Arrabida Wine Tour from Lisbon: 2 Wineries & Tastings

A 16th-century tile workshop sits in the middle of a wine country tour most visitors never find.

A full-day tour from Lisbon heading south through Arrabida Natural Park, stopping at two family-owned wineries for tastings of seven wines, local pastries and cheese, plus visits to a historic tile factory, Sesimbra fishing village, and Christ the King statue overlooking the city. The group stays under eight people and travels in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide and driver; hotel pickup and drop-off are available as an option at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Arrabida Wine Tour and Sightseeing

• Meet at Avenida da Liberdade 9
• Cross the 25th of April Bridge
• Visit Azulejos de Azeitão tile workshop
• Explore Arrábida Natural Park and coast
• See Convento da Arrábida monastery
• Tour Quinta de Catralvos winery
• Stop at Sesimbra fishing village
• Pass by Santiago Fortress
• Relax at California and Ouro Beaches
• Tour Jose Maria da Fonseca winery
• Visit Christ the King statue viewpoint

The Experience

The day starts at Avenida da Liberdade in central Lisbon and heads south across the 25th of April Bridge—the suspension bridge often called the Portuguese Golden Gate. From there, the route cuts into Arrabida Natural Park, a protected area where Mediterranean plants grow wild and the Atlantic cliffs drop straight into the water. The driver stops at several points along the coast so you can stand at the edge and look out over the beaches and the bay.

Two family-owned wineries anchor the day. Quinta de Catralvos sits on its own vineyards and walks you through the cellars and the whole process from vine to glass, then pours local wines with appetizers. Jose Maria da Fonseca, operating since 1834, keeps wines over a hundred years old in its ancient cellars; the tour starts in the owner's house and ends with tastings of their estate wines. Between and around these stops, you taste seven wines total, eat a local pastry called torta de Azeitao and a local cheese, and see a working tile workshop that hand-paints tiles using 16th-century techniques—some designs copied from Islamic and Chinese originals. The workshop is one of the most respected in the region.

Sesimbra, a fishing village built around a bay with narrow terracotta-roofed streets and a palm-lined waterfront, gets its own time to walk around. You'll also pass the Arrabida Monastery, founded in 1542 and sitting entirely isolated in the mountains, and stop at California Beach and Ouro Beach for the water and the views. The day ends at Christ the King, the statue overlooking Lisbon from across the Tagus River, where you can see the city and the bridge you crossed that morning.

What’s included

• Tastings of seven wines at two family-owned wineries.
• local pastry and cheese.
• visit to a traditional tile workshop.
• tour of Arrabida Natural Park with stops at California Beach and Ouro Beach.
• time to explore Sesimbra fishing village.
• views of the 25th of April Bridge and Christ the King statue.
• English-speaking guide and driver in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off available as an optional add-on.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Lisbon Riders

Is this one for you?The small group size—capped at eight people—keeps the pace unhurried at each winery and lets you ask questions without shouting over a crowd; the English-speaking guide handles all the driving and the route, so you taste and look instead of navigating or deciding where to stop next.

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Top questions

What wines will I taste on the Arrabida tour from Lisbon?

The tour includes tastings of seven wines across the two family-owned wineries—Quinta de Catralvos and Jose Maria da Fonseca. The specific wines change with the season and the winery's current selection, but both estates pour their own production, and Jose Maria da Fonseca includes some wines over a hundred years old from its cellars.

How long does the Arrabida Wine Tour take?

The full tour runs nine hours from pickup at Avenida da Liberdade to drop-off at the same location, including all stops, tastings, and travel time.

What is Sesimbra like?

Sesimbra is a fishing village on the Atlantic coast, built around a bay and surrounded by towering cliffs and sandy beaches. The town center has narrow streets lined with terracotta-roofed houses, a palm-tree promenade, and access to fresh seafood restaurants along the waterfront.

Is hotel pickup included in the Arrabida tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are available as an optional add-on at checkout; the standard tour meets and ends at Avenida da Liberdade 9 in central Lisbon, in front of the Armani Exchange store.

What will I see at the tile workshop?

The Azulejos de Azeitão workshop uses hand-painting and traditional European tile-making techniques to recreate antique designs from European, Islamic, and Chinese cultures, including relief tiles with color glazes inspired by 16th-century Hispano-Moorish originals. It is one of the most renowned tile workshops in the southern Lisbon region.

What is included in the wine tastings?

The tastings include seven wines across the two wineries, plus torta de Azeitão (a local pastry) and queijo de Azeitão (a local cheese) served as accompaniments at the estates.