Central Alentejo is characterised by vast, open spaces dotted with monuments and historical sites - and remains unspoilt by tourism. Particularly worth visiting are the Renaissance city of Évora (which is a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the marble town of Estremoz. The towns and villages are generally set in very beautiful landscapes and incorporate a wide range of architectural styles.
The enchanting walled city of Évora is the capital of this region. The streets of the old town are filled with restaurants and handicraft shops alongside historical monuments such as the ruins of a roman temple, the 15th century Convent of Lóios (now a luxurious pousada) and the cathedral. Houses here often have bright white façades and wrought-iron balconies.
Arraiolos is particularly known for its rare handmade carpets and tapestries - the patterns of which are carefully guarded secrets. Estremoz has a lively weekly market - it is a medieval city dominated by the 13th century Tower of the Three Castles.
Central Alentejo has a number of Reservoirs and River Beaches. The Alqueva Dam is a great venue for nature lovers and the nearby Alvito Dam - the largest man-made lake in Europe - attracts both fishermen and those wanting to pursue more active water-sports.
Other activities in this region include:
- Accompanied walking tours
- Bird watching accompanied tours
- Horse riding
- Painting lessons
- Cooking lessons both local and international
- Fishing - in season
- Hunting - in season
- Water sports on the large dams
- Wine tasting tours
- Hiking
- Mountain Biking
- Jeep Safari
- Tennis
- Swimming
- Boating - and Boat Tours
- Canoing
- Rock Climbing
- Paint ball
- Sailing
- Mountain Biking
Specialities of the local cuisine start with bread which is present at any meal and the central ingredient in , migas, açordas, ensopados and fatias douradas. Favourite herbs include: coriander; penny-royal; oregano; parsley; thyme; and rosemary. And plenty of olive oil! Alentejano cheeses are respected throughout the country and make excellent starters - and some think they are even better to finish off a meal. The local wines are also well-established in Portugal and, increasingly, being exported. Another regional speciality are the garlic sausages - which vary according to the local recipe, seasoning and smoking. Free range pork, lamb, beef feature strongly in local dishes. Puddings, cakes and buns generally include eggs, sugar, honey, and almonds or pine kernels.
Towns and Villages in Central Alentejo
ARRAIOLOS
Arraiolos is famous for its dazzling wool rugs which decorate palace and grand houses throughout Portugal. Women stitching these colourful rugs, sit in front of their houses in good weather and can be seen by the windows in winter. It is believed this craft probably begun with the Moors as early as the 12th century. The local Town Hall exhibits a rich variety of carpets from across the ages. The craft is very time-consuming - it takes an expert needlewoman about 15 8-hour days to embroider little more than one square metre (10 sq. ft.), so it isn't surprising that the authentic hand-made Arraiolos carpets and tapestries are expensive!
Founded in about 300 BC, the town of Arraiolos sprung up on the summit of a hill and has gradually spread down the slopes with typical low whitewashed houses with a blue trim. The town is crowned by a castle and church, surrounded by massive fortified walls. It has a typical rural fountain which not only supplied drinking water for people and animals, but was also used as a public bath! Arraiolos has a reputation for having very good restaurants.
Approximate Driving Time to Airports:
- Lisbon – 1 hour 15 minutes
- Badajoz Airport (just over the Spanish border) - 1 hour 23 minutes - currently an internal airport, in 2005 Badajoz applied for its International Licence, the outcome of this application has yet to be decided
- Faro – 2 hours 35 minutes
- Porto – 3 hours 45 minutes
Estremoz
Estremoz is perched on a hill topped with a medieval castle, now one of the best Pousadas in Portugal. The area is rich with marble (the "white gold" of the Alentejo), which has featured strongly in the local architecture - the ancient upper town is dominated by the marble keep, known as the "Tower of the Three Crowns.
This unspoilt town has many monuments and buildings of interest. It has a great selection of good restaurants and is famous for its wine which is exported worldwide. It is situated 1 km from the main Lisbon-Madrid motorway. It is surrounded by two sets of fortified walls: the first was built in the 13th century around the medieval upper town and the second was constructed to protect the lower zone during the War of Restoration against Spain (1640-48).
The old town is an enchanting place with its narrow, winding streets lined with whitewashed houses with typical Alentejano chimneys. It has an impressive main square known as "Rossio" where the weekly rural market is held.
The area is famous for red clay pottery, richly decorated with patterns or floral motifs. Traditionally they made water cooling jars and now they make "bonecos of Estremoz" - little painted figurines.
Typical regional cuisine includes: ensopado de borrego (young lamb with bread and gravy) and pézinhos de coentrada (pig's trotters in coriander sauce).
Approximate Driving Time to Airports:
- Badajoz Airport (just over the Spanish border) - 55 minutes - currently an internal airport, in 2005 Badajoz applied for its International Licence, the outcome of this application has yet to be decided
- Lisbon – 1 hour 35 minutes
- Faro – 3 hours
- Porto – 4 hours 10 minutes
"Évora is the finest example of a city of the golden age of after the destruction of Lisbon by the earthquake of 1755" – this is how UNESCO described this beautiful city when they included it on the World Heritage list. It sits in a commanding position, overlooking the surrounding plains where three river basins intersect, and its origins date back to the dawn of the Christian era when it became the second most important city in (second only to Lisbon) .
Enclosed within Roman, medieval and 17th-century walls, the city has been important since Roman times, as can be seen by the ruins of its iconic Temple of Diana, built in the 2nd or 3rd century AD. In the 16th century, Évora reached the height of its golden era at the beginning of Portugal’s historical maritime expeditions – and evidence of this can still be seen in its stunning architecture. The 17th century saw the building of the city’s fortifications and the 18th century, the Company of Jesus, which had spread intellectual and religious enlightenment since the 16th century, was expelled, triggering the city's decline.
Today, Évora is a real treat and everyone should take time out to discover the delights of this beautiful city.
Approximate Driving Time to Airports:
- Lisbon – 1 hour 20 minutes
- Badajoz Airport (just over the Spanish border) - 1 hour 20 minutes - currently an internal airport, in 2005 Badajoz applied for its International Licence, the outcome of this application has yet to be decided
- Faro – 2 hours 45 minutes
- Porto – 3 hours 55 minutes
Montemor-o-Novo is one of the most traversed and yet least known places in Portugal. This is an old town where 17th century manor houses, convents and churches are a reminder of its noble and religious past. Known as the ‘white town’ this is where Vasco De Gama finalised the plans which opened the sea route to India.
This part of Portugal is sparsely populated and you can drive for miles through vast green pastures until reaching a village or town. Its quietness and climate offer visitors close contact with nature, history and a calmer, more relaxed way of life.
The surrounding area produces:cork, grain, olive-oil, cattle and wine. Traditional crafts include: woven baskets; leather and hide; and "licor de poejo" a liqueur of penny-royal, a herb abundant in the zone and popular for flavouring food.
Approximate Driving Time to Airports:
- Lisbon - 1 hour
- Badajoz Airport (just over the Spanish border) - 1 hour 25 minutes - currently an internal airport, in 2005 Badajoz applied for its International Licence, the outcome of this application has yet to be decided
- Faro - 2 hours 25 minutes
- Porto - 3 hours 35 minutes
Located in the heart of the Alentejo, the town of Portel is dominated by a medieval castle above white-washed houses set on steep, winding streets with Gothic and Manueline portals.
The castle has a large square tower which gives wonderful panoramic views across the countryside.
Nearby is the Alqueva dam, with a huge reservoir that is a popular site for nature lovers. The Alvito dam is a great venue for water sports and fishing.
Specialities of the local cuisine include: typical açordas (dish based on mashed bread): with garlic, fish, purslane, tomato, fried meat; and pork, young lamb and game dishes. The local olive-oil, goat and ewe's milk cheeses; and local honey are all excellent.
Approximate Driving Times to Airports:
- Badajoz (just over the Spanish border) - 1 hour 55 minutes - currently an internal airport, in 2005 Badajoz applied for its International Licence, the outcome of this application has yet to be decided
- Lisbon - 2 hours
- Faro - 2 hours 15 minutes
- Porto - 4 hours 30 minutes
Sousel sits in the heart of the agricultural region of the Northern Alentejo and is known for its fine cheeses, sausages, olive oil and wines. A haven from mass tourism, it is relatively unexplored and unspoiled – and visitors can enjoy several open-air activities including hunting (in season).
Sousel, is a quiet town with several interesting churches and local handicrafts include cork, leather bags and the traditional five-needle lace.
Approximate driving times to Airports:
- Badajoz (just over the Spanish border) - 1 hour 5 minutes - currently an internal airport, in 2005 Badajoz applied for its International Licence, the outcome of this application has yet to be decided
- Lisbon - 1 hour 45 minutes
- Faro - 3 hours, 10 minutes
- Porto - 4 hours
