Wine trail · Portugal

Olisipo & Lisbon Trail

1. Castelo de Sao Jorge Archaeological Site - Iron Age Lisbon 1 2. Museu Nacional de Arqueologia - Phoenician Artifacts Collection 2 3. Jose Maria da Fonseca - Portugal's Oldest Table Wine Producer 3 4. Quinta da Bacalhoa - Renaissance Palace & Vineyards 4 5. Quinta do Piloto - Traditional Winemaking in Palmela 5 6. Roman Ruins of Troia - Ancient Fish Industry 6 50 km 1. Castelo de Sao Jorge Archaeological Site - Iron Age Lisbon 1 2. Museu Nacional de Arqueologia - Phoenician Artifacts Collection 2 3. Jose Maria da Fonseca - Portugal's Oldest Table Wine Producer 3 4. Quinta da Bacalhoa - Renaissance Palace & Vineyards 4 5. Quinta do Piloto - Traditional Winemaking in Palmela 5 6. Roman Ruins of Troia - Ancient Fish Industry 6 100 km

Discover Lisbon's Phoenician roots from hilltop castles to Atlantic-facing monasteries.

4days

Moderateeffort

6stops

Chapter 7 of Phoenician Wine Trail · Portugal

The stops

  1. Tour · Price: low Castelo de Sao Jorge Archaeological Site - Iron Age Lisbon Explore the archaeological excavations at Lisbon's iconic hilltop castle, where Iron Age occupation from the 8th-6th centuries BC has been confirmed. The site reveals Phoenician pottery, Mediterranean architectural influences, and in 2010 archaeologists discovered a 7th-century BC stele with Phoenician inscriptions - the oldest such lapidary find in the Iberian Peninsula.
  2. Education · Price: low Museu Nacional de Arqueologia - Phoenician Artifacts Collection Portugal's principal archaeology museum, housed in the UNESCO-listed Jeronimos Monastery in Belem. The collection documents Phoenician and Greek trader influences on Portugal's Atlantic coast, with artifacts from excavations across the country including Iron Age jewelry, pottery, and trade goods that reveal Mediterranean connections.
  3. Tasting · Price: moderate Jose Maria da Fonseca - Portugal's Oldest Table Wine Producer Founded in 1834, this family-owned estate offers tours through historic cellars where Periquita (Portugal's oldest registered red wine brand) and century-old Moscatel de Setubal age in oak. The Adega da Mata and Adega dos Teares cellars contain Moscatels dating to 1908. Azeitao was named a "Best Tourism Village 2025" by UNWTO.
  4. Tasting · Price: moderate Quinta da Bacalhoa - Renaissance Palace & Vineyards A stunning 15th-century palace with Renaissance gardens, Moorish azulejo tiles, and the first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in Portugal. Tour the palace museum with its private art collection, Japanese garden with a Nagasaki survivor tree, and conclude with a 4-wine tasting. The lakehouse features Portugal's earliest dated tile (1565).
  5. Tasting · Price: moderate Quinta do Piloto - Traditional Winemaking in Palmela A four-generation family winery with 200 hectares of vineyards in Palmela's prime terroir. The experience includes a guided winery visit, tasting of 6 wines, and regional products (cheese, sausages, bread). Known for traditional methods including amphora fermentation and exceptional Moscatel.
  6. Tour · Price: low Roman Ruins of Troia - Ancient Fish Industry Cross the Sado estuary to explore the largest fish-salting industrial complex from the Roman Empire. Over 25 workshops with 180+ fermentation tanks produced up to 1 million liters of garum annually. Originally settled by Phoenicians, the site includes baths, a basilica, and burial grounds spanning the 1st-6th centuries.

The story

From the oldest Phoenician inscription in Iberia to century-old Moscatels, this trail connects ancient Olisipo with Portugal's wine legacy in the Setúbal Peninsula.

Plan the trip

Getting there and around

Safety
Very safe. Lisbon pickpockets in tourist areas - watch bags. Summer heat - hydrate.
Parking
Lisbon difficult - use hotel parking €10-20/day. Setúbal wineries free. Ferry lot €2-5.
Transport
Lisbon walkable + tram €3. Car essential Setúbal Peninsula. Ferry to Tróia. Uber/taxis plentiful Lisbon.
Accessibility
Castle partially accessible. Museums accessible. Wineries vary. Ferry accessible.

Where to stay

Notes
Lisbon base Days 1-2, Setúbal/Azeitão Day 3. Book Lisbon 1-2 months ahead. Azeitão agrotourismo ideal for wine immersion.
Budget
Lisbon hostels €18-30/bed. Azeitão budget €50-70.
Splurge
Memmo Alfama Lisbon €180-300. Quinta da Bacalhôa agrotourismo €150-250.
Mid-range
Lisbon hotels €80-140. Setúbal €70-110.

What it costs

Per day
€70-110/day mid-range. €45/day budget. €180+/day luxury.
Ways to spend less
Castle €10 vs Jerónimos €10 - choose one. Trilogia €30 vs standard €12 at Fonseca. Tram €3 vs taxi €15. Pastéis €1.20. Menu del día €12-15.

Where to eat

Must-try dishes
Pastéis de nata, bacalhau (salt cod), cozido à portuguesa, queijadas de Azeitão, choco frito (fried cuttlefish).
Food and wine
Bacalhau with Setúbal white. Cuttlefish with Moscatel seco. Pastéis with aged Moscatel.
Recommended tables
Pastéis de Belém (nata), Ramiro (seafood) €30-40, Time Out Market (variety), Taberna Sal Grosso €25-35.

If your time is short

Do not miss
  • Castle stele
  • Fonseca Trilogia
  • Tróia ruins
  • Pastéis de Belém
Recommended
  • Bacalhôa gardens
  • Ermelinda amphora
Skip if time is short
  • Jerónimos if museum closed

Mistakes to avoid

  • Don't skip Trilogia tasting
  • Don't go Belém without verifying museum open
  • Don't drive in Lisbon (use tram/Uber)
  • Don't skip ferry booking check (summer fills)
  • Don't visit August - heat and crowds

Worth stopping for

  • Castle: morning light on Tagus
  • Bacalhôa gardens: geometric hedges aerial view
  • Tróia: beach ruins golden hour

More trails in this chapter