The last time I was in the Alentejo, a local shared with me an acronym that he thought best defined the Alentejo experience. ‘ABC’, meaning ‘Another Bloody Castle’ or ‘Another Bloody Church’. While that was the first time I’ve heard of this acronym, I had already lost count of how many castelos and igrejas I …
Located in a stunning part of the Alentejo, and just a stone’s throw from the Spanish border is the incredible walled village of Marvão. Completely surrounded by 13th century walls, and occupying the highest spot for miles, this is simply one of the most incredible hilltop villages in the Alentejo. Once you’ve passed through the …
Deep in the Alentejo region is the beautiful town of Vila Viçosa, it’s famed for its marble and the stunning Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa. It’s also home to one of the most unique activities we’ve experienced in Portugal – a tour of a live marble quarry. Marble in Portugal? In this region of Portugal, …
A surprising and unique aspect of Portugal’s religious architecture is the existence of bone chapels or ossuaries. These collections of hundreds and even thousands of bones can be found across Portugal, and there’s three within the Alentejo region to find. Today we’re visiting the Bone Chapel of Campo Maior. It’s a bit more off the …