It is a short drive from Lisbon to get to the delightful Alentejo region.  It is mostly a rural area, stretching from just below the Tagus River in central Portugal, to the southernmost Algarve region. We think Alentejo is one of the last secret treasures for travellers exploring the cultures of southern Europe.

Alentejo offers great scenic beauty with its rolling countryside full of cork oaks, olive trees and vines. The hills, sometimes small mountains, are frequently crowned by mighty castles. Notwithstanding its appeal, the region remains unspoilt and undiscovered by mass tourism. People are hospitable and the cultural heritage is vast. There are numerous charming historical towns like Évora, Marvão, Estremoz, Portalegre and Vila Viçosa. The land offers beautiful countryside, typical here is the Montado, a cultural landscape shaped by human activity over centuries. This landscape is characterized by low density cork oaks and holm oaks in combination with agriculture or pastoral activities. The Montado is considered one of European most exciting ecosystems, offering a balance between wild nature and responsible agricultural practices. Grains, grass, and acorns from the oak trees provide animal fodder for  game, sheep, cows and the Iberian black pigs – that pasture and take shelter around the cork oaks trees.

Given the local resources developed out of the Montado, local Alentejo gastronomy has traditionally revolved around home-style rustic cooking, reflecting an agricultural land where bread, pork, game plus olives, wild herbs and wine have been the pillars of the diet for ages. Cooks can masterly make something delicious out of very few ingredients. One should not miss the local gazpacho(s), green beans in batter (with the charming local name peixinhos da horta: small fishes from the garden) or the açorda – a dish based on bread, olive oil and aromatic herbs, with variations that may incorporate a mix of shellfish. And of course, carne de porco à Alentejano (pork and clams cooked together), a dish so popular that it made its way to Portuguese restaurants around the globe. These days Alentejo’s dining scene is no longer solely rustic. There are smart new tables, where young chefs offer refined cooking, blending classic combinations with contemporary touches.

The red wines here are some of the best Portugal has to offer, as reflected in its success in international competitions. They range from soft and plummy – a great match with black pork – to those with an intense ripe fruity bouquet with well-balanced acidity. Grape varieties commonly used here are Trincadeira and the Aragonez, better-known abroad as the Tempranillo. In contrast, the whites tend to be fresh but very aromatic with the main grape varieties being Antão Vaz, Arinto and Roupeiro.

In parallel with an increasingly cultivated Alentejo food scene, a growing community of young winemakers has emerged, pursuing a perfect balance between tradition and modernity. In some instances, the winery architecture has been gaining international acclaim, in others the winemaking facilities are balancing cutting-edge technology with 2.000-year-old traditions, aiming for minimal intervention. As regards the latter, clay pots (amphorae) for fermenting grapes and storing wines are again in use, reflecting a tradition which goes back to winemaking by the Romans. The resulting wines are fresh and soft with balanced tannins, but still complex and with depth.