Alentejo

The wide expanse of Portugal that is the Alentejo covers about the third of the country and is the most thinly populated area. Often called, 'the bread oven of Portugal,' it is one of the hottest places I have ever been to. The heat at times is unbearable and the only word I can use to describe the heat is blistering. Yet the winters can be freezing and you will often see men and women walking around in the towns wearing traditional long coats made from goatskin. The pace of life is slow in these parts. The Alentejanos are a proud and hard working people and they take great care in looking after their very pretty white villages. These small towns on hilltops gleam white ...  Read the complete review

Cross the river Tagus from Lisbon or drive North(!) from Faro and enter the wonderful Alentejo. This area between Lisbon and the Algarve is huge and varied and well worth an extended visit. The name comes from the Portuguese 'alem Tejo' meaning across the Tagus, so I guess it was named by a Lisbonite! It's an fairly unimaginative name for a laid-back, comfortable place which produces some of the best wine, cheese and ham that you would ever want to try. The scenery ranges from flat plains, to mountains, to the Atlantic coast. The Alentejano people are relaxed and friendly, even compared to other Portuguese, and are the butt of many jokes (which are ...  Read the complete review