During our drive to Algarve, we decided to stop at a nearby winery. So glad we stopped here at…read moreQuinta da Tor. We didn't have a reservation, though we only wanted a tasting with some food, no tour. We asked the receptionist and she was happy to seat us outside. And out tasting began. We sat outside near the pool area with a good selection of tastings and tapas. Our wine staff was so sweet and knowledgeable of the wine details. Definitely a must when in the area.

We loved this place. It was easy to get to. Beautiful land although it's winter. Our lovely server…read morewas knowledgeable and very helpful with our wine selection and food We had a spectacular option of wines. Then our guide Miguel topped off the day with a wonderful tour of the property. Took us through the nuts and bolts of the winery operation. He answered all our crazy questions with ease and a straight face. Lol. Really this is a super cool winery and we had a great afternoon excursion. Worth a visit!!

Amazing, knowledgeable guide. Not only you get the best tasting wines that you can then take home…read morebut the place was beautiful, tranquil, and very welcoming.

We visited this winery during our holiday to Algarve and this winery was suggested as a great…read morechoice for a tour. It was fabulous! Duart was a very knowledgeable and charming guide for our experience. Would highly recommend!!

My husband and I were enjoying all of the fantastic local Portuguese food in the beautiful mountain…read morevillage of Monchique. We felt like something more familiar after two weeks of fabulous local food. By chance, we decided to pull off the road to give Ceiceira a chance. We looked the restaurant up online before we entered, and to our surprise, the restaurant specialized in Southe US cooking and locally produced wines. Intrigued, we entered the main part of the restaurant, It was large, clean, and tastefully decorated. On one side were tables, and on the other was a wine-tasting counter. A friendly server approached and immediately seated us in the patio area. The patio was equally nice, with some high-top tables and informal lounge-style seating. The restaurant is beautiful inside, but the view is spectacular. You can see the entire village of Monchique(it is a postcard-perfect picture). In the background was American Country Music played at a reasonable volume. The extensive menu contained some tasty Southern US choices, such as battered/fried chicken and waffles. If this is not your thing, there are plenty of traditional Portuguese items as well as items that may appeal to the many Brits who frequent the area. The owners, a husband(British) and wife(Alabama) team came out to introduce themselves. They explained that their menu is evolving to appeal to a wider range of customers. They told us that they produce much of their wines on-site and are in the process of planting their own vineyards. The fried chicken, marinated Brussels sprouts, and devilled eggs were delicious. Ceiceira was a truly unexpected delight and one of our most memorable dining experiences.

This place is newly opened, an English chef and American partner. This was early October so I…read moreguess they missed the real holiday season? not sure We did not have time to eat here...we looked at the on-line menu (difficult to read and now being updated) and decided it was not exactly what we wanted - sort of tapas-y-ish But we dropped in for a coffee and cake just to see and, as it turned out having quite a chat First, I have been to this restaurant when it was a coach party place...not good, went just the once. It is now unrecognisable; it is completely redone and is simple but very pleasant and strangely calming...very well done Secondly, they clearly have big plans; they want to use fresh and local produce and keep things authentic but with a twist. Our friends who live there hadn't tried it yet so no real foodie reports - so the stars above are really only for the welcome and the decor...encouragement to please try it out and report back As we drove up and down the hill (its on the left as you go up the hill at the Monchique end) we looked to see how busy they were...mediumly I would say...the trouble is the menu at the moment seems quite fixed (and samey?) and so I would have to ask just how often would you go there? Its basically tapas. And is there a real market for this? Locals, tourists or expats? I hope so for their sake but I feel there should be 2 menus...either a standard one or dishes of the day on a slate and the tapas one Apart from 2 French people having lunch, while we were there, the only other paying customers...others seem to be friends, family or staff or a mix They had put up a screen and made themselves breakfast that morning and watched a World Cup rugby match - why didn't they advertise it to all the local Brits...bacon sandwiches all round??? They are talking about New Year on the roof (ticketed) and a special meal...sounds good but again the website needs to be up and running fully and they need to advertise They seem very nice, very friendly and enthusiastic and we wish them well with their bold enterprise...we will definitely try it out if we go back next year and will stay in contact with our friends to see what they say

Ten euros for a fun tour, generous tasting of 3-4 wines and light eats (including fresh goat…read morecheese, breads and homemade jam, and olives). One of my favorite experiences in Portugal. Susanna, the owner and tour guide, was a blast! (And full of information). The organic winery featured not only four types of grapes but pomegranate, apricot, olive, almond, and quince trees. Susanna also has rooms available for rent and welcomes WWOOF-ers. I enjoyed learning about the process firsthand from Susanna- from vine to aging to bottling. I walked away with a newfound appreciation for organic wines and the extra effort it takes to protect the vines without chemicals. (Our favorite example was how she uses favs bean plants and gypsies to control the snail invasions).

Had a very enjoyable stay with Guillaume and Ines for four days this April. I believe we were the…read morefirst customers of the year. We enjoyed the Suite for four nights, and had both a breakfast and wine tasting while we stayed there. The breakfast was a delight the first morning, as we had traveled quite a bit the day before. With the suite we were able to bring in food, and make our own meals for the rest of trip after a little shopping. The accommodations were excellent. The wine tasting was with a large group on Wednesday but was very interesting. Guillaume gave us a tour of the farm, and we had the wine tasting in the area where the wine is made! His choice of cheese and wine was excellent. The farm is all organic and is quite amazing, but after a long hard day of hiking and travel around the Algrave it is delightful to come back to the quite farm and enjoy a glass of wine on your own patio overlooking the fields. We often took a walk around the farm in the evening and it was a very peaceful area with interesting fields nearby. It was truly a highlight of our trip, and we will definitely go back the next time we visit the Algrave area of Portugal. It is so nice to be out of the hectic city and relax.

The staff is very nice and helpful. Comfortable room with a beautiful bathroom. Heated tile. No…read moreroom number, just cute whimsical pictures of butterfly, snail, and little creatures on wall to match with your key. The pictures are actually their wine labels and were drawn by the owner couple's children. The fireplace area is very inviting, great place to relax and enjoy the evening. Or to use your computer/phone as you don't get much wifi signal in the rooms (but it seems to be a common problem in the hotels I visit in Portugal.) The infinity pool has a nice view of the vineyard but it was too cool to swim in when I visited. Breakfast buffet is very delicious too, elegantly laid out with juices, fruit, an array of cheeses (some locally made), bread, home-made yogurt in glass jars, and more. The hotel is part of a farm, where they grow grapes, make their own wine, breed their pigs (pata negra) to feed on acorns, grow olives and make oil, plus more. The staff is happy to take you on a tour of the farm in their jeep, which was very interesting and a good learning experience. If you come at the right time, you can participate in the grape or olive harvest as well, and may get to stomp on some grapes! They do have some very good wine, and the olive oil is so flavorful I bought a bottle. Dinner at the restaurant is certainly delicious, from the bread with dip and spread, to the codfish and dessert. It's more modern fusion than rustic traditional. The location is somewhat in the middle of nowhere, but if you just want to chill and not do a lot, this is a great place to stay. More for couples than family with kids. It's a bit overpriced but I definitely plan to return for a special occasion, maybe my anniversary? Room Tip: There is no bad room, but they have two bigger rooms with a loft.

Herdade da Malhadinha is a beautiful, calm, peaceful and serene property. We loved our three day…read morestay at this boutique 10 room property. It was completely relaxing. The hotel is set in a large estate surrounded by grape vines, olive trees, and cork trees. The views are lovely and peaceful. Breakfast is served buffet style - a huge spread with produce from their farm (fruits, honey, olives, fresh jams) and local foods. Eggs are made to order. Just delicious! There are activities available on property for a fee (archery, horse back riding, etc). We did their complimentary wine tour which included a tour of the property and wine tasting. They are truly a family business - the wine bottle labels feature artwork from the owners' children. We also did archery with their activities guide, who is super friendly. We traveled as a couple and found it very relaxing. There were also families with children, but it was never noisy. It's a beautiful space. There is a beautiful infinity pool, but the water is way too cold even on warm sunny September days. They offer spa services (I had a massage - it did not meet expectations), but it's not up to par with the rest of the property and I don't recommend. The on-property restaurant is a delicious. They use in season and local ingredients. They exclusively serve their own wines and the olive oil is made with their own olives. The desserts are creative and delicious! We loved our stay and would totally recommend!