A Day with the Lusitano Horse

Your day will be spent in the open countryside, at Casa Cadaval (see history below), a stud farm that dates back to 1650 and where pure bred Lusitano horses are bred. You will arrive at the estate at 10 am and tour around the farm in a 19th century cart, passing by the stables and the herd of mares with their colts running free. At the same time, you will be told about the history of the Lusitano horses. 

The estate's cooking staff will then prepare a royal picnic by the water, where you will taste the region's gastronomic specialties. After lunch, you still have time, if you want, to take a horse ride on a Lusitano in the estate's riding school.

Alenquer, property of the Queens of Portugal

Late afternoon, you will be driven through Alenquer, a town considered historically as the property of all the Queens of Portugal, since the 12th century. 

The region is also famous for its wines, namely the white wines that made a splash in the London Exhibition in 1890. The vineyards form great continuous spots, following the relief and developing along hillsides and valleys.

King Sancho I constructed a Palace in this village that was donated to his daughter, Princess Sancha, who has given to Alenquer its first Privilege Cart.

The town has a magnificent set of monuments with an enormous artistic value. The remains of the 13th century castle are worth visiting, as well as the 15th century St. Pedro's Church, containing the tomb of its native son, the chronicler of the Discoveries, Danião de Góis (1501-74) and the S. Francis Convent, with its Manuelino style cloister and a 13th century portal, the first Franciscan monastery built in Portugal, founded during the saint´s lifetime.

You will stop for dinner in Porto da Luz, in the restaurante A Coudelaria, where you can taste a delicious fish soup or the duck rice or stewed lamb, as well as the famous sweets of the region.

History of Casa Cadaval (House of Muge)

Located around 80 km, north of Lisbon, on the left border of the Tejo River, Casa Cadaval belongs to the Álvares Pereira de Melo family (Dukes of Cadaval) for almost four centuries. In this House lived during over a year the Queen Leonor, third wife of King Manuel I, sister of the Emperor D. Carlos V and mother of Princess Maria. On becoming a widow, Queen Leonor went to the House of Muge where she stayed until 1535, year in which she left to Castela leaving in Portugal her daughter of two years of age – Princess Maria. In 1530 the widow Queen married the King of France, Francisco I. Later, the House of Muge went to the family of the Counts of Odemira. Maria de Faro, Countess of Odemira, married Lord Nuno Álvares Pereira de Melo, 5th Count of Tentúgal, 4th Marquis of Ferreira and 1st Duke of Cadaval – title that was given to him in 1648 by King João IV. Nowadays, its 5,000 hectares are  being modernised and adapted to the new markets through intensive investments in adoption to the irrigated land, restructuring of the productive system, reconversion of the vineyards, introduction of new technologies of wine-making and the release of new brands.