Central Alentejo, Portugal
Lunch in the vineyards at Esparao Winery
After experiencing Lisbon’s bustling charm and tanning ourselves on the beaches of the Algarve (and by the pool at Fazenda Nova Country House), the next stop on our honeymoon was the Alentejo Region. This region cuts a vast swath across the center of the country, from the coast and its resort towns just south of Lisbon, all the way east across to the Spanish border. We spent our few days here just outside the medieval town of Arraiolos in the peaceful and bucolic center of the region. It makes for a great base to visit nearby wineries, as well as the medieval walled city of Evora (which has a few worthwhile sights and is definitely worth a half-day) and several small, medieval hill towns (make sure not to miss Monsaraz) which are lovely (and easy) to explore.
As with the Algarve, where to stay in this quiet part of the Alentejo makes a difference, and again we lucked out with Villa Extramuros: a small, stylish and strikingly modern retreat with a beautiful infinity pool looking out on olive trees and nearby grazing sheep (and was later featured on the cover of Travel + Leisure). Our room and its terrace shared that same bucolic view.
We had a few great meals: one in the vineyards at Esparao Winery, one at a terrific restaurant (Gadanha) in the town of Estremoz, and one prepared by our hosts at Villa Extramuros. No gimlets, but we had plenty of wine to compensate! Between pool time, the wineries, the city of Evora and several other medieval hill towns, there is definitely enough to keep you busy for 3 or 4 days!
*This was part of a 13-night trip to Portugal. To see our complete Portugal trip itinerary click here.
The Gimlet Traveler Rundown:
All ratings are based on our experience and are on a 5-star rating system (see Site Info for more details). For mapped locations and links to the places listed here (and more) visit Google Map at bottom of page.
Gimlets: **
More wine than cocktails here.Restaurants: ****
We had one dinner prepared for us on request at the lovely Villa Extramuros and one surprisingly delicious dinner (and some heavily poured wine!) in the quiet town of Estremoz at the unassuming, but very cute Gadanha. Also a highlight: a short drive to the beautiful Esporao Winery, where we enjoyed a wine tasting followed by lunch (including a sampling of their olive oil varieties) overlooking the picturesque vineyards and lake.Sights: ****
It’s very peaceful countryside — which is the main purpose for visiting the Alentejo region. There is the larger medieval town of Evora which was a short drive from where we were staying, and worth a day of wandering it’s streets. While there make sure to stop in The Cadaval Palace, if only to see the Church of St. John the Evangelist and its amazing blue tile work. Don’t miss Capela dos Ossos (the Chapel of Bones), though we somehow did. It’s a chapel covered in…you guessed it…actual bones. There are several well-regarded wineries in the area (we stopped at popular Esporao). And it’s worth the drive to the beautiful all-white village of Monsaraz, located atop a hill overlooking neighboring Spain. Stunning views! But the most important sight is the bucolic scenery, and the smaller hill towns scattered about the region (like tiny Arraiolos, the town which Villa Extramuros overlooks).Shopping: **
The only shopping of note would be in Evora, though you may find some tiny shops when visiting the smaller hill towns. If you make it to little Monsaraz, there is a small shop called Mizette, well-know for its gorgeous hand-loomed rugs and other textiles and gifts. Villa Extramuros also had its own little shop, where you could buy their olive oil, wine, and some other small but stylish goods to take home (we brought back a set of knives).
Review of Villa Extramuros. Rating: *****
Hugely stylish, small boutique property in the Alentejo countryside. The juxtaposition of the mid-century interior design and dramatic modern architecture of the building with the surrounding country landscape — olive trees, the medieval town of Arraiolos, the flocks of sheep — is really magical. Only five (see Ed. Note) luxe, spacious and modern rooms (with amazing views of the countryside) makes you almost feel like this is your own private retreat. Lovely breakfasts served by the owners, a relaxing, quiet pool area with a huge infinity pool, and high-style decor throughout the property. And the owners will direct you to the best restaurants, sights and shopping in the area. The Alentejo, even the slightly larger town of Evora, still feels like a quiet region (not yet overtaken by tourists) and there's a lot to see — so go now before that changes.
Date of stay: June 2014
Room Tip: The superior rooms have better views and/or larger terraces.
Note: Two freestanding modern cottage rooms have been added since our visit — slightly away from the main villa.
Other hotel choices in the region:
•Sao Lorenco Do Barrocal — a wine estate that’s been in the same family for 200 years has a new understated luxury hotel located in the “monte” at the heart of the estate. It’s in a carefully restored small farming village near to the hilltop village of Monsaraz.
•Casa Azimute — a modern boutique property overlooking the pretty hill town of Estremoz.
Below is a map of hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping and sights found during our research. We didn’t have time to visit all of them during our trip, but all were of interest. Click on the icon at top left of the map to view the legend. Or you can click on the full-screen icon at top right to expand, which will also bring up the legend. The map is best viewed on a computer.
