Travel guide Alentejo

The strawberry tree is sometimes called the strawberry tree, in reference to its pretty little fruits, whose shape is somewhat reminiscent of lychees... They are used to make jams, but are also used to make a rustic and subtle brandy: the famous medronho. A formidable brandy, but not to be abused!

Bacalhau is cod. A religion here. Bacalhau à brás is a flagship recipe, combining fish with eggs, potatoes, onions, garlic, black olives and parsley. Please note: brandade de morue is not a Portuguese speciality, but a... French dish from Nîmes (France)!

It's a folk song from the Lower Alentejo region, sung by men's or women's choirs. It's a polyphonic song, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's the song of the land, the song of the peasants... You're unlikely to hear it in concert, so it's up to you to find it at fairs, markets, late-night restaurants..

In the eastern Alentejo region, along the Spanish border, almost every commune has its own castle, often in a well-preserved state. Portugal's history is marked by barbarian and Castilian invasions. Numerous fortified villages remain from this past, vestiges of a time when protection was paramount..

Fado is a must in Portugal. This music often provokes a sort of "vague à l'âme" in those who let themselves be lulled by its sweet notes. It's an expression of saudade, a nostalgia that often speaks of love and exile. The famous singer Amália Rodrigues (1920-1999) helped fado to be heard the world over.

Hospitality is omnipresent, but here it's coupled with great discretion. If you know how to travel, you'll be warmly welcomed. Many Portuguese have lived in France for many years, and often have family there: if you make the effort to say a few words in Portuguese, you'll sometimes be answered in perfect French!

The Alentejo is full of beautiful markets, either in the open air or under a hall. The mercado municipal is the place to find all the local production, but also the heart of popular life. It is often lined with bars or pasteleria where it is good to eat, once the shopping is done. Vegetables, fruits, fish...: freshness is the order of the day.

The influence of the Moors from North Africa has strongly permeated the region after five centuries of occupation. It is impossible to escape the testimonies of history, the vestiges and the heritage of this Muslim culture rooted in the Algarve, perceptible even in the language. A heritage that is celebrated during festivals.

It is a particular ecosystem, formed by a pasture in sparse undergrowth, characteristic of the Alentejo. It is a municipal land area, a natural space created and exploited by man. An agro-sylvo-pastoral exploitation mode that exists since the Middle Ages, where the inhabitants can feed their cattle and harvest seeds and fruits..

After the reconquest, a number of Moors accepted the standards imposed on them in order to remain in the country. This was the origin of the "mourarias", the Moorish housing areas that were once on the outskirts of the cities, but which today are part of them. These neighborhoods have kept their old typology, especially in Évora, Beja and... Moura.

Mudejar is a Spanish word derived from Arabic, referring to the Spanish Muslims who became subjects of the Christian kingdoms after the ^11th century. The Mudéjar style describes the combination of techniques and materials that reflect the influence of Muslim architecture on Christian buildings. The style developed from the ^13th century onwards.

It is a word that is almost untranslatable into French. Like a nostalgia for the glorious time of the great discoveries, a kind of submission to fate, to the difficulties of life, a hope of returning to better days. It is the absence, the regret of what could have been or of what has been, the resignation in front of what can never happen...