On foot

Estremoz is a very walkable city. The Medieval-era historic center, inside the city walls, is very compact and all of the sights TripMasters recommends in the historic center are within 1000 yards of each other.

Most of the cities, towns and villages in Alentejo North East are similarly easy to traverse on foot. Many boast city centers which are very compact; usually travelers can walk from west to east or north to south in less than a third of a mile. Marvao in particular is very compact, with the whole town measuring just 1300 feet from north to south, and 500 feet from west to east. The exception to this rule is Portalegre: the city center is half a mile wide and over a mile in length.

By bus

None of the Alentejo North East cities operate their own public transportation systems. Rodoviaria do Alentejo operates daily bus service between the towns of the Alentejo, with Evora, Estremoz and Portalegre serving as the area`s main hubs. Relying on this bus service can prove tricky as many lines to the smaller villages only run between 6 and 9 a.m. and 4 and 7 p.m., leading us to believe that many of these lines are commuter lines for people who live in smaller villages and work in cities like Portalegre. To check bus routes and pickup times, visit www.rodalentejo.pt (website in Portuguese only).

Rede Expressos (www.rede-expressos.pt, site in Portuguese and English) is one of Portugal`s best-known bus companies; on their website, they sell intercity bus tickets from Estremoz and Portalegre to various cities in the Alentejo region as well as to Lisbon, Faro, Badajoz and Madrid. Bus trips from Portalegre to other Alentejo North East towns range from 20 minutes in length to two and a half hours. Bus tickets are priced at under €20 one-way; the Rede Expressos website routinely offers cheaper Internet-only deals.

Bus stations are open for business in Avis, Castelo de Vide, Crato, Elvas, Estremoz, Marvao, Portalegre, and Vila Vicosa.

By taxi

All ten cities outlined by TripMasters in the Alentejo North East region offer taxi service. Prices are uniform across the region; fares begin at €4 and it will cost approximately €1 for each mile traveled. Cities like Estremoz and Portalegre will have a few options when it comes time to phone for a cab, while towns like Avis have just one taxi service. Like in many other parts of Portugal, taxi fares are marked up at least 20% after 9 p.m., all day on weekends, and during holidays.

NOTE: Do not assume your taxi driver will know how to speak English. Write out your destinations on pieces of paper and give the paper applicable to that specific trip to your driver before departing.

By bicycle

Don`t be discouraged from biking in Alentejo North East. The Sao Mamede mountain range also features many wide valleys, and many towns were planned and built in these valleys. These towns are not completely flat, but not hilly enough to scare off novices. Estremoz is perhaps the hilliest of the cities and towns in this region, so be aware of that fact before you plan your biking path. The highways and smaller roads that link the Alentejo North East towns are fairly flat and many of them have little traffic, making for great bike paths.

You can rent a bike from Go Cycling Portugal (www.gocyclingportugal.com); the Lisbon-based company employs English-speaking staff, online orders can be made completely in English, and on top of all that, the company will deliver the bike rental to you anywhere in the country. Expect to shell out €30-€50 per day depending on the type of bicycle rented.

By car

With the exception of Portalegre, cars are not needed to explore the towns and villages of Alentejo North East. TripMasters does recommend reserving a car during the booking process, as some sort of transportation is necessary to explore the entirety of Alentejo North East. A handful of our must-see sights are in rural areas and are unreachable by foot alone. If you choose this option, keep in mind that you will be picking your car up at Lisbon Airport when you enter the country, not in the Alentejo. If, for whatever reason, you decide to forgo a car rental during the booking process but want to rent a car once you arrive in Portugal, car rental chains can be found in Portalegre, Elvas and Estremoz. Prices will range from €30 to €100 per day depending on the size of car requested.