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The Southern Alentejo is the Baixo Alentejo district of Portugal
- About the Southern Alentejo
- Towns & Villages in the Southern Alentejo
- Golf in the Southern Alentejo
- Local Business Directory for the Southern Alentejo
Enjoying a mild climate and a landscape full of contrasts – valleys, hills and mountain ranges, rivers, dams; lakes and reservoirs; – it is no wonder that the Southern (Baixo) Alentejo has become a popular destination.
There are a number of Barragems and Lakes in the Southern Alentejo, including:
- Barragem Monte da Rocha
- Barragem de Santa Clara
- lakes near
- Ourique
- Barrancos
- Alvito
- Mertola on the River Guadiana
Other outdoor activities in the Southern Alentejo include:
- hiking
- bird watching
- pony trekking
- horse riding
The Southern Alentejo is well-known for its handicrafts which can be found in the outdoor markets that are held in local towns and villages throughout the year.
A good way to discover more about local wines is to follow the Alentejo wine route which is centred around Beja (Southern Alentejo) and Evora and Portalegre (both in the Northern Alentejo). Traditional Alentejano cuisine can be found in the plentiful restaurants and cafés and we recommend that you sample the local cheeses, homemade breads, olives, pork, barbecue chicken and fish.
Towns and Villages in the Southern Alentejo
Alvito has pre-Roman origins and is home to the only castle in Portugal that was not built as a residence for the King - the Barons and Marquises of Alvito, and the Counts of Oriola, enjoyed such influential favour in the royal courts during the 15th and 16th Centuries that they were permitted to construct a palace – which is now a charming Pousada. The town itself dates back to Roman times. It has several interesting buildings and places particularly worth visiting are: the Chapel of São Sebastião; the 13th Century Parish Church and the Sanctuary of Santa Águeda.
Facilities include:
- Restaurants
- Shops
- Bars
- Cafés
- Banks
- Post Office
- Petrol Stations
Approximate Driving Time to Airports:
- Lisbon - 1 hour 45 minutes
- Porto - 6 hours
- Faro - 1 hour 45 minutes
- Badajoz (just over the Spanish Border) - 1 hour 15 minutes - currently an internal airport, Badajoz has applied for an International Licence - the outcome is still awaited.
- Seville (Spain) - 2 hours 15 minutes
- Shops
- Supermarkets
- Restaurants
- Bars
- Cafés
- Banks
- Post Office
- Petrol Stations
- Railway Station
Approximate Driving Times to Airports:
- Lisbon - 2 hours
- Porto - 6 hours
- Faro - 1 hour 30 minutes
- Badajoz (just over the Spanish Border) - 1 hour 30 minutes - currently an internal airport, Badajoz has applied for an International Licence - the outcome is still awaited.
- Seville (Spain) - 2 hours
- bars
- restaurants
- banks
- shops
- supermarket
- railway station
- Lisbon - 90 minutes
- Faro - 55 minutes
- Porto - 5 hours 30 minutes
- (Beja - 40 minutes - this is currently a small airport which has an application pending for an international commercial licence pending)