Alentejo, Portugal. Facts to help decide to come.

One of the country's most treasured regions - often referred to as the Provence of Portugal - is the southern region of Alentejo. Still a relatively well kept secret, it extends from the Sao Mamede Mountains to the Atlantic coast, which is punctuated by bays and coves. The area offers fortified villages, Roman ruins, Moorish castles and Baroque palaces, which are interspersed with grapevines, cork forests, and herds of sheep and black pigs.

Alentejo country, which is within relatively easy striking distance of Lisbon, is one of Portugal's most important red wine regions and produces a variety of traditional, earthy reds as well as the more rich, fruity new world reds.

Driving on to the south, the vast plains become less inhabited and sunnier, the only shade being provided by the olive trees and oak trees and the only amenity being provided by refreshing dams. A trip to Alvito, Beja, Serpa and Mértola will be worth your time. The coastline to the south-west offers the visitor magnificent Atlantic beaches. As the region with the highest thermal amplitude, the plains (planicies) are a dispersely populated region with quite open horizons, where the rhythm of life follows the idle sound of regional songs.