A calm COMPETITOR
Billed as the new Tuscany, the Portuguese region of Alentejo is much more tranquil than its Italian counterpart. Annica Wainwright explores its sleepy north-east and finds the gentle pace as delicious as the local food and wine

As anyone who’s visited Florence in high season will testify, Tuscany has become more than a tad overcrowded. Luckily for those who want to escape the tourists, there’s no shortage of New Tuscanies. Croatia’s Istrian coastline and the Saale Valley in Germany have all been put forward – even Italy has a New Tuscany in Le Marche – but as far as alternatives go, Portugal’s offering does the job better than most.

Combining a rich cultural heritage and deliciously rustic food with beautiful scenery that splits between a dramatic coastline and rolling countryside dotted with vineyards and olive groves, Alentejo ticks all the Tuscan boxes while remaining undiscovered by the travelling masses.

Indeed, visitors are likely to encounter more trees than people during their stay here, for while the area covers about a third of Portugal, it is only home to five per cent of the country’s population. By contrast, thousands of cork and olive trees stand in welcoming salute all along the region’s roads, making the hour-and-a-half drive from Lisbon airport to the heart of Alto (Upper) Alentejo a very pleasant one.

Sleepy towns and a slow pace of life
The towns and villages of Alentejo make for picture-perfect images of Portugal, often perched atop steep hills and surrounded by heavily fortified walls (a reminder of the proximity to the border with Spain) their pretty, cobble-stoned streets are lined with immaculately white-washed houses and colourful flower boxes.

Marvão, in the region’s far north- eastern corner, is typical. Crowned by the ruins of a 13th-century castle, it boasts stunning views of the surrounding valleys, while its traditional buildings have seats in their walls, allowing locals to take frequent breaks from their already gently-paced lives.

Alentejans are famously slow, which is hardly surprising, considering that temperatures often reach 40°C at the height of summer.) Nearby is the spa town Castelo de Vide, where you’ll find beautiful public fountains and a large town square flanked by cosy cafés, much like a Tuscan piazza, albeit distinctly quieter.

There’s no shortage of New Tuscanies. But Alentejo does the job better than most

If you’ve only got time to visit one village during your stay, make it Monsaraz, which lies about 45km east of Alentejo’s capital, Évora. Nicknamed the 'Eagle’s Nest’, its old stone walls form a circle atop a soaring hill, affording breathtaking views of the Guadiana river and its lush surrounding farmland. Discreetly geared up for tourism, the town hides a handful of guest houses, cafés and craft shops behind its traditional white-washed façades, but, run as they are by true Alentejans, there are no hustling salesmen and all are advertised by tasteful wrought-iron signs.

More culture than you can shake a stick at
Quite rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the capital city of Évora has every period of the last 2,000 years of history represented within its walls, while remnants dating back as far as the stone ages have been found in its surrounding countryside. Most notable is its astonishingly well-preserved Roman temple, which dates back to the first century, and there is also impressive architecture from other periods, including medieval towers, a Moorish fortress and an ornate 16th- century college building that still houses the local university.

The capital city of Évora has the last
2,000 years of history represented within its walls

Thanks to a steady influx of tourists and students, Évora is a lively little town. The best place to soak it all in is from one of the many café tables on the main square, Praça do Giraldo, which overlook the fountains in front of Santo Antão church – again, very Tuscan in feel. From here, all the local attractions are just a short stroll away (pick up the handy guide book at the tourist office on the south-western side of the square). The easily spooked should perhaps give the Capela dos Ossos a miss. Made from the bones of 5,000 monks, its welcome sign reads: 'We, bones that are here, wait for yours.’

Glorious food and wine – at very friendly prices

Wherever you go in these parts, you’re pretty much guaranteed to eat well. Much like the cooking of Tuscany, Alentejan food is based on rustic ingredients that are best treated simply and washed down with a bottle of local
wine, which means cheap, straightforward restaurants are often your best bet. Sure, there are fancy dining rooms (usually tucked away in hotels) that serve variations on the classic recipes – think pork fillet with clam reduction – but these are often lacking in atmosphere.

Alentejan food is based on rustic
ingredients that are best treated simply

Much livelier are the likes of Restaurante Sever in Portagem near Marvão (tel: +351 245 993 192), which may look like a bit of a shack from the outside but wins diners over with its cramped, atmospheric interior and honest home cooking. A family-run affair, its menu is strong on local game dishes, such as stewed hare, roast partridge, and grilled wild boar. In Évora, try the Restaurante Taverna on Travessa de Sta Marta (tel: +351 266 700 747). Like all Portuguese eateries, it offers very generous portions, so it’s worth sharing just the one main course after indulging in a spread of starters.

Among the must-try local specialities is a range of gutsy goat’s cheese (served as starters rather than after the meal), a vibrant tomato & chouriço soup topped with poached egg, and, of course, countless variations on the classic that is bacalhau (salt cod), perhaps served in a creamy gratin with spinach. Those with a sweet tooth
should save plenty of space for the rich desserts, which tend towards the principle of 'the more egg, sugar and almonds the better’.

Famed for its gutsy reds, Alentejo also offers excellent wines and if you’re looking to buy some to take home, it’s worth popping into one of the region’s many vineyards. José de Sousa (tel: +351 212 197 500), based in the small town of Reguengos de Monsaraz, still makes some of its wine in traditional Roman clay pots. The tour and tasting takes in both the gleaming new stainless steel winery and the subterranean vaults that house the aforementioned pots – don’t be surprised if your guide jumps inside one to demonstrate how they tread the grapes!