DK Travel : The Algarve : The Alentejo

Undulating plains and blistering summer heat characterize much of this province to the north of the Algarve. Blankets of yellow wheat sway across huge tracts of land, and much of the sun-baked earth is pocked by stubby cork and olive trees. Vines trace emerald lines across ochre soil to surround whitewashed villages. To the north, medieval settlements perch on steep, granite escarpments in an altogether rockier terrain. While, down by the coast, secluded beaches of golden sand brush sleepy, unhurried resorts that wake up in summer, when the days are long and the air is warm.

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A Day in Évora

Morning

Begin at the Praça do Giraldo and wander up Rua 5 de Outubro towards the Sé (cathedral). Look out for the 14th-century carved Apostles flanking the portal and, once inside, climb to the treasury to see the 13th-century ivory figure of the Virgin.

Adjacent to the cathedral is the Museu de Évora, where a dazzling 16th-century Flemish polyptych,Life of the Virgin , can be found upstairs.

On the opposite side of the square are the granite Corinthian columns of the Templo Romano– the best-preserved Roman monument in Portugal.

From here, retrace your steps back to Praça do Giraldo for lunch or a coffee at Café Cozinha de Santo Humberto.

Afternoon

Take Rua da República, on the eastern side of Praça do Giraldo. A few minutes’ walk brings you to Praça 1 de Maio lorded over by the huge 16th-century Manueline-Gothic Igreja de São Francisco.

The church’s principal draw is the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones). The skeletal remains of some 5,000 monks line the walls and columns of the chapel. An inscription above the entrance reads, “Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos” (“We bones that are here await yours”).

Time to rest, maybe back at one of the cafés on Praça do Giraldo.
Antiquedades, Estremoz

Beautiful and original antiques fill this small shop near the Torre das Três Coroas in the old quarter. The Saturday market (in the lower town, across the Rossio) is the place to buy goat’s and ewe’s milk cheeses and the famous preserved plums.
Arraiolos/Pavia

The foundations of the castle at Arraiolos date back to Celtic times, while in Pavia, 18 km (11 miles) to the north, a tiny chapel has been built into a dolmen – architecturally unique in Portugal.
Beja

A thriving agricultural town and capital of the Baixo Alentejo, Beja also has a rich past displayed in museum buildings that are often as interesting as their exhibits. The Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, for example, now houses the Museu Regional, and the town’s oldest church, the 6th-century Santo Amaro, is home to the Museu Visigótico. The landmark Torre de Menagem (castle keep) dates from the late 13th century.
Castelo de Vide

The old Jewish quarter is the most enjoyable part of this attractive spa town. It stretches away from the 13th-century castle that gives the town its name in a cluster of steep lanes, many sporting plaques testifying to the quality of their floral displays. A synagogue (also 13th-century) sits at the top of this stepped thoroughfare, which also leads down to the 16th-century marble Fonte da Vila.
Charcutaria, Castelo de Vide

Bottles of wine, honey, sweets and cakes, and spicy sausages make up some of the regional goodies for sale in this traditionalloja (shop).
Coisas de Monsaraz

Homemade jams and other assorted knick-knacks can be bought from this friendly little arts and craft shop nestling in the shadows of the castle walls.
Cortes de Cima (Tinto)

Dark and concentrated in colour with a ripe, red-berry-and-cherry aroma enhanced by subtle hints of spicy French and American oak. Excellent with steak and game.
Crato

Neat rows of whitewashed houses with yellow trim characterize this town, once the headquarters of the 14th-century Order of Hospitallers. Exhibits in the Museu Municipal explain more about Crato’s illustrious past.
Cromlech of Almendres (Guadalupe)

The Cromlech of Almendres stone circles are considered the most important megalith group in the Iberian peninsula. Nearby is the Neolithic Dolmen of Zambujeiro.