Today you’ll arrive in Lisbon and be picked up by your hosts at 5:30pm. You will travel roughly 150 kilometres northeast to the town of Figueira e Barros, where you’ll have time to settle into your room at Monte do Padrão, a renovated farmhouse hotel. The custodian of this historic hotel is very welcoming, and may even invite you to enjoy some of the wines from his cellar. Later, at dinner, you will be introduced to your guides and learn all about what the next week has in store for you before tumbling into bed.

Yippee! Today you get to meet your horses! After the first of many satisfying breakfasts that typically include freshly baked pastries, fresh fruit, still-warm bread, local honey and homemade jam, you’ll meet the Lusitano horses who will carry you on your journey. Well-schooled, responsive and with a naturally proud head carriage, these powerful steeds will have you feeling like Portuguese royalty as you ride them over hilly meadows and down towards a river. The properties here are large and there are few fences and roads, creating a sense of seclusion that is rare in Europe these days. Most of the stone bridges you’ll clip-clop across date back to the Romans. Lunch will be prepared by the river, a delicious picnic featuring grilled meats or fish with salad, accompanied by fresh bread and local wine.

In the afternoon you’ll continue riding along the banks of the river – it may be necessary to dismount and lead your horse over some particularly rocky sections. The day ends at Monte dos Aroeirais, a guesthouse on the outskirts of the pretty riverside town of Fronteira. Here you can spend the evening in the beautiful garden or take a dip in the pool before enjoying dinner al fresco.

Today you’ll leave the guesthouse and ride to the town of Alter do Chão. The ride will take you through the meadows where the locals raise wild bulls, which you’ll see grazing in the sun. After another delicious picnic lunch and siesta, you’ll ride on to Coudelaria de Alter, or Alter Real Stud Farm, home of the Lusitano. Founded by the King of Portugal in 1748, the farm occupies 800 hectares of the surrounding countryside and is dedicated to the nobility and purity of the Lusitano horse. But more on that tomorrow – for now, you’re leaving your horses to be stabled here like the royalty they are and heading to your accommodation. You’ll reach your comfortable, four-star hotel, Varandas de Alter, in time to have a swim in the pool or sit back with a book before tucking in to a delicious Portuguese dinner.

This morning, you will meet your horses at Alter Real Stud Farm and ride through the farm’s vast, wildflower‐filled meadows. Then, after lunch at the hotel, you will finally get to discover the many delights of the stud farm itself! The horses bred here are famous the world over, and are traded under the name of the stud, rather than simply as Lusitanos. This visit is a major highlight of the itinerary, offering an unparalleled insight into the world of the Lusitano. Head to the museum to learn about the breed’s history, walk around slack-jawed taking in the state-of-the-art arenas and stables, or just meet some of the hundreds of mares, foals, stallions and young horses in training who graze in the meadows and pop their heads over the stable doors.

In the afternoon, you’ll return to Alter do Chão where, time allowing, your guides will bring you to a Portuguese tack shop where you can buy local riding products such as leather chaps, boots and belts. Finally, your thirst for Globetrotting bliss quenched, you’ll return to Varandas de Alter for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Today, waving a fond farewell to the stud farm, you will ride to Ribeira da Seda, a beautiful riverside area near the village of Seda. On the way you’ll pass through seemingly endless meadows, with only one remote farmhouse suggesting the presence of people. There will be plenty of chances to trot and canter in these wide open spaces. You’ll enjoy another delicious picnic lunch, resting in the shade of a tree while your horses do likewise, before riding on. Tonight the horses will be stabled at a property called Monte do Padrão, while you and your guides take a short transfer to your country manor accommodation, Monte dos Aroeirais, where you will sit down to another meal of fresh, seasonal cuisine.

After breakfast, you’ll return to Monte do Padrão to explore the 3000 hectare property. Here you’ll find yourself on the great plains of the upper Alentejo, which are home to extensive fruit and olive orchards. By now you’ll be fully immersed in the slow-and-steady rhythm of Portuguese life, where nothing is ever done in a hurry and enjoyment is the order of the day. The contrast between the Alentejo’s quiet, sunny fields and its vibrant culture and history is vivid. After soaking up the sweeping views, golden plains and sun-dappled orchards, you’ll bring the horses to their stables and head to Monte do Padrão’s guesthouse for another evening of food, laughter and relaxation.

For your final day in the saddle, you’ll head out from Monte do Padrão towards Lake Maranhão through the private hunting grounds of the Calatrava, which consist of open fields and cork forests. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy long trots and canters as you make the most of this last ride on your Lusitano steed. Lunch will be enjoyed on the beautiful banks of Lake Maranhão, which is in fact a huge dam built to supply water and electricity to the local region. After lunch and a siesta, you’ll take a similar route back to Monte do Padrão, where you’ll share stories and memories as you tuck into your farewell dinner.

After breakfast you will be transferred back to Lisbon Airport for onward travel. Please don’t book departing flights until 2pm or later.