Preparing for Your Journey

Lisbon + the Alentejo, Portugal
Abstract Folk Painting with Heather Chontos
Friday, September 26 - Friday, October 3, 2025

WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU!

We are so excited to spend time with you in Lisbon + the Alentejo, Portugal. Your Ace Camps Travel trip will connect you to an incredible community where you’ll meet and form bonds with many wonderful individuals. Given the small-group nature of Ace Camps Travel trips, the health, safety, and well being of you, other guests, the instructors and workshop hosts, and the local communities are a key priority for us.

Please take a moment to read through this document in full—especially the section about workshop supplies, as it contains important information that will help you prepare for your Ace Camps Travel trip.

GENERAL

Your Ace Camps Travel Host: Tanya Staples

We want every aspect of your trip to be an amazing experience. To help us do that, you will have the support of an Ace Camps Travel Host who travels with the group and is there to make sure your trip runs as smoothly as possible. Tanya Staples will be your Ace Camps Travel Host. Tanya is one of the co-owners of Ace Camps Travel and is also the trip designer for this trip with Heather. While she is not a local guide, she will assist you in answering questions you may have along the way. We will send you Tanya’s contact info closer to the Trip start date. If you have questions between now and then, please continue to email us at hello@acecampstravel.com.

Group Travel Etiquette

Please remember this is a small-group travel experience. It is important for you to join us with compassion, patience, and respect for everyone you interface with during your Trip. For example, if you asked to meet at a certain time, please be on time to avoid keeping the rest of the group waiting. If you choose to skip any activities or meals, please confirm your absence with the Ace Camps Travel Host directly so we’re not worried about your location or well being. 

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is required for all guests that includes: trip cancellation/disruption insurance; travel medical insurance; and medical evacuation insurance. Ace Camps Travel does not sell travel insurance. If you have questions, we suggest you discuss concerns about your coverage directly with a local travel insurance provider. Please ensure your listed emergency contact has all of your travel and medical insurance coverage details.

Itinerary Disclaimer

We do our best to keep to the itinerary on the Trip Details page of the Ace Camps Travel website. However, sometimes adjustments may occur. For example, we may need to make changes to the itinerary due to inclement weather, timetable changes, or circumstances beyond our control. While we do our best to plan ahead and prevent this from happening, it may be unavoidable. It can also happen with little notice, so please bear with us if we have to make modifications to the itinerary on the fly.

Smoking, Illegal Drug Use + Alcohol

Unless it is specified on the itinerary, alcohol is not usually included with meals. If you would like to have alcoholic beverages during your trip, you will need to pay for these separately. Ace Camps Travel Trips are 100% smoke free and we do not tolerate any kind of illegal drug use. We require responsible alcohol consumption.

COMMUNICATION

On-the-Ground Communication with WhatsApp

While on the ground in Lisbon + the Alentejo, Portugal, we will be using WhatsApp to communicate. Before you arrive in Portugal, please make sure you have the most up-to-date version of WhatsApp downloaded, installed, and an account set up and working on your mobile device. Your Ace Camps Travel Host will use WhatsApp to send you daily reminders, updates, and any other important information during the course of your trip. In addition to one-on-one communication with your Ace Camps Travel Host, we’ll be creating a group chat with all registered guests where we will send updates that affect the entire group while on the trip. We encourage everyone to engage on the group chat, as it’s a great place to get to know the rest of your new Ace Camps Travel friends, discuss travel plans and ideas, and share trip photos.

Emergency Numbers

In the case of an emergency, the local emergency number to dial in Portugal is 112.

Mobile Phone Usage

Here are a few other resources you may find helpful when traveling:

  • Using an ‘eSim’ app to have data on your phone while you travel (depending on your phone model). There are several companies offering e-sims that can save money instead of roaming through your network provider. Companies like Airalo offer various options to choose from.

Note: While e-sims are great, they do take some time to set up and install so be sure to spend some time before you leave your home country setting it up so you can just turn it on once you land (while we love to help where we can, our Ace Camps Travel Hosts aren’t tech support specialists).

SOCIAL MEDIA

If you are taking photos and would like to share them as a part of our trip story please tag your posts and/or stories on Instagram with @acecampstravel or hashtag #acecampstravel

ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE

Arrival Information: Friday, September 26, 2025

This trip begins and ends in Lisbon, Portugal. The ​closest International Airport​ is Aeroporto Huberto Delgado in Lisbon (airport code LIS).

Ground Transportation and Getting to the Hotel: The drive from the airport to our hotel will take between 20 and 30 minutes, depending on traffic. The best way to get to our hotel is by taxi or Uber, which is easy to get at the airport. Note: Be sure to use the official taxi cabs and don’t be swayed by people who may approach you inside or outside the airport asking if you need a ride. 

If you haven’t already, please fill out the Arrival and Departure Form so we can track your incoming and outgoing flights for delays.

You can check into the Hotel Alegria anytime after 3:00pm on Friday, September 26, 2025. If you arrive earlier than 3:00pm, you can drop off your luggage at the front desk and they will store it for you until your room is ready. All hotel rooms have been preassigned using the name you provided on your Booking and Registration form. You will need to provide your passport to the hotel at the time of check in.

Helpful App for Jet Lag

Help manage jet lag with Timeshifter.

Welcome Dinner: Friday, September 26, 2025

Once we’re all settled at our hotel in Lisbon, we’ll be hosting a casual meet + greet welcome dinner so you can get to know the group. Please plan to arrive at our hotel no later than 4:00pm on Friday, September 26, 2025, if you want to join the welcome dinner. This will give you enough time to check in and get settled before dinner. We’ll share more specific details about when and where to meet for dinner a few days before the Trip start date. If you aren’t able to join the welcome dinner, your Ace Camps Travel Host will be in touch with you to make sure you have all the information you need to join the group the next morning.

Departure Information: Friday, October 3, 2025

After breakfast on the morning of Friday, October 3, 2025, we will drive from our rural retreat in the Alentejo back to Lisbon, which approximately a 2.5 hour drive, depending on traffic. You’ll have the option to be dropped off either at the Lisbon Airport or at a pre-determined location in Central Lisbon, in the event you’re planning to extend your stay in Portugal. If you plan to fly or take the train out of Lisbon on Friday, October 3, 2025, we recommend booking your flights or train tickets for late afternoon. If you have questions about departure timing, please reach out anytime at hello@acecampstravel.com.

HOTEL

We will stay in two different hotels over the course of the trip:

  • Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27 (2 nights):
    Hotel Alegria
    Praça da Alegria 12, 1250-004 Lisboa, Portugal

  • Sunday, September 28 to Friday, October 3 (5 nights):
    Herdade da Matinha
    Cercal do Alentejo 7555-231, Portugal

About Hotel Alegria in Lisbon

Hotel Alegria is located only a few meters from the beautiful Avenida Liberdade, one of the most famous shopping streets in Europe. You will also be walking distance to the charming neighbourhoods of Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real, with majestic 19th century mansions, plentiful shops, cafes, and restaurants.

On site Amenities include:

  • Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash

  • Hair Dryers

  • Iron and ironing boards

  • On site restaurant

  • Outdoor “Quiosque”, a traditional Portuguese experience where you can enjoy a drink and light meal. Quiosques are popular social hubs enjoyed by locals and visits all over the city.  

  • Laundry service, though it can be expensive. There is a self-service laundry mat, Lavandaria: Alegria no Esendal, right around the corner, which you can find HERE.

About Herdade da Matinha in Cercal do Alentejo

Herdade da Matinha a rural boutique hotel, surrounded by stunning scenery and close to the spectacular Atlantic coastline. The hotel bursts with color, thanks the vivid paintings by owner and abstract painter Alfredo Moreira da Silva, combined with red, pink and orange doors, chairs, sofas, cushions, and handmade quilts.

On site Amenities include:

  • Shampoo and Body Wash

  • Hair Dryers

  • Refrigerator in the room

  • On site restaurant and bar

  • Iron and ironing boards upon request

  • Paid laundry service

  • On-site spa with massage service

HEALTH

Illness (including COVID)

Our goal is for each of our guests to enjoy the amazing trip we’ve put together. To ensure that happens, we make the health and safety of the group as our top priority. Please keep in mind while traveling with a group, you may need to take additional precautions.

In the days leading up to and during your Ace Camps Travel Trip, thoroughly washing your hands, wearing a KN95 mask if you feel ill or if you display symptoms of illness, and keeping a safe distance from others who exhibit signs of illness are small, but impactful, things you can do to keep the trip safe for everyone. Please make sure you bring KN95 masks, hand sanitizer, and a few COVID tests on the trip in case you or those around you start to have symptoms of an illness.

During the trip, if you feel unwell, please alert your Ace Camps Travel Host immediately, wear a mask, and keep a safe distance from others until we know more about your situation. If you exhibit signs of, or test positive for an illness, you should be prepared to follow the advice of local health authorities as well as the Ace Camps Travel Host to ensure the health and safety of the entire group. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, viral nature of your illness, and where we are staying, there may be a need to mask, distance, self isolate, or remove yourself completely from the trip which will be determined by the Ace Camps Travel Host with the best interests of the group health and safety as the main priority.

Per the Ace Camps Travel Terms and Conditions, you are responsible for any additional costs if, due to illness, including COVID, you have to leave a trip early as determined by a health care provider or the Ace Camps Travel Host. This is one of the many reasons we require you to purchase travel insurance.

Medications and Vaccines

You should consult with your doctor and a specialized travel doctor to determine if you need any vaccinations, prescriptions, or special considerations based on your medical history/conditions and based on the you’ll be traveling. For example, you may want to ask about a wide spectrum antibiotic in case of gastrointestinal or other infections. The CDC has several vaccine, prescription and over the counter recommendations for travel to Portugal and a travel doctor will be able to assist you in confirming what is right for you.

If you are already taking prescription medication make sure you bring enough with you to cover your time in Portugal, plus a bit extra, just in case. When you pack, make sure you have all your required and important medication in your carry-on luggage.

We encourage you to travel with medications that can help you if you encounter health issues. Here are a few common concerns you may want to consider bringing medications for, though what you choose to travel with is up to you and/or you and your doctor

  • Motion sickness, if car or bus rides affects you as the drive from Lisbon to our rural retreat in the Alentejo is approximately 2.5 hours

  • Nausea, indigestion, or an upset stomach

  • Diarrhea/Dysentery

  • Constipation

  • Minor aches and pains

  • Minor and severe allergies

  • Cold/flu symptoms

  • Bug repellant/spray

  • Minor cuts and bruises

Stomach Issues 

Stomach issues can occur when traveling and eating new types of cuisine. We strongly recommend bringing various medications to ensure if you have any issues, you are able to manage them and continue enjoying your trip.

Eye Glasses + Contact Lenses 

If you wear eyeglasses, you may want to carry an extra pair on the trip. If you wear contact lenses, you may want to bring extra contacts and an extra pair of back-up regular glasses.

General Fitness

To take full advantage of your Ace Camps Travel trip it is best to be in good health. Lisbon is known for its many hills and stairs. You will be doing some walking, which might take you up some of these hills. You will also find many of the sidewalks and streets are cobblestone, and can be slippery in wet weather.

Water

Tap water is safe to drink in Lisbon + the Alentejo is safe to drink. Please bring a refillable water bottle of your own and avoid using single-use plastic bottles.

MONEY

Cash + Credit Cards

Portugal uses Euros as the local currency. Most restaurants and shops will take credit cards, however smaller markets or stalls may prefer cash. We recommend having a combination of some cash (Euros) and credit cards on hand.

Gratuities

Tips and gratuities for your guides, workshop hosts, group drivers, and group meals are taken care of by Ace Camps Travel. At the end of your stay at The Vintage Hotel in Lisbon, you’re welcome to leave a small tip, if you choose to. At the end of our time at Herdade da Matinha, we’ll pass around an envelope to collect a tip for the hotel staff, which you can contribute to, if you choose to. 

WHAT TO BRING 

Now onto the fun stuff - what should you bring?!? Below are some suggestions, based on our experience. Below are some suggestions, based on our experience. Once we get to our rural retreat at Herdade da Matinha, you won’t have easy access to the resources you’re used to at home so please keep this in mind when you’re planning and packing.

General

  • PASSPORT (make sure it has at least six months on it) and consider bringing a photocopy and/or passport photos. In the (hopefully!) unlikely event your passport gets lost or stolen, an extra set of passport photos can make it easier for you to get a replacement) 

  • Travel plug adapters, depending on the country you are traveling from.

  • A day pack and/or a small-ish bag you can easily carry, in case you need something more than your purse (example: on our gallery day, on our hike, or walking to and from the workshop space)

Clothing

  • Layering pieces, including a scarf, shawl, sweatshirt, sweater, or light jacket for cool mornings and evenings, with much warmer daytime temperatures

  • Light rain shell or small umbrella (rain showers are always a possibility!)

  • Bathing suit, if you want to enjoy the outdoor pools at Herdade da Matinha

Footwear

  • Comfortable, supportive walking shoes, for our gallery tour in Lisbon 

  • Comfortable, supportive walking or hiking shoes for our gentle hike in the Alentejo region

  • Comfortable, supportive shoes for our workshop days, where you’ll do a mix of standing and sitting. You may end up with paint on them or possibly a bit of mud from walking to and from the studio, if it’s raining

  • Indoor shoes or slippers to use when you’re inside the hotel, if you don’t want to wear shoes, but want to keep your feet warm

Personal Items

  • Glasses and/or prescription sunglasses if needed

  • Earplugs, if you’re a light sleeper (high quality foam or sleep focused noise dampening, such as Loop)

  • Toiletries kit, including your own shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, if you are particular or there are certain brands you prefer to use while traveling; face cloth if you like to use one, as they are uncommon at hotels in Europe, including Portugal.

  • Sunscreen with SPF of 30 or higher, sunhat, sunglasses, and lip balm with sunscreen

  • Refillable water bottle

  • Hand sanitizer

  • KN95 masks–in an effort to keep our group as safe as possible, you may be asked to wear a mask

Luggage

We suggest keeping important items in your carry-on in case your luggage gets lost en route to Lisbon. We also suggest putting AirTags in your luggage so you can track their location, in the event they get lost in transit. 

Weather 

Late September and early October is a nice time of year to visit Portugal. Days are usually warm with balmy evenings. Daytime temperatures usually range from 70°F (20°C) to 85°F (28°C), which means you should pack layered clothes for your stay, including a light jacket and umbrella to prepare for the chance of rain showers.

WORKSHOP SUPPLIES

Supplies and materials for the four-day painting workshop with Heather will be provided, including:

  • Painting surfaces (paper, canvas board, and stretched canvas)

  • Heather’s go-to, non-traditional mark-making tools (hotel key cards, hardware store-style paint brushes, squeeze bottles)

  • Paint palette and palette knives

  • Containers for mixing custom colors

  • Access to acrylic paints, both heavy body and fluid acrylics, in a variety of colors; oil pastels; inks; and Heather’s favorite “model color airbrush ink.”

Note: At the end of our workshop time together, we’ll share share best practices for removing your paintings from the stretcher bars so you can roll up your canvases and take them home with you.

Required Supplies you should bring with you: 

  • A good-quality sketchbook of your choice as well as the pencils, pencil crayons, markers, or pens you like to use for sketching and taking notes. 

  • An apron, smock, and comfortable clothing/footwear to wear during our workshop days. It should be something you're comfortable getting covered in paint, as Heather’s process–especially when working on larger paintings–will be messy. 

Optional Supplies to consider bringing with you:

Here are a few things you may want to consider bringing with you. This is optional and depends on whether there are specific brushes, mark-making tools, colors, or paints you want to have access to during the workshop

  • Any specific paint brushes or mark-making tools you like to use regularly. We’ll provide Heather’s go-to mark-making tools, which are very non-traditional, simple tools (hotel key cards, large hardware-store style paint brushes, plastic squeeze bottles), and Heather will show how she uses them in her work. Bringing your own brushes or mark-making tools is completely optional in case there are specific things you know you want to have with you for ease/comfort or experimentation. 

  • Any go-to paint or paint colors you like to use regularly. Acrylic paint in a variety of colors, both heavy body and fluid will be provided. Bringing your own paint is completely optional in case there are specific brands or colors you want to have with you for ease/comfort or experimentation. 

THANK YOU AND SEE YOU SOON!

Thank you for taking the time to review this information, we hope these details help with your travel planning and prepare you for your time exploring Lisbon + the Alentejo, Portugal. If you have questions between now and then, please continue to email us at hello@acecampstravel.com. See you in Lisbon!