As travel reawakens, so too I am sure is your wanderlust. However, our wings are still a little clipped in terms of locations we can venture to in the near future, without quarantining on our return. Luckily Portugal has been given the green light, so I thought I would explore one of my favourite regions, the Alentejo.
Happily under the radar and blissfully untouched by mass tourism, the Alentejo is utterly beautiful in a rugged and wild kind of way and the best way to experience it, is to do a little road trip. Flying into Lisbon, head first to Comporta on the Atlantic coast, a low-key beach destination, which is the complete opposite to the Algarve. Here you’ll find miles upon miles of pristine beaches and hundreds upon hundreds of storks, sat on every high vantage point from chimneys to churches and telephone masts. They too obvsiouly enjoy the laid back atmosphere and simple charm of the area.
Heading inland share long winding roads with only the odd farmer for company, on a route that takes you through large swathes of countryside alternating between vineyards, olive groves and forests of gnarled cork oak trees, their trunks picked bare. The region is one of the world’s most important cork producers, whilst the acorns that fall from the oaks go to feed local black-footed pigs for presunto ham.
Definitely make a stop to take in the city of Évora, the UNESCO listed capital of the upper Alentejo.
Encircled by a ring of fortified walls, the historic heart is a mass of winding cobbled streets that give way to architectural delights: a 1st Century Roman temple here, a 13th Century cathedral there.
Then there’s Monsaraz, a pretty as a picture medieval white washed hilltop village, which looks out over the vast Alqueva Lake (one of Europe's largest) all the way to the Spanish border. If this were Tuscany it would be heaving with tourists, but even in the height of the peak season, it is eerily empty which adds to its beauty.
Nearby you can stay for a few nights at a 200 year old Estate. Still a working farm and winery, the age old stables and barns have been converted into pretty rooms to stay in, with delightful views of the rural landscape.
The food is farm to table, much cultivated on the Estate’s farmland, with dishes deeply rooted in the Alentejo’s traditions. The Estate also produces some marvellous wines.
There’s plenty to keep you occupied from wine tasting at other nearby vineyards, to visiting local artisans, early morning balloon rides, hiking, biking, horse riding or just relaxing by one of the two pools.
Equally, you can pick up a picnic from the kitchen and head out to the shade of one of the many oak trees to laze on woven rugs with views out over the glorious rolling hills.
Despite only being an hour and a half or so from Lisbon, there are areas of Portugal’s rural Alentejo that are still a hushed secret. It is a place to enjoy the space, silence and glorious sweeps of untouched countryside, with a healthy dose of excellent wine thrown in.
If you would like to discover some of the secrets of the Alentejo, then please do get in touch.
{Photography: Lesley-Ann and Julian}