I recently had the chance to spend some time travelling through Alentejo in Portugal, and it is a region that really stayed with me.
It feels very different to some of the better-known parts of Portugal. If you have visited Portugal before, you may know Lisbon, Porto or the Algarve, but Alentejo feels very different.
In Part One of this Alentejo, Portugal special series, I am joined by Ruben Obadia, from Alentejo Tourism and Jessica de Korte, a well-known Dutch travel journalist, to give us a proper introduction to the region and why it should be on your radar as one of Portugal’s most distinctive regions.
From the historic streets of Évora and the hilltop beauty of Monsaraz to cork oak forests, vineyards, local food and wine, Ruben and Jessica explain what makes Alentejo such a special place to visit.
They also explore the idea of vagar, the Alentejo art of slowing down, and why the region offers Irish travellers a quieter, more authentic side of Portugal.
Part Two next week continues the journey, with Irish travel journalist, Deirdre Mullins who takes a closer look at the famous Rota Vicentina walking routes along Alentejo’s wild Atlantic coast.
Discovering Alentejo https://www.visitalentejo.pt/en
Visit Monsaraz - https://monsaraz360.pt/en/
Stays
Evora - https://mardearhotels.com/en/mar-de-ar-aqueduto
https://moagem.thevolumes.pt/en/moagem/
Vineyard - https://www.jportugalramos.com/en/winetourism/
Boat Trip - https://alquevacruzeiros.pt/passeios-de-barco-boat-tours/
Alentejo Wines - https://www.vinhosdoalentejo.pt/en/
Fergal O’Keeffe is the host of Ireland’s No.1 award winning travel podcast Travel Tales with Fergal listened to in 140 countries worldwide. The podcast aims to share soul-lifting travel stories about daydream worthy destinations.
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