Take Tram 28 to the Graça stop and walk five minutes. Book the 19:00 session in summer and you walk out just in time for the sunset. Book your tasting here.
Questions we get asked
Is there a wine tour inside Lisbon?
There are no vineyards to visit inside the city. What you can do in Lisbon is a guided wine tasting, like ours in Graça, which covers several Portuguese regions in about an hour.
What is the easiest wine day trip from Lisbon?
The Setúbal Peninsula. Azeitão is about 40 minutes by car, with historic wineries and Moscatel de Setúbal.
Can I visit the Douro Valley from Lisbon in one day?
You can, but it is around three hours each way. It is much easier from Porto.
How much does a wine tasting in Lisbon cost?
At POP, a guided tasting of five Portuguese wines costs €35 per person, the Port tasting €39 and the Wine and Cheese tasting €59.
Do I need to know about wine?
No. Most of our guests are curious beginners, and the sommelier explains everything in simple words.