Hidden Portugal with Wine Tasting and Horseback Riding

We had such an amazing day with Filipa! She was so kind and we felt comfortable right away! It was so neat to see the Portugal country side-- definitely our favorite day in Portugal! It is a busy day full of firsts. The highlights included the wine tasting-- where we brought back the best wine and olive oil to the states. The falconry where it was amazing to see the birds up close and to see a falcon fly. We had the best food at a very local, portuguese restaurant and as an added bonus, Filipa worked her magic and we were able to see an empty bull fighting arena right before the show that night. The day ended with a calm horseback right and a tour around a farm. We even got to hold a meerkat! Honestly, everyone was SO nice and enjoyable. We had the most wonderful day and we highly recommend going on a tour with Filipa. She definitely made the day great! :

We loved this tour because it wasn't touristy. Filipa picked us up from our central Lisbon apartment and whisked us off over the river Tagu, through beautiful countryside to a town called Salvatierra de los Magos. This town was real Portugal, there were no tourists there and we loved it. We visited the UNESCO site of a Falconry preservation site, where the birds were beautifully taken care of, clean and amazing to see this magnificent creatures up close. We learnt about the history of falconry in Portugal and then went out into the field next to the facility to see one of the hawks flown by the expert handler who spoke great English. We then went on to visit a local winery where we were again the only tourists and only people there. We toured the production plant, learnt about the eco friendly policies then got to sample some excellent wines and olive oil which we brought back home to Mexico. Next was lunch at a local seafood place where again, we were the only tourists , to enjoy local dishes in a vibrant atmosphere. Back in the van we heaed to Villa Frank a town north of Lisbon and then up above the town to a small equestrian center, where the animals were very well taken care of. The owners were so warm and friendly and obviously loved what they did. We saw part of a lesson and then got to ride truly magnificent horses, my was a Lusitano stallion called Zeus. The ride was short and calm and the horses superbly trained. We then got a tour of the place where we met ponies, donkeys, snakes, coatis, a kangaroo, a meerkat that nestled in my arms as well as other critters. We also saw the collection of memorabilia of Nuno the owner who was a former bullfighter. We felt welcome and like family Out day ended with Filipa our guide dropping us off back in Lisbon. She was friendly knowledgeable and kind. It was a perfect experience and we felt we got to see the real Portugal not just tourist traps that were crowded.