Preparation & Planning:-

Although I had visited the North of Portugal many times during my working years, and knew exactly, what I wanted to do, the sheer distance from my home being over 300 km, called for a local fixer.

Surfing the internet I came across the “Portugo.com” site, promoting “MIX & MATCH” tours, which could be adapted to the clients requirement. Soon after e-mailing my programme, i.e. Accommodation, Wine & Dine, River Cruise, Train, Historical & Cultural tours, PortUgo’s Peter Evens called to get the feel of the prospective client, and found that we had connections through our respective golf societies, and my wife had formerly dealt with him on that level. He had analysed my proposal and suggested some itinerary changes to better accommodate for the Boat, Train and Plane schedules.

The yearly gathering is mainly convivial/culinary/cultural, and the average age of this years 15 participants was over 75. Of the 15 participants, 10 arrived by plane from 5 different countries, 4 by car and 1 by motorbike from 3 different cities in 2 different countries. Some continued to travel by rent-a-car, before flying home again.
Peter took it all onboard and went ahead with booking and smoothing out the details.

About a month before the trip my wife and I did a trial run, when we met Peter for the first time in person. We now could appreciate on the spot, how meticulously he had prepared even the smallest details to perfection, fitting in as much as possible in the rather short time available.

Day 1 - Started well with a welcome reception at the Hotel Mercure Batalha Porto, offered by the youngest couple on the occasion of their 40st wedding anniversary, followed by dinner at the charming Guarany Café.

Day 2 – An early rise saw us on the second day cruising from Porto to Pinhão, where we stayed overnight at the Vintage House Hotel (Relais-Châteaux), a former Solar of the Taylor Port wine family.

Day 3 – Next day we visited Quinta de la Rosa for wine tasting and lunch on their pergola overlooking the river Douro. Returning to Porto in the afternoon was planned by train, but an unforeseen, countrywide railway workers strike might have left us stranded in Pinhão, were it not for Peter who managed to get a coach, coming up from Porto, to pick us up. The driver told me he had arrived at noon with a load from Lisbon, when he was told to go and rescue us in Pinhão. We checked in to Pestana Porto Hotel for the next two nights and then went for dinner at the nearby D.Tonho restaurant.

Day 4 – The morning of the fourth day we spent on a guided panoramic city tour and after lunch at Praia da Luz on the Atlantic shores, we were free to do our own exploring. The evening saw us visiting Graham’s Port wine cellars including tasting of course. This was followed by the apéro on the terrace overlooking the city of Porto and dinner in the Board Room of Graham’s Lodge, when another highlight were two fado singers and two guitar players, which Peter had specially arranged to come the 100 km from distant Coimbra, to entertain us.

Day 5 – Reading the feedback from my colleagues, it was one of the outstanding gatherings long to be remembered.

They all enjoyed every bit of it.

Max Zimmerli
June 2008

Countless traces such as those at Melides and Lousal bear witness to the occupation of the land that includes Grandola during prehistoric times.

The Roman era has left us the Grandola spas or baths, a dam two kilometres from the town and, above all, the ruins of what was one of the most important industrial complexes of the Western Mediterranean; the Troia fish preserving and salting centre.

Along about a kilometre of the left bank of the river Sado, once can admire the salting tanks, a dock, washrooms, cemeteries and the ruins of a basilica with its Palreo-Christian frescoes. In 1527, at about the time of the general census of the population of the kingdom, Grmdola had a population of 45, plus another 200 in the surrounding area.

In 1544, king Joao III granted it a Town Charter at the request of D. Jorge de Lencastre, duke of Coimbra, a fact that contributed to the development of the settlement. An interesting initiative marked 1679, the foundation of a communal granary, set up to lend wheat to the poorer farmers.

The year 1727 saw the construction of a hospice for the Discalced Augustinian Friars. The Town of Grandola was under the feudal protection of the dukes of Aveiro and then of the marquises of Ferreira and of the dukes of Cadaval.

The 19th century marked a time of frank progress. Though farming was prevalent, small manufacturing industries sprang up, involved in cork and in mining in the regions of Caveira (1863) and Lousal (1900).

Following the April25th revolution in 1974, Grandola acquired a very special symbolic status thanks to Jose Monso’s song, “Grandola Vila Morena”, which became the hymn of the “Carnation Revolution” that put an end to four decades of dictatorship in Portugal.

MUNICIPALITY

The municipality of Grandola is blessed with unique riches in its environment and landscape, where ecosystems of great value subsist -the Troia Dunes Botanical Reserve that forms part of the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, and the Grandola Hills.

These hills are very valuable for their botany, biology and landscape, and this is the reason why they constitute a biotype classified under the Corine programme.

Today, Grandola’s Atlantic coast is one of Europe’s best examples of a coastline that has seen little development. It stretches from the tip of the Troia peninsula to Melides beach over a distance of 45 km.

It features a low coastline of sandy beaches often formed by the reddish sediments of recent escarpments. In addition to Grandola, the municipality comprises the parishes of Azinheira de Barros, Melides, Carvalhal and Santa Margarida da Serra, all of which have the typical characteristics of the Alentejo -white, pretty and peaceful.

MELIDES

A small but charming village which, to be fully appreciated, warrants a visit to the square in front of the church of Saint Peter. Neolithic remains are to be found near the village.

VALE FIGUEIRA

In this village you can find weavers who produce pretty wool and rag rugs on handlooms. There are also archaeological remains (the Casas Velhas necropolis and the Pedra Branca dolmen).

SANTA MARGARIDA DA SERRA

A pleasant village where you can admire the features of tra- d~ional Alentejan architecture Church of Our Lady of Saude, r dating from the 15th century.

SERRA DE GRANDOLA

Hills with their picturesque nooks overlooking the Alentejan plain. Don’t miss the Senhora da Penha mirador about 3 km from Grandola.The chapel dates from 1700 and stands at an altitude of 800 feet. Various trails are marked should you want to take a walk.

The ‘Rota da Serra” is Portugal’s most-used trail it is 15 km long and takes about 4 to 5 hours to walk. Ask for a route map at the Tourism Office.

LOUSAL – HANDICRAFTS AND INDUSTRIAL ARCHEOLOGY CENTRE

This village grew up around the pyrite mines, now shut down and being transformed into a museum. II has a Handicraft Centre that is intended to bring back traditional skills, with various areas devoted to the manufacture and sale of the regional handicrafts. There is also a restaurant.

AZINHEIRA DE BARROS

A village of traditional Alentejan characteristics, with its church of Our Lady of Viso dating from the 15th century. Nearby stands the megalithic monument of Pata do Cavalo -Monte das Boias -consisting of a chamber sis metres in diameter and a gallery, covered by an artificial mound of earth.

TROIA

A spectacular peninsula some 18 kilometres in length, Troia is known for its vast Atlantic beach with its white sands and calm sea, mostly free of waves to satisfy the more demanding swimmers.

A major tourism centre, the northern tip, facing Setubal and the Arrabida Hills, has the necessary infrastructures for quality tourism.

Excellent hotels, apartments and bars, allied to varied sports facilities, provide peace- full weekends and unforgettable holidays.

GOLF

Golf is starting to be enjoyed by numerous Portuguese. Here at Troia, the golf links have gained a considerable reputation. For golf enthusiasts, playing the game against a background formed by the surrounding sea is yet another cause of enjoyment.

THE BEACHES

The beaches are yet another part of the beauty of the Portuguese south. Troia, Comporta, Carvalhal, Gale, Aberta Nova and Melides add the beauty of the ocean to the refreshing landscape of the Arrabida Hills that can be seen in the distance.

Forty-five kilometres of sand, sun and freedom. Several beach facilities can be found on these beaches, and camping grounds lie near the beaches of Melides and Gale.

EARTHENWARE AND RUGS

Grandola is home to varied, interesting handicrafts. At the Lousal Handicraft Centre you can find wrought iron, weaving, painted wood furniture and leatherwork.

There is in Grandola a proliferation of cork and leather goods (clothing and footwear), wrought-iron furniture and chair manufacture.

Santa Margarida da Serra is home to the manufacture of musical instruments, basket- work and trinkets made of local materials.

Canal Caveira is known for its wooden pipes carved with figures, and Carvalhal for its work using fish scales and painted pottery. The wool rugs of Vale Figueira and the earthen- ware of Melides are of very good quality.

GASTRONOMY

Two fundamental aspects live side by side in the traditional cooking of the municipality of Grandola.

On the one hand, there is the influence of the Alentejo of the interior, with a predominance of soups, bread paps and dishes based on pork or lamb -such as ‘jantarinho’ a pork, lamb and chickpea stew -local produce and game.

On the other hand, there is the cooking derived from the local fishing carried out along the coast and from the proximity to major fishing ports.

There is a great variety of fish dishes, including fish soups and pasta with fish, and eels prepared in various ways, stewed, fried or as ‘ensopado’ a sort of bouillabaisse with bread.

As far as the wines are concerned, mention must be made of Pinheiro da Cruz. Sweets include the ‘alcomonias’, a sweet made of honey and aniseed or cumin, and the pine kernel sweets of Melides.

GRANDOLA

In Grandola, the Parish Church stands out amid the whiteness of the houses, with its single nave and two side chapels with their good imagery.

The late 16th century Mannerist painting of Fernando Gomes dealing with the subject of the Pentecost, the neoclassical sanctuary retable, the excellent carving and the beautiful tiles, particularly those of the frontal of the altar of the souls, are just some of the marvels to be found in the church.

The well-tended municipal gardens are shaded by trees, a shade precious in these parts, and there is a bandstand that is certain to enliven the local festivals.

A television crew from the popular show “A Place In The Sun” has visited the Alentejo region of Portugal documenting the country and it’s many attributes.

Local Realty firms are expecting a marked increase in the number of property sales as people are awakened to the inherent beauty of this EU partner when the show airs later this year.

While prices are still classed as at a premium in the Algarve regions there has been increased interest in the little known Alentejo region of Portugal.

Here prices are still very realistic and one can purchase a huge plot of land or a stylish villa for a fraction of the cost to purchase the same on the riviera.

During it’s visit the television crew where chaperoned by Mr Bert Snijder of Alentejo Home real estate who is regarded as one of the foremost authorities on the property market in the Alentejo region.

After spending several days filming the crew seemed to be taken with the beauty of this part of Europe which is scheduled to appear in the show “A Place In The Sun”

Needless to say that they were reluctant to leave and while shooting days of film footage they could only capture a fraction of the beauty presented to them.

So why is this part of the world so attractive at the moment, one of the reasons could be that the Portuguese Government has decided to protect the Alentejo region and prevent it from being over-run by tourism and spoilt by overcrowding and urbanization.

The Alentejo provides an environment that hasn’t changed greatly in over 100 years a lifestyle that is relaxed where one can kick off the cares of the world and start living without stress.

Are you thinking about Retirement..
Looking for that quiet place in the sun to kick back and relax, Cast off all the stress and worry of a lifetime of routine and hard work.

Maybe you already know about the Alentejo our little piece of paradise where the days are warm and the lifestyle peacefull and carefree… Where your only concern will be which wine to have with dinner. And then watching the sun go down in one of the 300 sunny days this region has.

Why just don´t pay a visit to what is called the new Tuscany or Riviera. You can fly in through Lisbon or Faro in the Algarve and you will not regret it. In the future you will be able to fly to the new international airport of Beja, in the heart of the Alentejo.

Property buyers who love Portugal should take a good hard look at one region slightly off the tourist beaten track this area is the Alentejo region.

A recent visit to this region with its historic towns, miles and miles of olive tree clad hills impressed me so much I wondered why more overseas buyers had not sought a home in the area.

Portugal’s Algarve region has been the country’s major summer hotspot for years, and it continues to attract visitors from near and far. New developments and infrastructure improvements are drawing more interest from tourists and investors as the region looks to continue as the most popular destination in the country for the future.

Alentejo occupies the south central part of the country and stretches from the Tagus River in the north to just above the Algarve in the south. It borders Spain on the east, the Lisbon metro area in the west and has a stretch of mostly pristine beaches along the southwest of the region. There are only a couple of cities of any major size: Ever is the region’s capital in the north central part of the region, Beja in the middle and Sines along the coast.

The climate of this region is the warmest in the country. It is nearly as far south as the Algarve, but doesn’t have much of the moderating coastal weather. The small stretch along the coast is one of the most pristine areas of the country, thought there are a couple of resorts there. Towards the northeast the gently rolling countryside turns into granite hills and valleys as you approach the Spanish border, which is a bit cooler than the rest of the region.

The regions economy is based mostly on farming and agriculture. Sines, which is technically in the Setubal region, is at the border of the Costa Verde and Alentejo. It is a largely industrial town, with oil refineries and a busy port. Tourism is minimal in this part of the country, but the ancient ruins do bring visitors. There are plenty of Roman era structures, castles and ancient megaliths throughout the region. Ever, the capital of Alentejo, has a population of 55,000 and is the largest city in the region. It is considered one of the most liveable cities in the country, with a major university, historical sites and a laid back lifestyle. It is 130 kilometers to the east of Lisbon and has a small airport, as well as train and bus service to the capital.

One resort of note in the Alentejo region is The Gizo Estate situated in Cuba a stunning countryside resort with designer style villas sitting on the hills of Cuba in Alentejo. The Gizo Estate has a riding centre where the owners and “horse lovers” can make use of the riding school or just go for a ride within the 114 ha of the estate

There are country homes, seaside resorts and villas of all sizes for those who want to live in this part of Portugal. There is also plenty of property, ranging from small building lots to ruins that can be built upon or large tracts. Whatever you want, this part of the country has something to offer.

Travel to this area of Portugal can be quick and easy, or it can take a little more time. It just depends where you are going. For the northern parts of the region, Lisbon is the closest airport, but in the southern area the airport at Faro is closer. From Lisbon, the A6 auto route goes east to Ever and over to the Spanish border. The A2 heads out of Lisbon south, paralleling the coast and down to the Algarve.

All in all Alentejo region feels like the real Portugal and just ripe for investment