We started our journey at the very exquisite Queen’s Terminal at Heathrow, bright eyes and ready for our adventure to the Alentejo region of Portugal. Our itinerary was fully packed with excursions and activities all centred around the culture of this region. Not to mention all the lavish food and wine we were about to consume.

An hour East of Lisbon, the region is known for its nature and heritage, the large landscapes can capture a vista or two! The Alentejo offers history, adventure and great experiences to all visitors includes vast Atlantic beaches, ancient stone circles and the taste of traditional Portuguese cuisine.

We were greeted by our fabulous Portuguese bus driver, who settled us in straight away with the rhythmic sounds of local music as we drove through the scenic countryside.

Escola Primavera

Our first destination was a quaint restaurant called Escola Primavera. Originally an elementary school, the restaurant had been converted to fit its hungry guests. We had a large selection of courses, where we got to first taste the local delicacies. This consisted of local cheese, cold meats, an authentic fish stew (with rice) and some delicious tenderised pork. My favourite of course was the selection of cakes and desserts which finished the lunch off wonderfully.

Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worst, which meant we couldn’t appreciate the beautiful scenic landscapes on our way to our first hotel stay. However we managed to take a quick look at one of the oldest working fishing docks in the country, which had a picturesque eeriness about it.

The Sublime Comporta

For dinner we were transported to the ultimate heart of relaxation. The Sublime Comporta is a first-rate premium retreat destination which encapsulates the relaxed nature and tranquillity of the region. It is an ideal escape from the hectic world and is a place to give you peace of the mind and soul.

There are 34 rooms situated on the 17-acre estate, fit with top notch spa facilities, Indoor and outdoor pools, a gourmet restaurant and a shop. The hotel owner expressed that ‘time is king here’ meaning time is as important as you make it.

The experience as a whole was sensational and I would recommend a stay here if you need that little escape. I’m not surprised that it made it to #No.15 on Town & Country’s Top 100 hotels of the world.

Èvora

We visited the capital of the region Èvora, filled with many historic monuments of ancient Portugal. Founded by the Romans in 57BC, one of the main attractions is a temple which was originally a slaughterhouse, this is now a world heritage site. The Bone Chapel was slightly eerie, the walls in the small space were lined with bones of all the deceased from the city’s graveyards in the seventeenth century. However the city itself was very picturesque, you could happily spend the day wandering down cobbled streets admiring the culture and eating a pastéis de nata (Portuguese tart)!

We got to take a visit to the amazing Almendres Cromlech, this was an ancient stone circle based on the outskirts of Èvora. This Neolithic stone formation is around 2000 years older than our very own Stonehenge and is made up of 95 standing stones creating two stone circles dedicated to a celestial religion. Many of the stones have ancient carvings and patterns but the meaning is still unknown, which adds great mystery to their very existence. It’s well worth a visit if things like this take your fancy!

Alentejo Marmois

Our next hotel stay was Alentejo Marmõis Hotel and spa located in the small historical village of Vila Viçosa. The hotel is situated in the marble-rich vicinity of Alentejo and this is apparent throughout the entire hotel, with beautiful decorated furnishings and spa facilities all made mostly of local marble. The hotel has 44 luxurious rooms/suites all fitted out with the everyday necessities. After a long first two days it was a great time to head down to the spa for a well learnt rest. The spa itself was given the best emerging spa award in Europe last year and it really was fantastic. There was a vast array of treatments to choose from or you could just relax by the indoor/outdoor heated pool.

That evening we were treated to a 5 course dinner consisting of succulent scallops, monkfish and a melt in the mouth duck for main. The restaurant offers the best of Alentejo’s ‘Terroir’ cuisine, the genuine flavours and fresh produce that all comes from the surrounding fields of Vila Viçosa.

After a good nights rest we started day three with a trip to a rural B & B farm Herdade da Amendoeira. We got to take a tour of their cheese factory where they traditionally hand make their famous goats and sheep cheese. The working farm also produces their own herb and fruit infused liqueurs. The most popular liqueur is infused with a herb called Penny-Royal, which has a sweet spearmint flavour.

The B & B itself offers 8 rustic rooms all fitted with their own en-suite and air conditioning. Even though the B & B was founded in 1893 you can still enjoy a splash in the pool and remain in touch with the world through their WIFI. I must say one of the best parts about this farm was their adorable three legged dog called Penny-royal (named after the herb) who will make you feel extremely welcome, he even might take you on a tour around the farm!

A short car trip away, we arrived at Herdade da Ravasqueira a 3,000-hectare estate and winery. The estate offers fantastic physical activities including canoeing, fishing, hiking, bike riding and lots more. Not only is it a fully operating winery it also is home to the largest collection of historic carriages in Europe. Wine tours start from as little as €11 where you can learn how to taste the delicious fruitful wines, visit the museum and even have a bite to eat. The food at Herded da Ravasqueira was a highlight for me, it took me back to being a little girl with the taste of my Nan’s homemade roast lamb. The food was divine!

Our final hotel stay was in Pousada da Arraiolos, originally an ancient 16th-century convent which had been adapted into a lavish hotel. 15 rooms are made up in the original structure, with the addition of a further 17 rooms in the new part of the hotel. My room had a lot of character as it was one of the original convent cells, the furnishings and decor evokes the monastic tradition with walls made of marble and a wooden floor however with a modern and quirky finish. This location is perfect for private parties or weddings as the original church is still part of the hotel as well as the extremely scenic courtyard overlooking the rolling hills of Alentejo. The local food and wine was also delicious – make sure you get to taste the local liqueur too.

On our last day, we got to visit Estremoz for their weekly flea market. We were thrown right into the life of the local town with the thriving market full of fresh fruit and vegetables, livestock and an antique or two. It was lovely to see the local community unite in the square for their weekly shop and a gossip with lifelong friends. If you’re nearby I’m sure you could find a treasure amongst the hundreds of stalls.

A short stroll from the market was a little restaurant called Alecrim. I really enjoyed my experience here due to their scrumptious local food and wine. Yet it was the small things like fresh bread served in paper bags and local cork products being used throughout the restaurant which topped it off. It was the perfect ending to the trip, we were treated to taste fresh octopus salad, fresh prawns and a lovely lemon meringue dessert.

After a fantastic few days, it was time to say goodbye to this relaxing region of Portugal. I was only visiting for a brief time but I was thrown right into the heart of the region by getting to enjoy the brilliant local food, wine and people. It is the perfect destination for the explorer in you, the region will supply you with a huge amount of history, many a hill to climb and amazing local excursions. There are also some gems that will offer a tranquil retreat for all of those who need a break!

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