After living in Alentejo for over a year, I created this complete travel guide and itinerary. Discover Alentejo’s stunning coast and scenic countryside, local food to try, hidden gems and honest tips to make the most of your stay in this remote region of Portugal.

Getting There

Alentejo makes up nearly 30% of Portugal’s surface, but is home to just 5% of the population. Coastal Alentejo (Alentejo Litoral) starts just south of Lisbon and stretches to the Algarve. Its 150 kilometers of pristine coastline are lined with undeveloped beaches and small towns that only come to life in summer. Interior Alentejo makes up most of the province and borders with Spain in the east. Cork trees, olive groves and citrus plantations cover the rolling hills.

When traveling from Lisbon to Algarve you have to pass through Alentejo. Add a couple of days in this region to explore an authentic side of Portugal that seems frozen in time. Much of Alentejo still flies under the international tourism radar, with the exception of a couple of (overrated) hot spots like Comporta and Evora.

When to Travel

The Alentejo coast is a very popular holiday destination for the Portuguese in July and especially August, turning accommodation prices ridiculously high. The interior on the other side is unbearably hot in summer. From October to April, the weather is unpredictable and coastal towns die down completely, with most establishments closed for the season. This leaves May-June and September as the best times for a visit to Alentejo.

Where to Stay

To explore both Alentejo Litoral and the interior, book a stay in each region to reduce driving time. On the coast, our favorite town is the charming Porto Covo. Accommodation options include mostly rental homes, with good deals outside of summer. In the interior, overnight in Monsaraz to take in stunning sunsets from this hilltop town.

What & Where to Eat

Start the day with breakfast from a pastelaria, a typical Portuguese café that sells coffee, bread, pastries and a variety of sweets. For lunch, they serve simple sandwiches and tostas with soup of the day for a couple of euros.

Alentejo Litoral

Seafood lovers rejoice, as fresh fish is abundant in Alentejo litoral. The best way to enjoy a fresh catch is grill it on a barbecue in your rental. Supermarkets like Intermarché and Continente have a wide variety of fresh fish on offer, caught in Portuguese open waters and beyond. If you possess no grill or grillmaster skills, A Choupana (see day 4) is our favorite oceanfront restaurant to enjoy a fresh catch.

Seafood specialties

• Grilled fresh catch: European seabass (robalo), sea bream (dourado), snapper (pargo), white sea bream (sargo) and European sole (linguado) are great choices.
• Grilled sardines are tastiest and fresh in summer season, from May to August.
• Visit a tasca to try one of many traditional preparations of salted cod (bacalhau).
• Octopus (polvo), cuttlefish (choco) and squid (lula) are staples found on most coastal menus. Try polvo à lagareiro, choco grehaldo or lulas.
• Caldeirada is a delicious tomato-based fish stew with cilantro and parsley. Just like seafood rices (arroz de marisco, arroz de amêijoa), the soupy rice is served in a large metal pot.
• Flavorful appetizers are stuffed crab (sapateira recheada) and caracois, little snails that appear everywhere in summer and are cooked in a savory broth.
• Other (exotic) seafood staples include shark soup (sopa de cação) and fried baby eels (enguias fritas).

Alentejo Interior

In the interior of Alentejo, seafood stews make way for slow-cooked pork or lamb, always accompanied by a chunk of Alentejo bread.

Rustic Alentejo dishes

• Açorda: a hearty bread soup with poached eggs, this is one of Alentejo’s most traditional dishes but surprisingly hard to find on restaurant menus.
• Cozido is a stew with different types of meat, sausage and vegetables, served with beans and rice. It is typically prepared on winter weekends in homes and restaurants.
• Black Iberian pigs (porco preto) feed on acorns in Alentejo’s cork fields. The tasty meat is used in dishes like slow-cooked pork cheeks (bochechas de porco), pork with clams (carne de Porco à Alentejana) and grilled cuts like plumas and secretos.

Produce

From April to October, there is an abundance of produce in season. In Alentejo, fruit is exotic: from loquats, apricots and melons in spring and early summer, to tomatoes, figs, quince fruit and olives in summer and early fall. The winter is dominated by oranges and lemons. You can find produce stands along the road, and occasionally people sell surplus fruit from their home orchards.

The Best of Alentejo: 6-day Itinerary

This 6-day itinerary spends 4 days on the coast and 2 days in the interior, covering the best of both with plenty of time to enjoy the slow life.

Day 1: Setúbal & Troia Peninsula

Morning: Parque Natural da Arrabida and Azeitão

Starting in Lisbon, Parque Natural da Arrábida on Setúbal Peninsula is just a half-hour drive away. Follow the interior road in the park that climbs to impressive viewpoints, or drive along the coast passing beautiful coves. The Miradouro do Portinho da Arrábida offers the best views of the azure-blue coastline. Complete the loop to the town of Azeitão for lunch, known for its sheep cheese and Setúbal wines. Stop by José Maria da Fonseca, one of the oldest wineries in Portugal housed in a historic building.

Afternoon: Troia Peninsula, ceramics and azulejos

A vehicle ferry runs between the city of Setúbal and the Troia Peninsula, home to the calmest beaches on the western coast of Portugal. Sandbars create shallow and slightly warmer waters that are perfect for a family afternoon at the beach. Alternatively, you can stay on the Setúbal Peninsula to get creative. See Portuguese azulejo artists at work and paint your own tile at Leiveiro Azulejos. Or follow a ceramics workshop at Studio Rita Zorro, applying three different techniques.

Day 2: Comporta & Melides Beaches

Morning: Comporta

Comporta is Alentejo’s hot spot, but a little overrated if you ask us. The town counts a handful of restaurants and shops, while the beaches are dotted with pricey beach clubs. The Casa de Cultura houses boutique shops selling jewelry, clothing and home decor from local brands. In summer, the Spot Market pops up in Comporta during several weekends. Have lunch in town or with your feet in the sand at Sal Restaurant on Carvalhal Beach.

Afternoon: Melides and Praia Galé-Fontainhas

Melides is not much more than a street, but is somehow believed to be Alentejo’s next hot spot. Christian Louboutin’s posh hotel might have something to do with that. Enjoy a drink at Melides’ charming Praça do Mercado, before heading to the coast. Praia Galé-Fontainhas is backed by impressive cliffs that turn all shades of orange during golden hour. In summer, there is a hip beach bar for a sunset toast. Try Alentejo seafood specialties for dinner at Giz na Praia, a cozy seaside restaurant.

Day 3: Porto Covo & the Fishermen’s Trail

Morning: Fishermen’s Trail

The coastal trail of the Rota Vicentina follows a path along the protected Vicentina Coast for 226 kilometers and is divided into 13 day hikes. The first leg between São Torpes and Porto Covo is stunning and easy, passing the beautiful beaches and coves surrounding Porto Covo. Start in the center of Porto Covo and hike towards São Torpes until the Magic Cactus, our favorite beach bar on the Alentejo Coast. The roundtrip hike from Porto Covo to the Magic Cactus takes around three hours and is a perfect initiation to the Fishermen’s Trail.

Afternoon: Porto Covo

Porto Covo is a small picture-perfect coastal town. From the quaint town square, the main street lined with shops and restaurants leads straight to the ocean. Enjoy Alentejo classics with a twist overlooking Porto Covo’s fishing port at Lamelas Restaurant, included in the Michelin Guide and owner of 1 Repsol Sol. The best way to end the day in Porto Covo is with sunset drinks at Mute Hostel & Rooftop Bar.

Day 4: Vila Nova de Milfontes & Costa Vicentina

Morning: Vila Nova de Milfontes

Another coastal town on the Costa Vicentina, Vila Nova de Milfontes is scenically located where the Mira River meets the Atlantic. On both sides of the river shore are calm beaches perfect for families. On the Atlantic side, Praia do Malhão and the adjacent parts of the Fishermen’s Trail make for a beautiful walk along the rough coast. Vila Nova de Milfontes has a picturesque town center lined with restaurants and shops.

Afternoon: Vicentina Coast

In the afternoon, head south to Vicentino Winery to try unique wines created on the Alentejo Coast. On the way back, stop at beach bar Bar do Almograve. Overlooking Praia do Almograve, you can enjoy drinks, appetizers and live DJ sets in summer. Make a dinner reservation at Vila Nova de Milfontes’ A Choupana around sunset. Our favorite seafood restaurant in Alentejo grills fresh catches on a large outdoor grill, with the ocean as a backdrop.

Day 5: São Pedro de Corval & Monsaraz

Morning: Portugal’s pottery village

After four days on the coast, head inland through cork farms and olive groves. The border region with Spain houses many medieval villages on hilltops. Monsaraz is the most enchanting one and a perfect base to explore Alentejo’s interior. On the way to Monsaraz, make a stop at São Pedro de Corval, Portugal’s pottery village. There are over 10 ceramics workshops where you can see the artists at work and purchase ceramics at good prices. Start your visit at Casa do Barro, a small and free museum that displays several pieces of each artist.

Afternoon: Monsaraz

Monsaraz is a walled town that offers expansive views of the surrounding valley. After entering through one of four historic gates, you are welcomed into the enchanting historic center with boutique shops and restaurants. From Monsaraz Castle, you can take in the Portuguese and Spanish countryside. Spend an afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets before enjoying an impressive sunset from the castle walls.

Day 6: Evora & Alentejo vineyards

Morning: Evora

The historic center of Evora is designated UNESCO world heritage, with a history dating back to Roman times. It is also the heart of the Alentejo wine region. You can admire the Roman temple with coffee from the Quiosque Jardim Diana. Climb the imposing Cathedral of Evora for 360-degree views over the city and beyond.

Afternoon: Alentejo wine country

Before heading into Alentejo wine country, stop by the small wine museum Rota dos Vinhos do Alentejo in Evora. Learn about the different grapes in each region and take a tasting of 4 wines for under 10 euros. After this introduction, you can pick wineries to visit on the Alentejo wine route. If you just want to sip on delicious wines without doing a tour or tasting, Fitapreta Vinhos is the perfect place. An elegant onsite wine bar serves all of their wines by the glass, to be enjoyed with views of the vines.

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