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9 December 2024 by Meriel Lowe
To the east of Lisbon and north of the Algarve, beautiful Alentejo is a land of rolling hills, endless vineyards, olive groves and almond trees, home to everything from grand cathedrals to ancient aqueducts. And, with quiet roads and plenty of space, it’s a joy to explore. The food is rustic and delicious – generous portions of bread and olives, hearty stews and cured meats – and the wine is excellent and inexpensive. Furthermore, it’s blessed with some truly outstanding accommodation, which I was lucky enough to experience on a recent trip to the region. Here are my highlights:
L’And Vineyard Resort
Just a one-hour-and-fifteen-minute drive from Lisbon, across the Tagus Estuary, this member of Relais & Chateaux is arguably Alentejo’s most stylish hotel. A large outdoor pool takes pride of place on the shores of a tranquil lake on which guests can enjoy the likes of paddle boarding and wild swimming. In the main building, you’ll be treated to a stunning spa and the excellent Mapa Restaurant, which serves contemporary Portuguese cuisine with ingredients sourced from the hotel’s estate. Elsewhere, you’ll find informal dining at Café da Viagem as well as light meals and drinks at the lakeside pavilion. Nestled between the vineyards are whitewashed blocks of modern, spacious suites with plunge pools, or larger deluxe villas with private pools and skylights over the beds, so you can enjoy nights under the stars.
L'And Vineyard Resort
Convento do Espinheiro
Located on the outskirts of Évora – a UNESCO World Heritage site – Convento do Espinheiro is a 15th-century convent converted into a five-star hotel, complete with a spa, gorgeous gardens and a pair of delightful pools. The food here is a genuine highlight, with a choice of two restaurants. The Divinus, with its incredible arched ceiling, serves such local delights as Alentejo lamb and octopus brioche, while the informal Olive Restaurant specialises in delicious pizzas. For me, the older rooms in particular, with their traditional artwork and furnishings, are a wonderful reflection of the town of Évora itself where, among the cobblestone lanes, you’ll find everything from a Roman Temple and aqueduct to a 12th-century cathedral, host to the extraordinary Chapel of Bones.
Convento do Espinheiro
Torre de Palma
About an hour’s drive north of Évora is the seven-hectare estate of Torre de Palma, a family-owned ‘wine hotel’, rebuilt from ruins into the luxurious 19-room accommodation you see today. This is a peaceful oasis where you can relax by the pool or get active on hikes, bike rides and horseback jaunts across the prairie. And, with the estate producing its own wines, there’s the chance to enjoy guided tours and tastings, while at sunset, drinks are served by the small chapel to catch the falling rays. Of course, you might want to look beyond the estate, and in the nearby villages of Monsaraz and Corval there’s the chance to explore the region’s pottery heritage at craftsman-run workshops, hosted between pretty laneways and medieval walls.
Torre de Palma wine cellar
Herdade do Sobroso
A scenic 20-minute drive from the nearest town, Herdade do Sobroso has a homely feel, with sweeping rural views and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. There’s a lake to swim in or kayak on, and even a small beach with a jetty for private dining. The swimming pool is outdoors and unheated, ideal for warm spring or autumn days. Inside, Junior Suites have a small seating area and a bedroom which opens out onto a communal patio overlooking the pool, while a pair of brand-new suites with private heated pools are set to open in 2025. The estate produces its own wine, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and, whilst there, we were invited on a Jeep safari to explore some of the 1,600 hectares, spotting deer, partridges and a wild boar along the way. The food is exceptional, with meals produced under the skilled eye of septuagenarian local, Dona Josefa. Expect chicken pies, seafood croquettes, tartlets of bacalhao in cream and fresh vegetables and fruit from the kitchen garden.
Lunch at Herdade do Sobroso
Herdade da Malhadhina Nova
Near the town of Beja, and only an hour-and-twenty-minutes by car from Faro, this family-owned-and-run estate has guest villas dotted throughout its sprawling grounds. The owners are passionate about their wines, which are served in the one-Michelin-starred restaurant, and the vineyards cover 80 hectares of the 455-hectare property. The winery was started only in 2003 and is purpose built with all the latest technology. Adding to the family feel, the labels on their wines have all been drawn by the family children. They’ve also put sustainability at the heart of their operation, maintaining a perfect ecosystem of holm oak forests, olive groves, barley fields and extensive breeding of pure Alentejo cows, black pigs, merino sheep and purebred Lusitanian horses. Guests are invited to experience the estate on a programme of activities, which range from hot-air ballooning to beekeeping and painting workshops. Plus, for a spot of relaxation, there’s a spa and pool on site.
Room with a pool at Herdade da Malhadhina Nova
