Alentejo Region

Montados to apply for World Heritage

Monday, 09 January 2012 00:00

The technical teams responsible for application for World Heritage in January are working on an application for the Montados. These cork oak woodlands, known as “montados” in Portugal, have been used to produce cork and graze livestock for centuries, making them a haven for wildlife.

Read more: Montados to apply for World Heritage

New Hotels in Alentejo

Monday, 26 December 2011 00:00

++ Mount Giestal Villas & Spa - this unit of rural tourism in the Alentejo, was opened at the end of October. The new resort, located in the municipality of Santiago de Cacém, village of Abela, has ten cottages with traditional checkin area, games room, lounge and terrace. The buildings are surrounded by oak trees. The Spa has a wide offer of massages and baths, and guests can also enjoy the gym. Among the services provided are still the pool, tennis courts, bike rides that can be extended by 70 acres of property. The main materials used in bed frames, tables and various decorative pieces are made of cork or oak wood, which grow naturally in Portugal.

++ Rossio Hotel**** – Portalegre - Set to open in early 2012 -  The Rossio Hotel will be a new four star hotel situated in the city of Portelagre in the Northeastern Alentejo. The location, on the Rua 31 de Janeiro, near the Rossio Square made it easy to the name the hotel. It it will offer 18 rooms, suited by its location in the center-of-town for tourism and business customers.  “Built from an existing historic building, the structure was largely built from scratch since the existing one was in bad shape," says Ana Salgueiro. The Rossio Hotel is owned by local construction company - Seconfral.Of the 18 themed rooms, 12 are twins and the remaining six are double rooms, one being intended for people with reduced mobility. The hotel also has two spaces with fitness equipment, a computer room, a small meeting room, breakfast room and parking with direct access to the floors of rooms for your convenience.

++Solar S. Mamede - An inn at the heart of the Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede is getting set to welcome guests soon. Solar de Sao Mamede is in the so called "Tourist Triangle of North Alentejo of the towns of Castelo de Vide, Portalegre and Marvão, three locations, three counties with lots to see, visit, feel and do.

++Nespereira e Moinho Velho – São Teotónio (Set to open late January 2012) -  A unique haven in Portugal's Alentejo undiscovered and unspoiled National Ecological Reserve. Loquat is a privately owned static SET high in the Alentejo region of Portugal, the National Ecological Reserve provides a rural escape. The Nespereira e Moinho Velho – São Teotónio was designed for families, couples, single parents and individuals in search of total serenity, with stunning landscapes. Those who demand good taste, comfort and the sensitive approach to nature and the environment will thrive here.  Surrounded by 240 hectares of cork forest, this rural retreat boutique comprises four private individual villas and luxurious 4 'Nature Hideaways' - beautifully restored 1970's mobile homes. The accommodation provides the utmost in comfort, seclusion and proximity to nature. Guests at the Nespereira property offered two very distinct types of accommodation - spacious, sophisticated and well appointed 'Taipas House' villas or 'Nature Hideaways', the ultimate in luxury camping. All accommodation is self catering but is serviced daily and cooks and shopping services can be arranged.

++ The Tapada da Mata EcoResort & Spa – Évora is the new project of Manuel Policarpo that is scheduled to start operating mid-2012. The project embodies the transition of the business travel agency for the hotel. Remember that the company, formerly known Policarpo Travel and Tourism, sold to two travel agents last year. The hotel has been awarded a four star hotel accreditation with 52 suites / bungalows. The hotel unit results from a joint effort of investors, in order of six million euros. Tapada Forest Eco-resort, named after the five hectares of land which will be built, is based on "sustainable tourism environmental practices and policies from construction to hotel management," says Manuel Policarpo, adding that the construction area is only 5,000 meters.

Network of Medieval Cities and Villages will launch tour packages

Saturday, 24 December 2011 00:00

The Network of Cities and Medieval Villages, which includes 10 Spanish and two Portuguese localities, will launch soon. Tour packages go on sale through travel agencies and online. The next step is to meet to make some proposals, particularly to strengthen the sense of network and give more power to the site we have set, and to promote a specific offer to travel agencies, in interaction with the local hospitality. According to Fruitful, the project brings many benefits to the localities that comprise it, highlighting the promotion and cohesion that will define new strategies. "We feel the possibility of doing promotion together will help all parties. It is much easier to enhance the visibility of these sites together than each by itself," said Victor Fruitful. To attract tourists, the Network of Cities and Medieval Villages will develop a series of initiatives, such as the IV International Competition for snacks and Tapas, held this month in which were involved. In effect, it is already the site of the project, at the address www.villasmedievales.com, which will soon also be translated into German and Japanese as a way to reach more markets and has a strong presence in social networks. Marvão and Vila Viçosa are, for now, the only two Portuguese districts that have joined the project.. The Network of Cities and Medieval Villages brings together 12 Spanish and Portuguese towns whose common denominator is the heritage of medieval origin and is expected to soon emerge more communities, not only in Portugal and Spain as well as in southern France.

Cycling Europe's West Coast with Blue Coast Bikes’ “Essence of the Coast”

Thursday, 24 November 2011 00:00

Atlantic Bike 8 days/7 nights tour - Departure dates: May 5-12, June 16-23 and October 20-27, 2012

The beauty of the Portuguese coast should be enjoyed out of doors, not restricted through the windows of an automobile. Blue Coast Bikes offers just that and includes accommodations in 4-5 star luxury Hotels & Inns, Wine Tastings, Panoramic Atlantic Vistas, Galleon Coast, trek bikes, bi-lingual guides, fine local dining and traditional hospitality.

Like a feast for your senses, this signature route takes you along breathtaking shores and surrounds you with the crystal blue essence of the Costa Azul. Ride through the expansive Arrábida Natural Park by day and indulge on tantalizing seafood dishes and savory wines by night. Each day brings a new wave of adventure to tease your senses and awaken your inner explorer. Soak up the sun as you coast along the sand dunes of the Costa Vicentina, encountering the well-preserved Roman site of Mirobriga, watch the windmills turning in the Atlantic breeze, and mingle with delightful fishermen mending their nets over time-weathered hands.

Feel free to dismount along the way and take in the sights of each tiny cove and fishing village, and allow your toes the well-deserved caress of invigorating surf. This luxury bike tour of the maritime region will give you an intimate look into the culture of Portugal, at a pace that is right for you. Give in to your desires to ‘live coastal’ and allow your senses to guide you through what will indeed be a very memorable journey. Blue Coast Bikes also offers a variety of guided and self-guided tours, from 3-day sampler tours for those just browsing seaside towns, to the 6 and 7-day tour packages that take riders throughout Portugal.  For more information please click here.