Alentejo Portugal

Alentejo, Portugal

The southeast part of Portugal is a land of wineries, farms and fields. Alentejo has nearly one third of the land of the country yet barely has ten percent of the population. This part of the country is a farming region, with spots of industries, beaches and ancient ruins.

Alentejo occupies the south central part of the country and stretches from the Tagus River in the north to just above the Algarve in the south. It borders Spain on the east, the Lisbon metro area in the west and has a stretch of mostly pristine beaches along the southwest of the region. There are only a couple of cities of any major size: Evora is the region’s capital in the north central part of the region, Beja in the middle and Sines along the coast.

The climate of Alentejo is the warmest in the country. It is nearly as far south as the Algarve, but doesn’t have much of the moderating coastal weather. The small stretch along the coast is one of the most pristine areas of the country, thought there are a couple of resorts there. Towards the northeast the gently rolling countryside turns into granite hills and valleys as you approach the Spanish border, which is a bit cooler than the rest of the region.

The economy of Alentejo is based mostly on farming and agriculture. Sines, which is technically in the Setubal region, is at the border of the Costa Verde and Alentejo. It is a largely industrial town, with oil refineries and a busy port. Tourism is minimal in this part of the country, but the ancient ruins do bring visitors. There are plenty of Roman era structures, castles and ancient megaliths throughout the region.

Evora, the capital of Alentejo, has a population of 55,000 and is the largest city in the region. It is considered one of the most livable cities in the country, with a major university, historical sites and a laid back lifestyle. It is 130 kilometers to the east of Lisbon and has a small airport, as well as train and bus service to the capital.

 Along the coast are several resorts, but most of this stretch of ocean front land is open and unspoiled. Vila Nova de Milfontes is the most popular and well known of the ocean front resorts. This small town is located where the River Mira meets the sea. Surfers love this location when the waves are crashing in the summer months.

Covering such a wide and diverse area, property in Alentejo is also quite varied. There are country homes, seaside resorts and villas of all sizes for those who want to live in this part of Portugal. There is also plenty of property, ranging from small building lots to ruins that can be built upon or large tracts. Whatever you want, this part of the country has something to offer.

Travel to Alentejo can be quick and easy, or it can take a little more time. It just depends where you are going. For the northern parts of the region, Lisbon is the closest airport, but in the southern area the airport at Faro is closer. From Lisbon, the A6 autoroute goes east to Evora and over to the Spanish border. The A2 heads out of Lisbon south, paralleling the coast and down to the Algarve.

The Lisbon Airport, or Portela Airport (LIS), is located on the northeast side of Lisbon and is reasonably convenient to get to much of Alentejo. From here are flights to major cities all over the world, and this airport is the home to Portugal’s national airline TAP Portugal.

For the southern portions of Alentejo, Faro Airport (FAO) is another option. This airport is located 7 kilometers west of the city of Faro in the southeast part of the Algarve. It is one of the most popular airports for discount carriers, offering quick and reasonably priced service to most major European and UK cities.

For a quieter, more laid back life, Alentejo is a great place to live or have a second home.