Recorrido en todoterreno por las esencias del Algarve

Información

During the morning we cross by jeep the Algarvian mountains in a great JEEP SAFARI including explanations about cork, history and traditions. Around 10h00 we arrive at “ Dias de Aromas”. The farm is headquartered in São Brás area and started its activity in 2013, it is dedicated to the production of medicinal plants and herbs with a location in perfect harmony with nature and preserving some native species of herbs.

We start our gourmet guided tour of the farm with specialized staff explaining the various species of plants, their origins and their benefits. Along the walking you will have the chance to feel and try different aromas. At the end you will have a tasting of teas accompanied with fresh goat cheese flavored with aromatic herbs, accompanied by local home made bread or toast also flavored with local olive oil ted bread to try the oil flavored with Catmint and Chilli Cayenne. We finish our visit with small slices of lemon cake flavored with thyme.

Next destination, Olhão. Visit to the fish and veg market (built in 1915). One building holds the fish market where you’ll find a huge variety of extremely fresh fish and sea food straight from the port. The other holds the town’s fruit and vegetable market. You will stay here around 1h30 giving you the opportunity to have your own lunch around the market area.After lunch is time to visit the Tavira salt pans run by Mr.Rui Simeão. Located in the Ria Formosa Natural Park these saltpans have been in his family for over 150 years.

The guide will explain to you how the water enters the pans from the Atlantic Ocean at high tide and how it is filtered to produce top quality gourmet Flor de Sal (Flower of Salt). Flor de Sal is hand-harvested by workers who scrape on the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of the salt pans. As it dries, it forms small sheets that easily crumble between the fingers. Flor de Sal is considered an artisanal food product. Due to its labour-intensive production it is one of the most expensive salts in the world. We finish our gourmet tour visiting the Agricultural Cooperative from the olive oil producers of Santa Catarina .

Normally wine producers who use the French term “terroire” to describe the combination of land, climate and location when extolling the virtues of a particular region. But the term is equally suitable when talking of olives and this recently-launched olive oil is most definitely a proudly Algarvean product. Olives have been cultivated here in the Algarve for millennia, but commercial production of olive oil in the region was all but unheard of until quite recently. At Santa Catarina agricultural cooperative with this range of artisanally-produced oils under the Flôr de Caldeirão label.

Here you also have the opportunity to taste pure olive oil with toasts, the local liquors and the famous Algarvean fire water/Medronho!

Meeting/pick-up point: Pick-up at the hotel.
Duration:Eight hours.
Start/opening time: At 9am.
Languages: Portuguese, English and German.