1. DESTINATION ALENTEJO
The Alentejo is an extensive region covering almost a third of Portugal. The boundary to the north is the River Tagus (Tejo) and to the south the hills of the Algarve. In the east, it shares a frontier with Spain and in the west it opens on to the Atlantic Ocean. Essentially rural and sparsely populated, it offers a landscape that is uncommonly well conserved. Its scenic beauty and the abundance and quality of the heritage found in its archaeology, its monuments, its architecture and its gastronomy make it an exceptional place for the kind if discovery provided by nature and cultural tourism.
The character of the Alentejo requires you to leave the highways and favour secondary roads which offer the best means of enjoying a landscape made up of cork oak woodland, wheat fields, vineyards and olive grooves and to make contact with a people that are friendly and hospitable by nature.
2. DESTINATION ÉVORA
Dominating the Alentejo plain lies Évora, city of an outstanding beauty, classified as World Heritage by UNESCO since 1986. It is a treasure with much to offer, not only historically and culturally- there are about 300 monuments and churches to visit – but also in terms of gastronomy. Here, one may discover the genuine flavours of the Alentejo given the enormous variety of restaurants, located in a city embraced by fortress walls, lined by medieval streets and squares and filled with historic memories.
Outside the city, there are plenty of leisure activities to choose from. One may enjoy the tasting of regional products, such as wine, cheese and olive-oil, or choose a pleasurable horse-ride, a day of hunting, a Kart-race at the Évora kartodrome, or even select a variety of adventure sports. For a more relaxed day, why not visit some of the beautiful Alentejo towns and cities, not very far from Évora, such as Monsaraz, Arraiolos, Estremoz, Borba and Vila Viçosa.”