Get to know the perfect european holiday destination all year round - Alentejo

Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is Portugal’s second-biggest city and one of the oldest European centres. Its historical core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. The western part of its urban area extends to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. Its settlement dates back many centuries when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Its combined Celtic-Latin name, Portus Cale, has been referred to as the origin of the name Portugal, based on transliteration and oral evolution from Latin.Port wine, one of Portugal's most famous exports, is named after Porto, since the metropolitan area, and in particular, the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, were responsible for the packaging, transport, and export of fortified wine. In 2014 and 2017, Porto was elected The Best European Destination by the Best European Destinations Agency.

Sintra is a magnificent town filled with breathtaking historic palaces and castles, all set around the lush tall hills of the Sintra mountains. Once the royal town of the country, Sintra has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status and recognised for its incredible history and cultural importance. In the 19th century, Sintra became the first centre of European Romantic architecture by Ferdinand II but has an architecture which dates all the way back to the Moorish empire.

Vilamoura is a luxury resort located in the western part of the Algarve. It’s known for its large marina, golf courses and casino, and for amazing sandy beaches. This privately owned resort was built in the 1980’s and has over the years become one of the finest resorts in Europe.

The Marquês of Pombal Square is the heart of modern Lisbon and is known for its huge roundabout and a majestic statue in the middle. This area marks the start of Lisbon’s downtown. It is located between Avenida da Liberdade and the Eduardo VII Park in the parish of Coração de Jesus, being the radiating point for many important avenues: Avenida da Liberdade, Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo and Duque de Loulé. In the centre, you’ll see an imposing statue by the name of Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, better known as Marquês de Pombal, who lead the reconstruction of the city after it suffered a catastrophic earthquake in 1755. Marquês de Pombal is surrounded by a plethora of corporate headquarters of important companies, including the largest Portuguese banks and several of the world’s famous 5-star hotels.

Overlooking the Mondego river, Coimbra is the fourth-largest urban centre in Portugal, after Lisbon, Porto and Braga. Also known as the university city of Portugal, Coimbra is home to the first university in the country and one of the oldest in Europe. Founded in 1290, the Coimbra’s University Alta and Sofia, are two architectural centres composed of 31 magnificent buildings. Thanks to its important legacy, the University was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2013. Coimbra is filled with impressive constructions from different periods of history. The Roman occupation left an aqueduct, from which the remains were later incorporated into a medieval renovation. The Muslim settlement brought a fortified palace, that was later used by the early Portuguese Monarchs. During the Middle Ages, a lot of emblematic buildings were built. Examples of those are the Santa Cruz Monastery - the Patheon where the first kings of Portugal are buried - the old Cathedral and the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha - the most important Gothic work in the city. In the Renaissance period, Coimbra was considered one of the main artistic centres of Portugal, with several Manueline and Renaissance works in the town. Coimbra has also been an important musical centre in Portugal for centuries, acclaimed by its own musical genre called “Fado de Coimbra”. It is mostly related to academic traditions and is characterized by the use of a specific guitar, with a specific structure - “Portuguese guitar”.

Saldanha is located at the heart of Lisbon and combines the Central Business District with the surrounding shopping centres with a strong residential and cultural component. It is a popular area among those who seek to live in the centre of the city. Saldanha is one of Lisbon's newer neighbourhoods, having been founded in the mid-19th century by Duke João Carlos, only having been recognized after his death in 1922. Inspired by the cities of Paris and London, this neighbourhood’s heart lies in the Duke of Saldanha’s statue, as well as in the wide avenues and beautifully landscaped streets. The neighbourhood undertook a series of heavy constructions in the ’90s as private investors wished to give it a more modern and posh feel. They gave life to Atrium Saldanha, one of the biggest known buildings in the area today. What’s more, most of the buildings here were build post-WWI, adding a charming feel to the atmosphere and a Parisian feel to those who walk around Saldanha streets.  Saldanha spoils investors with many luxury apartments and properties that have been refurbished and restored while keeping their traditional features. These make the area enticing for ex-pats wishing to move into Lisbon’s city centre.

Campo de Ourique is a central parish of Lisbon formed by several residential neighbourhoods and sits in the heart of the city, between Amoreiras, Estrela and Prazeres. The neighbourhood of Campo de Ourique, from which this parish draws its name is a residential neighbourhood with a very strong and historic vocation for commerce. It’s a lively neighbourhood, although recognised by many as the most peaceful neighbourhood in Lisbon and also the one that has the best quality of life - setting itself apart from other Lisbon neighbourhoods highly reliant on big commercial surfaces, such as shopping centres. It's easy to navigate the grid pattern of Campo de Ourique's streets, accessed by nearby highways and several bus routes. This residential neighbourhood has been a trade centre for centuries, while still remaining a peaceful district. Commercial diversity mixes some of the most respected traditional shops with newer, modern brands. Decorators and designers flock here to shop. Its pace is as fast on weekdays as it is on weekends, as families stroll along the inviting streets while children play in the many gardens, and ladies head to the Mass dressed to perfection. Residents take great pride in maintaining their homes, while visitors are reluctant to leave. 

Rich in history, right in the centre of Portugal’s Capital City of Lisbon, one can find this park in the Arroios parish over a hill that’s between the valleys that correspond to Avenida da Liberdade and Avenida Almirante Reis. This park inherits its name of Campo dos Mártires da Pátria (Homeland Martyrs’ Field) in memoriam of Portuguese General Gomes Freire de Andrade and eleven of his companions, sentenced to be hanged in a staged trial, accused of revolting and fighting against the British Military General and Portuguese Army Marshal, Lord Beresford, regent ruler of Portugal instead of king D. João VI, who was living in Brazil at the time.  Gomes Freire de Andrade was a powerful Portuguese Mason, accused by Lord Beresford of conspiring to diminish his power of rule in Portugal, in the Portuguese king’s absence. After executing Gomes Freire de Andrade and his companions, Lord Beresford then travelled to Brazil to ask king João VI for more powers, which were granted.  However, General Gomes Freire de Andrade’s execution by Lord Beresford’s sentence ignited a revolt against the British ruler’s regency, led to protests in the North of Portugal and intensified an anti-British feeling, which ignited the Portuguese Liberal Revolution and to the fall of Lord Beresford, that was stopped from disembarking in Lisbon after returning from Brazil.