About Us
The Portugal Marble Route is a creative tourism experience of industrial, heritage and gastronomic scope, where marble is the main endogenous product.
Based in Vila Viçosa, in the heart of the Alentejo marble area, our tours spread across the municipalities of Alandroal, Borba, Estremoz, Sousel and Vila Viçosa, providing visits to the famous quarries, the processing industry, monuments and architectural heritage, experiencing the local gastronomy.
Our guided tours, licensed by Turismo de Portugal with RNAAT nº 145/2014, take place every day of the year, for different audiences and offer special conditions for groups.
Portugal Marble Tour … A different way to get to know the best of Alentejo.
Portugal Marble Route is developed by guides – knowledgeable interpreters of the reality and the dynamic of the territory, and it is periodically fed by knowledge transfer, obtained from the research that has been carried out in parallel, for example, from the study, known as Heritage and History of the Industry of Marbles (PHIM).
The Portugal Marble Route is part of the CECHAP Studies Centre – a non-profit association formed on June 19, 2011, whose mission is to promote and disseminate the local culture, history, the arts and different heritages through development of scientific studies and promotion of cultural activities.
Mission and Objectives
Our objectives are dissemination of:
- the cultural heritage of the region,
- the knowledge of the ancient history of the marble,
- memories and artisan knowledge of ancient masters,
and contributing to integrated and sustainable economy in the development of the surrounding territory.
We also aim at contribution towards the valorization of the territory, being an active agent in the reflection on various issues such as the environment, waste, planning, culture, museology, tourism and the economy.
Licenses
Portugal Marble Route is licensed by the following entities:
- IGAC - Intelectual Property n.º 3855/2011
- INPI - Industrial Property n.º 177/2012
- Turismo de Portugal - RNAAT n.º 145/2014
- EUIPO - European Union Intelectual Property Office - n.º 017947184
Our Team
Ricardo Hipólito
General Manager/Guide
Master in History from ISCTE-IUL (2014). Born in Caldas da Rainha and passionate about Alentejo. Founder of the Portugal Marble Route, performing as general manager, operation coordinator and guide.
João Bravinho
Guide/Bookings
Degree in Tourism from the Polytechnic of Portalegre (2018). Born in Vila Viçosa and passionate about music. Collaborates with Portugal Marble Route since 2021, responsible for the booking management and working as guide.
Joaquina Peixinhos
Guide/Bookings
Bachelor of Preschool Education. Born in Vila Viçosa, has collaborated with CECHAP since 2013. Collaborates with Portugal Marble Route since 2018, responsible for the booking management and working as guide.
Olga Nikolova
Communications & Social Media
Communication digital service technician, by IEFP (2021). Born in Bulgaria but lives in Portugal since 2012. She collaborates with Portugal Marble Route since 2021, being responsible for Communication and Social Media Management.