We do a cycling trip about every other year with our group of SF friends & my incredible 80-year old father-in-law, and this time we went to the Alentejo region of Portugal. We hired Bike Tours Portugal to organize our cycling routes and they were fantastic. Our guides Ricardo, Vitor and Alex were so professional, knowledgeable of the region and incredibly friendly. We got to cycle through enormous plains with cork trees, olive groves, and vineyards that extend as far as you can see. We got lucky and colorful wild flowers were everywhere. What a treat!
Days 1 & 2: Évora
We started our bike trip in Évora, the capital of the Alentejo region. It’s a quaint medieval walled city, with cobbled streets lined with whitewashed, traditional buildings. In Évora all streets lead to Giraldo Square, it’s center. This name was given in honor of a local hero, Geraldo Geraldes, the Fearless, who conquered Evora from the Moors in 1167. Sit down for a drink, watch the locals go by and contemplate the beautiful building facades.
SEE/DO First and foremost, walk all around town. Bones Chapel [a must-see chapel inside the Sao Francisco Church, made entirely of human bones. It is said that when land in Évora became too valuable, some cemeteries were moved and people’s buried cadavers were used to adorn this chapel. It is where monks contemplated the ephemeral nature of life. Some people find it to be macabre, but I found it absolutely incredible] Roman Temple or Temple of Diana [very well preserved temple in Corinthian style believed to be constructed in the beginning of the first century A.D. It’s part of the historic city center] Cartuxa Winery [part of the Eugenio de Almeida Foundation, this winery produces great wines & olive oil. It’s at a beautiful setting & worth a visit]
EAT Botequim da Mouraria [small restaurant with a long counter with only 9 seats. Go with the owners & chefs, Mr. Domingos and his wife, recommendations] Café Alentejo [unpretentious restaurant with hearty dishes] Tasquinha do Oliveira [typical restaurant with only 6 tables. The great quality of the food made by Mr. Oliveira’s wife & the cozy atmosphere makes this a special place]
STAY M’Ar de Ar Aqueduto [modern & comfortable hotel walkable to the center of town & main tourist attractions. You will have beautiful views of the Aqueduto da Água da Prata from the hotel]
Days 3 & 4: Monsaraz
Monsaraz is a small hilltop town with a delightful medieval atmosphere. A visit to this picturesque & impeccably well-maintained town is a must.
We happened to be there when a Bugatti event was taking place, so the town was filled with Bugatti cars & a as part of this special event a Cante Alentejano performed in the castle. It is comprised of men-only singing in chorus very distinctive melodies, with no instrumentation. Very typical of this region.
SEE Walk around town. It’s very small and can be seen in an hour or two. Castle [it offers panoramic views of the Alqueva Lake – an artificial dam – the Spanish border and the surrounding Alentejo plains]
STAY São Lourenço do Barrocal [an idyllic rural retreat about 10-minute drive from Monsaraz. It is a former farming estate that has been restored in a modern and unpretentious way, appropriately reflecting the authentic character of the place and its natural setting. It’s rural serenity invites you to relax and you will sleep like a baby! We had a lovely & huge one-bedroom cottage with a bedroom, bathroom, living room, full kitchen & outdoor terrace. You can easily spend a week there]
EAT Sabores de Monsaraz [traditional Alentejo cuisine, with beautiful views of the Alqueva lake] Casa Tial[cozy coffee and gourmet shop, serving traditional pastries] Taverna Os Templarios [our friends had dinner there one night and really enjoyed it. Nice setting with great views] São Lourenço do Barrocal [the food was not incredible, but all ingredients fresh with the produce from their vegetable garden. The dining room is quite charming and for convenience sake we ate there both nights and were pretty satisfied]
Days 5 & 6: Monforte
We did not really spend much time in Monforte – just cycled through it - and the hotel we stayed at was about a 10-minute drive from town. Typical whitewashed Alentejo town, but did not seem to be super special.
STAY Torre de Palma [authentic boutique hotel in a restored ancient house that dates back to 1338. Some of the rooms are inside the main house and others in the old horse stables surrounding the main building. Make sure to watch a sunset from the top of the tower in the main building; the view of the surrounding vineyards and olive groves is stunning]
EAT Basilii at Torre de Palma [the food at the hotel’s restaurant was excellent so why go anywhere else?]
Other beautiful hotels to stay at in the area:
Villa Extramuros in Arraiolos [Arraiolos also happens to be a very cute town] L’AND Vineyards in Montemor-o-Novo.
Photo credits: some of the pictures are mine, but others are from my dear friends who joined me on this trip; cycling guides & cycling trip photographer. Thank you all for your contributions.