2022 is just around the corner, and with it comes wishes to welcome you. We want this year to be yours, full of fulfilled goals and new adventures. So in this article, we share our bucket list for 12 unforgettable months.
1. Taste "star" gastronomic experiences
Make 2022 a year filled with flavors - especially signature ones! From the Douro to the Alentejo to the Vinho Verde region, have some great starters from exquisite menus. Whether by the hands of Chef Tiago Bonito, at Largo do Paço, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Casa da Calçada, or through a Wine Blending & Sensory Experience, where we can become oenologists for a day, let us prove that the Vinhos Verdes region is not only about green wine.
If you would prefer to start the year with a golden view, we will introduce you to Terraçu's restaurant, where Chef André Carvalho and oenologist Jorge Alves will introduce you to Quinta Nova wines, highly rated by the "Robert Parker Wine Advocate" publication. In turn, if you want to enter the new year in a more familiar style, we recommend "Cantina do Ventozelo", which offers us the best of local gastronomy through traditional Douro recipes.
Further south, in the Alentejo, we can enjoy a 3-course dinner prepared by Chef Joachim Koerper, with his wine suggestion.
2. Getting to know wine-producing Portugal on horseback
Let's take a break in contact with nature, in the most beautiful way we know. In Monforte or Vidigueira, gallop through the Alentejo. For rides through 1600 hectares of landscape, on horseback, or in a carriage, we suggest exploring Herdade do Sobroso. For a visit to the Roman Ruins and a stroll through the vineyards, horseback riding workshops, vaulting or saddle lessons, the destination is one: Torre de Palma Wine Hotel.
3. Live eccentric SPA experiences
2022 is the year to take care of your body and mind. With relaxation and leisure experiences dedicated to renewing our energies, we could only think of one region: the Portuguese south.
Welcome to the Alentejo and Wine & Wellness experiences for all senses. At Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, in Beja, where time seems to stand still, we recommend an exfoliation and vinotherapy wrap. For a trip through the gastronomy and wines of Alentejo, with a vinotherapy treatment, we choose Torre de Palma Wine Hotel, in Monforte. Finally, for those who dream of taking a break from routine with a morning massage, followed by a picnic in the vineyards, we present Herdade do Sobroso, in Vidigueira.
If you prefer to experience the calm of Trás-os-Montes, we recommend a treatment worthy of royalty, in a palace that brings together the perfect treatment for body and mind. Between "De-Stress Mind" massages, Vidago mineral water showers, and "Essential Hot Stones", it will be hard to choose which one to start with.
4. Venture out to discover unknown places
Life is an adventure, so go on an adventure with it. Get to know Portugal from north to south in 4x4 jeeps, UTVs, classic and vintage cars, or boat trips. Through dunes, mountains or seas never before sailed, discover the best of our country differently.
Explore wine villages in the Douro Valley, visit the Alentejo for an exclusive gin tasting, drive around Peso da Régua in a classic car and finish with a meal by Chef Rui Paula, discover the historical center of Vila Real in a vintage car, or sail in the Douro River. There is only one question - do we venture north or south first?
5. Experiencing moments designed exclusively for me
To finish, we leave you with a final suggestion: why not live experiences designed exclusively for you? Let this be your tailor-made year and go on a tailor-made adventure.
