Portugal’s Secret Gem

Picture-perfect villages abound in the Alentejo. There’s often a steep climb up, after which you are rewarded with amazing panoramic views.

The Simple Life

Off the beaten path in Alentejo, picture-perfect villages harbor enduring traditions

By Fred J. Eckert

Cork oak trees, olive trees, and wheat dominate the vast plains and gently rolling hills of the Alentejo. This may be Portugal’s largest province by far, covering one-third of the country—equal in land area to Belgium— but it’s home to relatively few people. Only 6 percent of Portugal’s population lives here.

Our first base in the Alentejo region is the walled medieval city of Evora, the region’s largest town (population: 56,000) and one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal.

Evora’s history is one of the oldest in the Iberian Peninsula. It has Roman walls, Moorish narrow streets and arched alleyways, Renaissance squares, fine churches and museums, and grand 16th-century buildings that were erected when it was a favorite spot for Portuguese royalty. All are well-preserved and should continue to be. Evora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Its oldest site, dating back to the second or third century, is the best-preserved Roman ruins in Portugal. The structure is believed to have been built as a place of worship and is said to have been dedicated to the goddess Diana, though there is no solid evidence to support this claim.

Like most towns that were laid out in the Middle Ages, Evora is compact—an easy and enjoyable city to walk around. It’s particularly impressive at night. The Temple of Diana and other major monuments are illuminated with floodlights until midnight.

The heart of town is Praça de Giraldo, an eye-pleasing spacious square named for “Gerald the Fearless,” who liberated Evora from

PORTUGAL

Lisbon

Alentejo

Alentejo is about a two-hour drive from Lisbon.

Moorish occupation. The square, dominated by the massive 1557 Renaissance-style Church of St. Anthony with a large baroque fountain in front, is ringed with cafes and is a favorite gathering spot.

Fond as we are of Evora, it’s the smaller towns and the countryside that most intrigue us. Life in the Alentejo countryside hasn’t changed as much as it has elsewhere. This is a place where you can see shepherds tending their flocks by the side of a country road. Where you can watch a weaver turn out a fine rug. Where a potter will show you how he makes a fine piece of pottery just like the one you’ve decided to buy.

A short drive northwest from Evora is the little town of Arraiolos, set upon a hillside, lying under the shadow of a church and the ruins of a 14th-century castle. It’s an attractive town, with neat whitewashed houses. Nearly all of the doors and window frames are painted either blue or yellow, a tradition that dates back to the centuries of occupation by the Moors, who believed that those colors helped ward off evil spirits.

Villages every bit as charming as tiny Arraiolos are the rule, not the exception.

Also within easy driving distance from Evora is the magnificent hilltop castle village of Monsaraz. The Portuguese call it “The Eagle’s Nest.” It’s easy to see why. It’s dazzling from a distance. There is a steep climb up, after which you are rewarded with an amazing panoramic view. Its narrow cobblestone streets, lined with 16th- and 17th-century homes and shops, many of them with ironwork balconies, are open to pedestrian traffic only. It’s tiny—only a few streets and one large castle—but well worth a visit if you are partial to picture-perfect places.

These picture-perfect places abound in the Alentejo. The Convento de São Paulo is one of the most unusual and delightful hotels we have ever stayed in. Set in a forest high up in the Serra d’Ossa north of the small village of Redondo, this wonderfully restored 14th-century monastery is as pleasant and peaceful a setting as can be imagined.

There are some 50,000 azulejos (the distinctly Portuguese blue painted tiles) in Convento de São Paulo, including those that make up its famous 62-yard-long corridor, which tells the stories of Christ, and of Joseph in Egypt.

Just 11 miles northeast of Portalegre, almost on top of the Spanish border, Marvão clings to a 2,838-foot-high cliff. From a distance, it looks impregnable, an awesome fortress. We ascend slowly on a hairpin climb.

Tiny Marvão is every bit as stunning up close as it is from a distance. We look over its walls and savor the grand vista of the Alentejo plains. We admire the fine features of its whitewashed 16th- and 17th-century homes. We enjoy the little touches, such as the tiny faces carved in stone above many of the doorways.

As we walk leisurely down a stone street in Marvão and chat about what we will do tomorrow in Lisbon, for a moment we feel as if we are about to leave the Middle Ages behind. And we realize that the feeling of stepping back in time to an era when life was slower and simpler is exactly what we enjoy so much about this delightful area that the Portuguese call the Alentejo. 

Fred J. Eckert is a retired U.S. ambassador and former member of Congress.

80%

OF THE WORLD’S cork supply comes from Portugal— most of it from Alentejo.

If You Go

When to Go: Spring and fall are considered the best times to visit. Portugal has perhaps the most appealing climate in Europe, so off-season travel can provide virtually the same enjoyment but with the added advantage of reduced costs. Food: Portuguese cuisine is excellent, of wide variety, and reasonably priced.

Accommodations:

There’s an abundant supply of hotels in all price ranges, including delightful pousadas—medieval castles, palaces, and country inns that have been converted into modern hotels with all the amenities.