Alentejo Overview

Vast golden plains dotted with giant stone castles and tiny red-roofed villages cover the region between the Tagus and the Algarve. A sharp contrast to the commotion of Lisboa or the wilds of the Algarve, the Alentejo graces travelers with a more stately, historical setting. Évora, Elvas, and other remarkably well-preserved towns lie in the Alto Alentejo, while Beja remains the only major town on the seemingly endless Baixo Alentejo plain. The region is known primarily for its cork; more than two-thirds of the world’s supply comes from here, and the local villages specialize in cork handicrafts. The area is best in the spring; fiery temperatures can turn the Alentejo into an oven in summer.

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