With its colorful vistas, wide-open roads and dazzling whitewashed villages, the great expanse of the Alentejo is perhaps the most vivid of Portugal’s landscapes. Occupying nearly a third of the mainland, the region is most charming in springtime when wild flowers saturate the lush meadows and pastures.
Even though you can find splendid beaches, rugged landscape, golden plains, rolling hills and some of Portugal’s best wineries, it is still little known to an outsider. Thus you will discover, not just Alentejo’s nature and architecture, but also its unique cuisine, traditional farming techniques, and its unique crafts, such as tapestry-making. Head to Alentejo to unearth Portugal’s most precious hidden gem.
Évora – a UNESCO heritage site sitting in the north-east of Alentejo province. Its architectural landmarks include the 12th-century massive Gothic Cathedral of Evora, a Roman-built temple, and a narrow-laned historical city center featuring sites from every era, built by Celts, Visigoths, Lusitanians and Moors. Also, you do not want to miss the Chapel of Bones, a house of worship lined with human remains, or Almendres Cromlech, a Neolithic monument, known as Portugal’s Stonehenge.
Monsaraz – “Hanging” atop a hill and dominating the quiet-flowing Guadiana River, the town is a absolute open air museum with its labyrinthine cobbled lanes of formed iron balconies and swinging street lamps, small 14th century churches; a medieval castle, and neat Monsaraz-only sun-bleached houses. Monsaraz is one of the best places in Portugal to do star-gazing. Head to Observatorio de Loga Alquera to go completely moon-eyed with the marvels of the universe.
Marvão & Castelo de Vide – Travel to the towns of Marvão and Castelo de Vide. Located a short distance from each other, the duo represents arguably two most scenic settlements in Alentejo.
Hill-perched Marvão is one of the prettiest places in Portugal. Included in New York Times’ 100 Places to See before You Die, it hosts not only a medieval castle with one of the world’s best views, but also a beautiful Gothic Convento de Nossa Senhora da Estrela convent, and the picturesque Santa Maria Church.
Castelo de Vide has a similar medieval feel. In addition to the castle, it also has some unique sites such as its eye-pleasing Jewish Quarter, with its splendid museum. It is also a great hiking hub.
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