Into the Alentejo- Portugal
The Alentejo region of Portugal is the region between Lisbon and the Algarve in the South, stretching from the endless sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast with resorts like Comporta in the West to the Spanish border in the East. It is known to be very laid back, even by Portuguese standards, rural if you like, and makes a relaxing contrast to the hustle and bustle of Lisbon. But people are waking up , and this once sleepy region is coming into its own, thanks to boutique wineries and amazing gastronomy using local produce.
After landing in Lisbon we drove for a couple of hours south to Troia, where we embarked on a beautiful boat trip on the river with a Portuguese "light lunch" Portuguese "light lunches" we were soon to discover consist of at least 7 courses, with plenty of local wine to wash it down with. Salt cod is a very popular ingredient, as is pork and lamb, lots of egg based desserts as historically the nuns and monks had plenty of egg yolks left over from starching their clothes with egg white. Hence a plethora of egg based delicacies such as pastel de nata. After disembarking from the boat, we headed to Comporta, one of the main beach resorts with a huge expanse of white sandy beach, backed by the Atlantic. Then it was off to our home for the night - the very stylish Octant hotel in Santiago do Cacem, with more delicious food and wine. The Octant hotels are beautifully design focussed but also with a big emphasis on gastronomy.
The next morning it was off to Beja, capital of its region in Roman times when it was known as Pax Julia. There are some interesting Roman ruins to behold aswell as the tallest bell tower in Portugal. We also visited a fascinating convent, I would highly recommend taking a guided tour if you visit Beja, as we learnt so many fascinating facts about its history. After our morning tour it was off to Quinta do Quetzal for a superb "light lunch". Quinta do Quetzal is well known in the region for its fine dining, in a beautiful award winning restaurant overlooking the vineyard, and with a somewhat bizarre art gallery in the basement. Then it was off to the beautiful hilltop village of Monsarez before heading to our home for the night, the 5 star Mar de Ar hotel in Evora, the capital of the region.
The next morning there was just time for a quick dip in the pool, overlooking the aqua duct (17km long, dating back to Roman times) before a guided walking tour of the world UNESCO heritage city of Evora. So much to see. Churches, (including an ossuary), convents, Roman ruins, markets and tiny back streets that I could happily get lost in for days on end. No time for that however! It was off to Fita Preta, another beautiful winery, housed in a cork clad building, with a mediaeval place next door. Another spectacular lunch paired beautifully with the local wine. Then off to the hilltop village of EvoraMonte, where we were hosted by Alison who runs an idyllic 4 bedroom b and b. Then we were off to the Torre de Palma Wine hotel, our home for our final night.
The Torre de Palma is a family run boutique and slightly quirky hotel on a wine estate, again with amazing food and wine. The next morning we headed to VilaVicosa, a town close to the Spanish border, with streets literally paved with marble as this is the centre of the Portuguese marble industry. Then off to Estramoz for the Saturday farmers market, a final lunch at Gadanha restaurant, famed for its desserts and home to the airport.
So how would I define the Alentejo region? Relaxed, amazing food and wine, heaps of history, and just far enough off the beaten track to be largely undiscovered. But not for long - this sleepy region is waking up - and has so much to offer.
