The Alentejo

Just north of the Algarve, the Alentejo covers a third of Portugal’s territory yet remains a relatively well-kept secret. This is Portugal’s garden, the bulk of the region given over to huge cork plantations, wheat fields and vineyards. Our recommended hotel, a Relais & Châteaux property with a working farm and a winery on site, provides a wonderful introduction to the landscape. The principal town in this part of the Alentejo is Beja, which is well worth visiting for its Roman ruins and impressive Moorish castle. Other notable attractions in the lower Alentejo include Serpa, a typical Alentejo market town inhabited since Celtic times; the village of Pias, renowned for its vineyards; and the former spa town of Moura, a surprisingly opulent place full of grand mansions, pretty squares and pedestrianised shopping streets. The region’s two UNESCO-listed towns, Évora and Elvas, are further north.