Key facts
Alentejo at a glance
Areas and places
Alentejo area by area
Each area has its own page, with its own character, plans and map.
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Getaways from Badajoz · 45 minMérida · 1 h 30Cáceres · 2 h
Plan the trip
Alentejo, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Alentejo
In spring, with green fields and flowers, and in autumn, with mild temperatures and the Marvão Chestnut Fair in November. In July and August it often tops 35 °C and there is a risk of wildfires. In winter it is dry and cold, with fog in the hills and very few people.
How you travel
Alentejo your way
The ways of travelling that suit Alentejo. We are writing a guide to each one: where to stay, how to get around and which services you will need.
By carBy planeLuxuryBy motorbike
Nearby
Near Alentejo
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
39.20° N · 6.15° W
Extremadura
By carCar-freeLuxuryOn footBy bike
38.67° N · 9.18° W
Lisbon Metropolitan Area
By carBy planeBackpackingCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
39.83° N · 8.52° W
Centre
By carBy planeCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
37.18° N · 8.37° W
Algarve
By carBy planeBy campervanCar-freeLuxuryBy bike
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Avoid the middle of the day in summer
From 14:00 to 17:00, in July and August, the heat is fierce. Visit in the morning and at dusk.
- 2Pick a moonless night
For the Milky Way at Monsaraz, check the lunar phase before booking your observatory session.
- 3Respect fire bans
In summer the fire risk is high: do not light fires or throw away cigarette butts.
Sleep inside the walls. Évora, Monsaraz and Marvão empty at dusk, when the day trippers leave, and that is when they look their best.
It is almost two and a half hours to Monsaraz or Marvão and as much again back. Choose Évora for a day, or stay two nights.
What to choose in the Alentejo?
The Alentejo takes up almost a third of Portugal, from the Tagus to the Algarve, and is its least populated region: wheat plains, cork oaks and olive trees, white villages on the hills and a great deal of silence. It is the natural continuation of Extremadura, which is why it is the part of Portugal easiest to see in a weekend from Badajoz or Cáceres.
- Évora, one or two nights. The regional capital, with a walled World Heritage centre that can be seen on foot: the Roman temple up high, the cathedral with its terrace and the Chapel of Bones. About 16 km away, the Almendres Cromlech, almost a hundred menhirs in a cork oak grove. In 2027, European Capital of Culture.
- Monsaraz, one or two nights. A walled village above Lake Alqueva, with a Blue Flag river beach from June to September and the Xerez cromlech at its foot. At night, the Dark Sky Alqueva reserve, the world's first Starlight destination, with stargazing sessions from Tuesday to Saturday.
- Marvão, one or two nights. A stone eyrie at 860 m in the Serra de São Mamede, with a castle and cistern, half an hour from Valencia de Alcántara. Nearby, Castelo de Vide and the Roman city of Ammaia. In November, the Chestnut Fair.
A four- or five-day route from Badajoz: Marvão to the north, Évora in the centre and Monsaraz to the east, by the border, before returning via Olivenza or Elvas.
How do you get there from Spain?
By car from Extremadura: Évora is about 100 km from Badajoz on the A6, Monsaraz about 90 km and Marvão also about 90 km, or 27 km from Valencia de Alcántara. From Seville, Monsaraz is about 230 km away; from Madrid, any of the three is about 420–500 km. Portuguese motorways are toll roads and some are electronic only: register your plate before crossing.
By train, CP's regional service links Badajoz with Elvas and Entroncamento, and from Lisbon the Intercidades reaches Évora in about an hour and a half for €13.90 in second class. If you fly, the most practical airport is Lisbon's.
How do you get around?
By car: Monsaraz, Marvão, the menhirs and the lake are far from stations and buses are scarce. Without a car, stay in Évora, which can be seen entirely on foot, and book excursions for the rest. Inside Monsaraz and Marvão you cannot drive: you park by the wall.
What should you eat?
Cooking built on bread, pork and olive oil: migas, açorda, carne de porco à alentejana and tomato soups, with sheep's cheeses and local wines, produced on large estates around Reguengos and Évora. In November, in Marvão, the chestnut is the star of a fortnight of food events.
How much does it cost?
The Alentejo is one of the cheapest regions for sleeping and eating. Évora charges a tourist tax of €1.50 per person per night for visitors over 16, for up to three nights. In 2027, with the cultural capital title, expect more demand for accommodation.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need?
Three for Évora and Monsaraz; five if you add Marvão and Castelo de Vide.
Can you go without a car?
Only to Évora, by train from Lisbon. For Monsaraz and Marvão you need a car.
Which village is best with children?
Monsaraz in summer, for the river beach with a children's area, and Marvão for its castle and cistern. In Évora, the Almendres menhirs.
Where can you see the stars?
In the Dark Sky Alqueva reserve, around the lake. Guided sessions are held at the Cumeada observatory, Tuesday to Saturday and by reservation.
Is it very hot in summer?
Yes: in July and August temperatures often exceed 35 °C. Spring and autumn are much more comfortable.
Is there a tourist tax?
In Évora, yes: €1.50 per person over 16 per night, for up to three nights.