The Alentejo stretches across two thirds of central and southern Portugal and takes in undulating prairies, endless olive trees, cork trees, wheat fields, white-washed houses, Roman ruins, charming towns and an all embracing tranquillity. Our romantic hotels in the Alentejo tend to follow the same pattern of peaceful simplicity. The Portuguese endearingly poke fun at the Alentejo for its slow way of life, but it is also admired for its cuisine, songs and handicrafts as well as a philosophy of life that takes each day as it comes.
The Alentejo offers a wide variety of lovely hotels and country inns. They range from coastal boutique hotels, romantic country inns in the interior. Try the beautiful Costa Vicentina with its untouched beaches or a stay in one of teh white villages of teh Alentejo. Whatever your reasons to travel to the Alentejo, be it a romantic getaway or the thrill of staying at a boutique hotel, Secretplaces will help you find the perfect spot.
The Alentejo is great for the traveller to rent a car, hit the road and travel from one intriguing village and town to the next.
The traveller will certainly notice how sparsely populated the region is. It is worth remembering, however, that it can get very warm in the summer, particularly in the interior.
Monuments The old city of Évora has a lovely historic centre with a number of wonderful monuments such as the Temple of Diana, dating back to the 2nd century, the Loios Convent (15th century) and the cathedral (13th century). To the north, good-looking houses surround Castelo de Vide and Marvão. To the northeast are the beautiful white towns of Estremoz and Vila Viçosa, with their extraordinary marble facades.
The cuisine from the Alentejo is greatly appreciated in Portugal. One of the best known local dishes is the succulent carne de Porco à Alentejana: cubes of fried marinated pork, mixed with clams, and coated with tomato sauce, oil, onions and parsley. Try the Sopa à Alentejana - eggs poached in watery bread with coriander and garlic. The 'ensopado de borrego´is a very typical dish, preferred by locals . Other specialties include rabbit and hare as well as kid and lamb stews. The cheeses from Nisa, Serpa and Évora are great for an evening snack. Egg based sweets are the best option for dessert.
The Alentejo also produces some of the best wines in Portugal. It is worth trying the wines of Borba, Redondo, Moura, and Reguengos. Both whites and reds carry a high content of alcohol, and the fruity type.
