Things to See and Do in the Baixo Alentejo and the Costa Vicentina

The capital of Baixo Alentejo, Beja, (the Romans named it Pax Julia) is often wrongly referred to as Evora’s poorer cousin. At the heart of the Planacie Dourada (Golden Plain), surrounded by seemingly never-ending wheat fields, under both the Romans and the Moors, it became, not only an important agricultural centre, but also a powerful administrative one.

With vestiges dating back to the Iron Age, a walled centre housing fascinating museums depicting the town’s history, impressive churches, a convent with a romantic story, a C13th castle with its lookout tower and inviting little squares and intriguing alleyways, it is a pleasure to explore. Still very much a real place, its charm lies in its relaxed and untouristy atmosphere along with delightful little bars and restaurants where you can sample the excellent regional wine and cuisine.

The Franciscan Convento da Conceicao, founded in 1459, is a fine example of the transition between Gothic and Manueline styles, with a glitzy rococo chapel and a chapterhouse with a beautifully painted ceiling and splendid Hispano-Arabic tiles dating back to 1500. There are some outstanding C16th paintings in its Museu Regional too. It was here in the C17th that a romance between a nun and a soldier blossomed and inspired the “Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun”. 

On a smaller scale is one of Portugal’s oldest standing buildings Igreja de San Amaro, dating from C6th. A rare example of Visigothic architecture, it is now home to the Museu Visigotico with its original columns displaying enchanting carvings. 

For a stunning view of the surrounding Guadiana valley, climb the two hundred steps of the castle’s Torre del Homenaje, built by Dom Dinis and for a taste of the true atmosphere of Beja, come on a Saturday for the market spread around its base.

Set high above the confluence of the Rio Guadiana and Oreia, this dramatically and strategically positioned, ancient fortified town, is often referred too as an open-air museum.

A settlement since Phoenician times, its port has been a vital link with the Mediterranean. The Romans developed it into a prosperous commercial centre with agricultural products and minerals, from the nearby mines of Sao Domingos and Aljustrel, being the main exports.

The Visigoths and Moors added their touches, still evident today, but sadly now, since the closure of the mines in 1965, the port is only used as a centre for watersports activities. It is well worth searching out its Roman remains, though.

Once inside the town’s sturdy walls, you take a journey right back into the past. Be sure to visit its C13th castle (at one time considered western Iberia’s most impregnable fortress) and its Torre de Menagem with stupendous views of the alcacova (citadel), old town and the river. Don’t miss the Igreja Matriz (parish church), originally a mosque and the town’s fantastic museums, especially the Museo Islamico and the Museo Romano. 

Out of town, on the other side of the river, track down the 400-year-old Convento de Sao Francisco and its magical organic garden, created by Dutch artists, Geraldine Zwanikken (her works are exhibited) and her brother Christiaan, famous for his kinetic installations. For those who fancy taking to the river, boat tours and kayaking are offered by Beira Rio Nautica.

www.beirarionautica.pt

Moura, on the left bank of the Guadiana river, on the south eastern edge of the Alentejo, amidst olive groves and wheat fields, is one of those towns that you could so easily miss. Well, don't!

Taking its name from a legend from the C13th century takeover, it is still virtually undiscovered and unspoilt. Its charm lies in its pretty, flower-filled cobbled streets, its ageing castle, exquisite little Moorish quarter, simple thermal spa, well cared for museums and its very moving Jardim de Oliveiras, a reflective space, dedicated to the Spanish poet, Miguel Hernandez, who was murdered by Franco's troops aged thirty one.

With several family-run restaurants serving delicious regional food, nicely old-fashioned bars and cafes and shops, the C16th Igreja de Sao Bautista with its remarkable Manueline portal and fine C17th Sevillian tiles and its delightful Jardim de Santiago with its bandstand and good views, you will not want to leave!

This lovely protected area of 700 square kilometres around Mertola and Serpa, on the border with Spain, is home to rare species of flora and fauna. Rolling hills, plains and deep valleys with the Rio Guadiana running through and many prehistoric remains, it is a great place for walking or mountain biking and birdwatching. 

There are nine marked routes, ranging from one to five hours. Details of these with maps can be obtained from the park’s headquarters by the camara municipal in Mertola (Rua Don Sancho 11: Opening Times. Mon to Fri: 9:00 – 12:30 and 14:00 – 17:30. Sat: 10 – 13:00 and 15:00 – 18:00).

Famed all over Portugal for its excellent sheep’s cheese “queijo Serpa” and for its locals love of food, this peaceful, atmospheric town is well worth a visit. Tucked in among gentle, undulating, vine clad hills, Serpa, known as the Vila Branca, takes life slowly!

Narrow cobbled streets, a pretty main square, nicely old fashioned shops and a good selection of family run restaurants and cafes serving traditional fare, give it a very Portuguese feel and are the core of its charm.

Plenty of sights to explore too – its C13th castle and fortified walls with an aqueduct built into them, the elegant C16th palace of the counts of Ficalho with its magnificent staircase and tiles, several churches (don’t miss the C13th Santa Maria) and its two fascinating museums, the Museo Etnografico (a marvellous insight into local rural life) and the Museo do Relogio (an amazing collection of two thousand watches and clocks dating from 1630).

On the road between Serpa and Mertola, it is worth making the detour to Pulo de Lobo (Wolf’s Leap) on the Rio Guadiana to see the dramatic waterfall and rapids.

A pretty little town on the eastern bank of the Alqueva reservoir. Worth a stop to get a stunning view of this and of the fortress town of Monsaraz across the waters from its medieval castle and walls.

There is also a pleasant fluvial beach here should you feel like a refreshing swim.

Europe’s largest manmade lake (250km²), the Alqueva Reservoir, just north of Moura, is hauntingly beautiful, despite its somewhat turbulent history.

With fluvial beaches and little islands with tiny coves, its great for swimming and easy walking, boat excursions, fishing, canoeing and other water sports make it increasingly attractive. There is even a stargazing observation centre. www.darkskyalqueva.com

A good way to see the dam is out on a boat. Boat trips from thirty minutes to up to ten hours start at the Marina in Alqueva. The sunset tour with wine and a snack included is particularly appealing. www.alquevatours.com operates all year round. 

Alternatively, you can start at Telheiro near Monsaraz where Capitao Tiago offers excellent tours on his 17m Dutch sailing boat starting from two hours to some much longer with a meal at his restaurant included. He also rents out canoes and bikes. www.sem-fim.com

The charming, relaxing and relaxed seaside town of Vila Nova de Milfontes, “the Princess of El Alentejo”, sits happily on the northern edge of the stunning Mira estuary in the beautiful Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina. The town of a thousand springs, referring to all the tributaries that flow into the Rio Mira, its cobbled streets, whitewashed houses, pristine beaches and open views, will seduce you at once.

Though not much in the way of sightseeing, it is a real pleasure to walk round – go down to the quay and watch the fishing boats come in and out, take a ferry (holiday season only) to the lovely As Furnas beach on the other side, admire the C16th Sao Clemente fort and discover the memorial of the first plane to Macau that took off from here. Walk out to the lighthouse for spectacular views of the coast and, looking back, at the town itself.

Very popular with the Portuguese and gradually becoming more known by foreigners, though fairly packed in the summer months, you will find that during the rest of the year, with a permanent population, it is nicely “alive” with a good choice of bars and restaurants and a small covered market and little shops.

Take a boat trip from Vila Nova de Milfontes up the Rio Mira, one of the cleanest rivers in Europe and discover its fascinating fauna and flora. Trips run from April to October and last from half an hour to three hours. Visit www.natureactivities.net for more info or contact Maresia Travessias e Passeios via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The whitewashed, laid-back, fishing village of Zambujeira do Mar, is set on a cliff, overlooking its dramatic, sandy beach with its powerful rock formations.

With family-run bars and restaurants, serving fishy delights and a few small shops, it is popular with surfers and those seeking a relaxing break from city life. However, in August (for a few days) it is host to a huge music fest, Festa do Sudoeste, when the whole village is transformed!

At other times of the year, it is a great place for bracing cliff top walks or for cycling along the coastal path which takes you a little bit further north to Porto de Pesca with its two tempting fisherman's taverns. Superb beaches run all along the coastline, including Praia da Amalia, named after the famous fado singer Amalia Rodrigues, who holidayed nearby and sought her inspiration here.

Another curiosity further down the coast, just beyond Praia Carvalhal, is a privately owned estate where you see bison and zebras and other exotic animals...

Between Praia Almograve and Zambujeira do Mar, you’ll find Cabo de Sardao with its lighthouse built in 1915 and its dramatic rock formations. It is here where white storks have chosen to nest in the cliffs. An impressive sight!

Just a small inland village, fourteen kilometres east of Vila Nova de Milfontes, of little farms, small holdings and orchards. Set in gently rolling countryside of cork oak forests, there is something magical about this place. It was Sao Luis that provided Vila Nova de Milfontes with all the agricultural products they needed when their sole industry was fishing. 

Visit the simple, but charming little market with the tempting, local produce on sale and do the easy and enchanting circular walk around the village. Reward yourself with a lunch after that at one of the village’s excellent family-run restaurants.

On the border with the Algarve, the staggeringly beautiful beach and estuary at Odeceixe are not to be missed. Surf, swim, canoe, or simply walk, and enjoy a relaxing drink or meal at one of the bars, taking in the mesmerising view. N.B Quiet most of the year, but can be very busy in August.

A bit further south from Odeceixe, in the Algarve, the attractive town of Aljezur with a river running through, is worth a visit. With its imposing, ruined C10th hilltop castle, its Moorish quarter and a handful of quaint museums, including the home of Portuguese painter, Jose Cercas, there is plenty to keep you occupied. The town and surrounding area are famous for their sweet potatoes, “batata doce”, and the little covered market by the river is a good place to stock up for picnics.

The whole of the Costa Vicentina is spoilt for fantastic beaches, but here are a few you should not miss.

South of Vila Nova de Milfontes. This is considered to be the Alentejo’s most beautiful beach and one of the best beaches in Portugal. Wild and dramatic, it is made up of two parts – one with black rock formations and backed by cliffs, the other sandy with dunes. Great for surfing.

A little further down the coast is the tiny fishing port Porto de Lapas das Pombos, worth seeking out. The little village of Almograve has a few bars and a couple of local restaurants.

Between Vila Nova de Milfontes and Porto Covo. A stunning and expansive beach where you can find your own patch even in the height of summer. Sand dunes, rock pools and cliffs. No cafes or restaurants.

This is the main beach in Vila Nova de Milfontes. On the estuary so sheltered and good for swimming, but it does get very busy in the summer. You can hire kayaks and there are beach cafes.

On the southern side of the estuary in Vila Nova de Milfontes, this has two parts – one which is on the estuary and protected from the winds and the other facing the Atlantic, so good for surfing. There is a café serving food on the beach.

Incredibly dramatic, backed by high cliffs with the village of the same name on top. It does get crowded in the summer.

Near Porto Covo, north of Vila Nova de Milfontes. The beaches around Porto Covo are smaller with little coves. This one is special as it has a natural swimming pool at low tide.