What to see, what to do Alentejo?
The 10 good reasons to go Alentejo
Nature at your feet
Natural parks, reserves, secret serras, hiking trails: the natural Portugal.
The authentic Portugal!
Fairs, pagan or religious festivals: living traditions, far from clichés!
Secret beaches..
Coves at the foot of the cliffs, long white beaches, the coastline hides its treasures..
A warm welcome
Here, no fuss: we take you as you are and we fill you with good things.
A land of adventure
Rivers, mountains and seaside: the Alentejo can be visited on foot, on horseback or by bike!
A rich heritage
Celtic megaliths, Roman ruins, castles, monasteries: all the history of Portugal
Wines of excellence..
Great wines or small productions, the region is known worldwide for its wines.
A local gastronomy
Game, fish, vegetables, fruit: the Alentejo, a land of gourmets and fresh products.
A unique craft
Painted furniture, pottery, bells, carpets, figurines from Estremoz: craftsmen and artists!
The song of the earth
Polyphonic a cappella singing, the Cante alentejano is the voice of the Alentejano.
Interview: My Alentejo
By Hervé Basset
Journalist and traveler, Hervé likes to go from a cosy hotel room to a steep path. As a reporter for nature magazines, he prefers to walk to get to know a country and its inhabitants. He has made many trips to Portugal, the oldest one being in the summer of 1975. Armored vehicles were posted in the streets of Lisbon: the Carnation Revolution was threatened..
See the video of the interviewGood to know to visit Alentejo
Timetable
Museum hours vary. In general, they close on Mondays and open on other days between 10am and 6pm with a break for lunch. Most of the time, access is free for students.
Budget & Tips
The Alentejo tourist office maintains a rich online portal (www.visitalentejo.pt), from which it is possible to download a lot of documents, including excellent brochures, sometimes in French, on all the areas that interest you: culture, gastronomy, hiking, restaurants, handicrafts, as well as very complete maps. If this is not enough, there is still the site of the Portuguese tourist office, a mine: www.visitportugal.com The agencies of the tourist office of the region are present in most of the tourist sites of Alentejo and their staff is multilingual. You will also find maps, city plans and well-designed guidebooks on topics such as rural tourism and birdwatching. The documents are free or for sale, for less than 10 €.
Guided tours
Apart from bus or train tours, there is another way to visit a city: free tours (www.freetour.com). These are tours (often free) offered by locals who want to share the treasures of their country. The tours are given in French, English or Spanish. It can be a thematic, historical, night tour... An original way to explore the country. And nothing prevents you from leaving a tip at the end of the visit..
What's very local
In the fishing villages and ports, try to attend the auction ("na lota") of the day's catch. It is aimed at restaurant owners and fishmongers, but the spectacle is highly picturesque.
