It is fairly educational. The whole visit lasts about 90 minutes. The first part is a bit of a talk about cork, how it is grown, cultivated, harvested and then formed into the myriad uses to which it is put. The second part is a visit to the factory floor. Those who like machines that go whirr, hum, clank and bang will like it. There are also smartypants machines that do stuff grade the cork by laser eyes then, with a puff of air, shoot it into the correct bag.  There are also ladies who sift through great piles of cork, just in case.

Their main product is the discs that go on the bottom of Champagne corks. No, I didn't know that either, but next time you uncork a bottle of Dom Perignon or Pol Roger, look closely at the way the stopper is made! Apparently they turn out a million of these a week.

The visit ends in the souvenir shop, of course. A lot of things  are rather pricey, but you can buy small bits and pieces.

You need to book in advance and it's only open on weekdays. Their website is http://www.novacortica.pt" rel="nofollow - www.novacortica.pt and is in English.

Small warning - there are a dozen or so steps to deal with at the start and end of the visit. Inside the factory it is flat.

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Afterwards you can head into the town of São Bras and have a look around. I recommend the old church with its view all the way down the valley to the sea at Faro. There's also a preserved section of Roman road to see and a nice little garden with an old bandstand and a mysterious sort of shrine and fountain.