Portugal – Alentejo region

portugal2 The delights of Portugal’s Alentejo Region, this large and relatively unknown (and therefore un-touristy!) Part of Portugal has so much to offer! The pace of life is slower than in the more populated areas and there is so much to see and do.

Apart from the coastal part, there is also the long frontier with Spain, where there are several fortified towns and village, which stand out amidst the undulating landscape. The history is rich with many remains from Roman, Moorish and Medieval times. The northern part is more mountainous than the south, but most areas grow vines and this is the largest wine producing region of Portugal. Having sampled many of them I can highly recommend trying a wide selection of them! The regional cuisine is special too…my favourite being the “porco preto” which is black pig, the meat being darker than normal pork as the pigs are free range and feed on the abundant supply of acorns available to them. It is from these pigs that some of the best ”presunto” ham is produced. There are many bread based dishes too, which sounds heavy, but they are not…the famous soup “acorda” is made with bread and eggs, garlic, coriander and another herb called peojo. Wonderful cheeses are made locally, portugal3 from goat and sheep’s milk (the best known is called Serpa) and there are lots of sweet dishes made predominantly from eggs and sugar…but the variety is incredible… There are towns like EVORA to be explored, which is in the centre of the Region, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see Roman remains, and either stay in a very historic Pousada in the centre of town, or at a range of other hotels and rural accommodation. All offer a different type of experience dependant upon what the traveller is looking for. CASTELO DE VIDE lies on the edge of the Parque Natural de Sao Mamede and is an incredibly pretty place, with amongst other things, an old Jewish Quarter and a synagogue. The place is well known for its thermal waters and their healing qualities. Few cities have as many stories to tell as ESTREMOZ because of it’s strategic position on a hilltop, with views which are very far-reaching. There are actually 2 lines of fortification…the first dating back to the 13th century and the second from the time of the War of Restoration in the 1640s. There is also a beautiful Pousada there. ELVAS is another small town (known now for its greengages!) but which played a pivotal part in Portuguese history and also has a fortified castle, originally built by the Moors, but added to over the centuries. There is also an impressive aqueduct, with 843 arches stretching over 7.5 kms. ARRAIOLAS is famous for its carpets, and MONSERAZ, portugal4 a beautiful little town where time seems to have stood still. BEJA is yet another fortified town, and like Evora was important in Roman times…with lots of amazing architecture, monuments and impressive buildings. There are so many wonderful places to visit…fresco routes for those who are interested in this sort of art, and an abundance of wonderful “ajulejos” (painted tiles) which can be seen almost everywhere both on the outside and insides of buildings. Many depict scenes from historical events and were used in many educational institutions as well as places of worship or private houses. Close to the border of Spain is the largest inland waterway in Europe. The Alqueva Dam, has a surface area of about 250 square kilometres, and The AMIEIRA MARINA offers a wide selection of power boats for hire. Motorboat holidays are a relatively new type of alternative holiday in Portugal, and can be taken at this beautiful lake in the Alentejo. Fly into Faro or to Lisbon, and then either take a hire car, or perhaps you prefer to arrange a transfer up to the lake, so that you do not have to think about driving from the airport. Boats are available for hire from the Amieira Marina, and can sleep up to 10 people ( although we recommend that 8 is enough on the larger boats) Whilst cabins tend to be quite compact, there is a comfortable saloon with a dining area, and there is usually an upper deck where one can sunbathe or just relax. The boats are comfortable and well equipped with such items as a fridge and a BBQ, and carry plenty of sweet water and fuel so that you do not have to worry about re-stocking all the time. At the marina there is a shop where you can stock up on essentials, and once you are underway you can tie up/stop at one of the many villages which are situated around the lakeshore. If you have hired a bike you can go exploring, (unless you are a keen walker!) Fishing gear can be hired, and all boats come equipped with a radio with a CD player and a TV with DVD player. You will be given a map of all the places where you can tie up and go shopping etc! The self drive rental of purpose built Motor Cruisers on the lake created by the Alqueva Dam (on the Guadiana River, part of the border between Spain and Portugal), is now only available from EHS Travel, or Destination Portugal it’s sister company . This beautiful area of calm, fresh and warm water is a huge attraction for sailors (of both motor and sail craft), windsurfers, fi shermen and wildlife observers. Several historic and relatively unknown villages are approached from the water and supply the necessary shops, bars and also local restaurants in which one can enjoy the robust fl avours of the Alentejo cuisine and the fi ne wines of the many growers in the area. The Motor Cruisers come in 7 sizes sleeping between 2 and 10 persons in double bedded cabins (though in each type there is the possibility of sleeping a further 2 persons in the Saloon), with between 1 and 4 shower/wc compartments according to size. All the boats have gas cooking facilities (plus outdoor gas barbeque), fridge/freezer, TV, DVD, outside shower and radio/CD player. Navigation equipment includes Satnav and sophisticated Sonar depth monitor, lifejackets (also for children) and emergency mobile telephone. A thorough briefi ng on the boat, its working parts, safety equipment and emergency phone procedure is provided before setting sail?. portugal1 There are large areas on each boat for sunbathing, al-fresco eating and fi shing – there are even sun-shades provided for those sun downer moments when moored securely to one of the buoys provided just off each interesting village on the lake. Added fun for the family can be rented in the form of kayaks, bicycles, fi shing kit and licence. These boats provide a different type of (slightly) adventurous holiday which requires no previous experience and no licence. It will appeal to families, even with small children, and to groups of friends. The season is 12 months long with the peak period being July and August (at which time one would expect temperatures in excess of 300C ).