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In a fair tribute to Arbustus unedo L., the scientific term for the strawberry tree, the project of the Museum of the Strawberry Tree Fruit is born in the farmland!

In a fair tribute to Arbustus unedo L., the scientific term for the strawberry tree, the project of the Museum of the Strawberry Tree Fruit is born, organised in four distinct areas: exhibition, shop, tasting counter and distillery For group visits please book in advance so that you can have access to all the Museum’s areas in activity.

Museum outside view (copyright//Rute Luzio S.)

Museum entrance (copyright//Rute Luzio S.)

Museum entrance (copyright//Rute Luzio S.)

Exhibition (copyright//Maria Leite)

Exhibition (copyright//Maria Leite)

Exhibition (copyright//Maria Leite)

Tasting (copyright//Maria Leite)

Tasting (copyright//Maria Leite)

Tasting (copyright//Maria Leite)

Tasting (copyright//Maria Leite)

Tasting (copyright//Maria Leite)

Tasting (copyright//Maria Leite)

Merchandising exhibitors (copyright//Maria Leite)

Museum Store: merchandising (copyright//Maria Leite)

Museum Store: merchandising (copyright//Maria Leite)

Museum Store: merchandising (copyright//Maria Leite)

Museum Store: local products (copyright//Maria Leite)

Museum store (copyright//Maria Leite)

From October to January, the strawberry tree is at its best. Its small white with a slight pinkish hue bell-shaped flowers, grow in bunches and blossom in the autumn. However, as the fruit doesn’t all ripen at the same time, the equal presence of flowers, green fruit and already ripe red fruit, gives the tree a highly decorative and ornamental value. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

Picking or collecting the fruit takes place over a long period of time, from October until January. It is a lengthy process because the fruit doesn’t ripe all at the same time, and, as a result, the same tree needs to be “re-visited” several times. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

It is a strenuous process because the fruits can only be picked after being ripe, when they are already starting fermentation. Also no leaves or stems can be picked along the fruit as certain tannins would harm the quality of the distilled product. Furthermore, the picking is also challenging because the strawberry trees are found in areas of difficult access. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

You could simply go for walks in the hills and enjoy the views of the characteristic green, brown and golden vegetation or identify the sounds which, as with the colours, are constantly present in nature: the noise of the crickets and cicadas, the bees and other insects collecting nectar, the song and the sight of birds both big and small flying overhead. You could even explore the territory on foot or by bike. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

The Museum offers an opportunity to discover the historical, gastronomic, cultural and natural patrimony which is extremely rich in this area. The children will love the rambles or rides in the jeeps in the grounds. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

Watch the geese and the various species of duck, which inhabit the lakes, enjoy the curious ostriches, spy on the deer and mouflon, a type of long-horned wild sheep, which wander around in groups and take advantage of shade of the trees to rest during the day. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

Observe the flight of the birds or the wild boar, which come out at sunset to eat with their young, these are just a few of the activities that nature tourism can offer you. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

The land surrounding the estate is an artificial structure which has been man-made. This land has a great landscape, biological and economic value confined to the Mediterranean, more specifically the south of the Iberian peninsula. It subsists from the north of Africa, Algeria and Morocco. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

The environmental importance of the land surrounding the estate is enormous and extremely important for the conservation of the soil, the water cycle of the area and the quality of the water. Along with these, the importance extends to the amount of oxygen produced for the atmosphere, the amount of carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere and this all contributes to the importance of this unique Mediterranean forest ecosystem, extremely rich in terms of biodiversity and which has been identified as one of the most important areas for nature conservation at a national and European level. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

(Portel`s castle) Being only a few kilometres from the Agueva dam, which has created the largest artificial lake in you Europe, the opportunity for funand leisure are innumerous. As land has been lost underwater, the need to reduce the losses and the impact through the construction of this dam has meant that there has been investment in investigations, cataloguing and archaeological excavations. We now know more about ourselves, the formation of the area and our ancesters in this region. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

The route of fresco piaintings is an initiative of AMCAL - Central Alentejo Municipalities Association, composed of the municipalities of Alvito, Cuba, Portel, Vidigueira and Viana do Alentejo. The Fresco paintings route is the creation of systems of visits to a selection of mural copies, carvings and tiles, chapels, shrines and churches of the five municipalities. The process of selection and inventorying had the partnership of the Department of History at the University of Évora. (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

Church entry (copyright/Paulo Pinho)

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Exhibition The museum holds a permanent exhibition that intends to introduce the strawberry tree fruit - “medronho” - through a characterisation of the plant and its fruit, its life cycle, the economic, ecological and forestry value and ending in the process of distillation of the fruit and its final product - the well known “aguardente de medronho”.

The exhibition unfolds as a journey which, using knowledge as an excuse, starts with the strawberry tree and transport us to the farmland, in a close dialogue with the soil which welcomes both the plant and, to our delight, ourselves with all its landscape, historical, cultural and touristic potential that characterises this vast region.

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Distillery With programmed visits and during the period of maturation of the fruit it is possible to walk along and watch the several phases of production of the distillate: from the collection of the fruit to fermentation, distillation and bottling.

The result are two spirits with different charac- teristics but both of excellent quality: the young spirit , Tirikeda, and Cerca da Medronheira a matured spirit, aged in oak barrels. It is in the farmland that the fruits that give origin to these marvellous distillates grow..

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Spirits The strawberry tree fruit spirits which are produced in the Museum’s destillery, can be bought at the Museum’s store all year round. However, you can also taste and confirm the quality of the distillate before you buy it.

Other events can be booked. Please regularly check our website or give us your contact and you can be the first to know about the Museum’s initiatives.

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10H to 19H - closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Single Ticket – 2,00€ This ticket includes access to the exhibition, tasting counter, museum, shop and distillery whenever the latter is in production and exhibition.

Group ticket – 1,50€/per person (groups of 12 or more people).

Teens from 11 to 16 years - 1,50€ (over 16s - 2,00€). Children under 11s - free.

Please keep your ticket with you until the end of the visit. Leave your coats, backpacks or bags in the cloakroom. Please do not leave valuables in the cloakroom. The Museum cannot be responsible for these.

Tastings will be organised regularly and form part of the strategy of selection and promotion of the regional products of great quality.

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2015 Museu do Medronho

give us your contact and you can be the first to know about the Museum’s initiatives

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