Day 1 in Alentejo Golden Plains

Welcome to Portugal! Upon arrival, you will go through customs and immigration. Make your way to the Alentejo and check in at your hotel. Don`t give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see and do.

Begin your three-day exploration of the Alentejo Golden Plains in the region`s principal city, Beja. Grab a coffee and pastry from one of the cafes bordering the main square, the Praca da Republica. Adjacent to the square is the Igreja de Santa Maria, built on the site of a 7th century Visigothic temple. Continue your exploration of the old town by visiting the Renaissance-era Beja Cathedral and the austere Beja Castle, dating from the time of the Romans. (The third-century Porta de Evora, constructed by the Romans, still stands inside the castle grounds.) If you liked the Visigothic art and architecture featured at Igreja de Santa Maria, you will also like the Igreja de Santo Amaro, dating from the 10th century.

Make your way outside Beja`s old city and visit the northwestern part of town. The Ermida de Santo Andre, built in the Mudejar style, was built in the 12th century to commemorate the Portuguese snatching the city of Beja from the Moors` steely grip. Speaking of Moorish history, the king Al-Mu`tamid was born and raised in Beja, and ruled lands in Iberia as far away as Seville. The Memorial Al-Mu`tamid in Parque da Cidade honors this man; the relatively new memorial was completed in 2014. Return to your hotel at the end of the day.

Day 2 in Alentejo Golden Plains

Start your day bright and early by exploring the ruins of the Roman Villa of Pisoes, six miles southwest of Beja. Then drive approximately 25 miles north to Alvito and take some time to view the town`s modest castle, Alvito Castle, which also serves as a hotel called a pousada. For those of you wishing to see religious architecture in the Alentejo Golden Plains, Alvito offers three such buildings: the Igreja Matriz de Alvito, the Ermida de Sao Sebastiao, and the Igreja da Misericordia. Take the time to visit at least one of these historic buildings before leaving town.

Drive 20 miles northwest to the town of Portel. Portel Castle, owned by the House of Braganca, is located on the highest hill. Buy sandwiches from a cafe in town and then drive ten miles east-southeast to Amieira Marina, where you can rent a boat and enjoy lunch while floating along on Europe`s largest man-made lake, Lake Alqueva. After the nice afternoon outing, drive 15 miles southeast to the town of Moura, which has been populated since the Iron Age. Historic buildings in the town include the Moorish-era Moura Castle and the Igreja da Misericordia, which doubled as the town`s first hospital. Before heading back to your hotel for the night, drive south toward Pias and stop at the Ermida de Santa Luzia, 1.5 miles from the Pias city limits, and view the breathtaking frescoes of the Virgin Mary.

Day 3 in Alentejo Golden Plains

Wake up early and travel to Serpa, where you can start your day with a nice breakfast at any of the town`s restaurants and cafes. On the Praca da Republica, the 500-year-old Serpa City Hall building is open to guests for tours. Serpa Castle is also open to the public; renovations have taken place after decades of decay and ruin befell the historic monument. Adjacent to the castle is the Arab-inspired Igreja de Santa Maria.

Drive approximately 30 miles northeast to the village of Safara, part of the town of Moura. The Igreja Matriz de Safara is unique in that it combines traditional Portuguese architectural styles with other Mediterranean styles, namely Ionic and Venetian. Four miles southeast of Safara sits the village of Santo Aleixo da Restauracao and its 17th-century Baroque Igreja Paroquial. The area in and around these two villages are part of the flora and fauna Moura/Barrancos Special Protection Area, where many people go to birdwatch or to observe other animals such as the endangered Iberian lynx. Before going back to your hotel, be sure to visit Noudar Castle, the famous outpost located right on the Portuguese/Spanish border (13 miles northeast of Santo Aleixo).

Additional Days in Alentejo Golden Plains

If you have an extra day to spare and you have fallen in love with the border towns of the Alentejo, consider traveling to Mertola, located a little over 30 miles southeast of Beja. Standing high on a hill above the Guadiana River, Mertola (pop. 2,800) thrived as a commercial port for hundreds of years, predating the Romans and continuing on through the Arab conquest. The town`s main church, the Igreja Paroquial, was originally built as a Moorish-era mosque before transitioning into a Catholic church in the 13th century. Other sights of note include Mertola Castle, which dates from 44 BCE, and the city`s museum, which has the most varied collection of Islamic art of any museum in Portugal.

Another sleepy Alentejo town that is worth exploring is Aljustrel, located about 20 miles southwest of Beja. The town had been an important industrial center for centuries before the Common Era, due to the prehistoric zinc and lead mines located half a mile outside of town. The mine operated for many centuries, finally ceasing operations in 2008. (It is now open to the public as a national monument.) The area in and around Aljustrel calls two castles home: Aljustrel Castle, located at the top of the town`s largest hill; and Messejana Castle, which has mostly been destroyed and now sits in ruins.

If you want to cross the border for some fun in the sun, look no further than the resort town of Isla Cristina, located 80 miles southeast of Beja. Isla Cristina is also well-known for its fishing industry; the catches at Isla Cristina are recognized as some of the highest-quality seafood sold in Spain. The marshes around the coastline are protected, part of a national marine and wildlife refuge. Eight different tourist beaches are located in Isla Cristina, including the popular Central Beach and the Playa del Cantil.

Your Last Day in Alentejo Golden Plains

Depart your hotel and head to the airport for your return home. We hope you enjoyed the noteworthy sights of the Alentejo`s Golden Plains region!