| The Alentejo, which means the land beyond the Rio Tejo (River Tagus), in Portuguese, is a vast, sparsely populated region of heath and rolling hills punctuated with stands of cork and olive trees. It is the country's largest province, stretching from the rugŽged west coast beaches all the way east to Spain and from the Tejo in the north to the low mountains on the border of the Algarve, Portugal's southernmost province.
Over the centuries this pastoral countryside has been the scene of innumerable battles: between RoŽmans and Visigoths, Moors and Christians, Portuguese and SpanŽiards, Portuguese and French, and finally (in the 1830s) between rival Portuguese factions in a civil war. Few hilltops in the region are without at least a trace of a castle or fortress.
One of the Alentejo's major industries is cork, of which Portugal is the world's largest producer. This is not, howfver, an industry for people in a hurry. It takes two decades before the trees can be harŽvested, and they may be carefully stripped only once every nine years. The numbers painted on the trees indicate the year of the last harvest. Exhibits at several regional museums chronicle this deliŽcate process and display associated tools and handicrafts.
1'he undulating fields of wheat and barley surrounding Beja and Evora, the rice paddies of Alcacer do Sal, and the vineyards of Borba and Reguengos are representative of this rural province. Traditions here are strong. Herdsmen tending flocks of sheep and goats wear the pelico (a traditional sheepskin vest), and women in the fields wear broadbrim hats over kerchiefs and colorful, patterned dresses over trousers. Dwellings are dazzling white; more elegant houses have wrought iron balconies and grillwork.
The windows and doors of modest cottages and hilltop country montes (farmhouses) are trimmed with blue or yellow and colorful flowers abound. The best time to visit the Alentejo is spring, when temperatures are pleasant and the fields are carpeted with wildflowers. Summer can be brutal, with the mercury frequently topping 100°F. The Portuguese say, In the Alentejo there is no shade but what comes from the sky.
The Estremadura occupies a narrow stretch of land along the coast, extending north from Lisbon to include the onetime royal residence of Leiria, 119 kilometers (73 miles) from the capital city.
Closely tied to the sea, which at no point in the province is more than a few miles away, the region is known for its fine beaches, coastal pine forests, and picturesque fishing villages. Some of the such as NazareŽhave evolved, for better or worse, into popular international reŽsorts. Fruits and vegetables grow in fertile coastal valleys and liveŽstock contentedly graze in rich pastures, but the Estremadura hasn't always been so peaceful.
During the Wars of Reconquest, which ranged from the 8th to the 13th centuries, it was the scene of a series of bloody encounters between Christians and Moors. In the aftermath of the wars Portuguese sovereignty was secured with the rout of the Spanish at Aljubarrota, in 1385, and the turning back of Napoleon's forces in 1810, at Torres Vedras. The bloodshed left a positive legacy for today's traveler: Alcobaa and Batalha, masterŽpieces of religious architecture, were built to commemorate PortuŽguese victories.
The Ribatejo developed along both sides of the Tejo, and it is this waŽterway, born in the distant mountains of Spain, that has shaped and sustained the province that carries its name. In the north the inhabitants tend small groves of olive and fig trees, and the peace sparsely populated landscape has changed little since the Roman settled.
Over the centuries Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and Christians built and rebuilt various castles and fortifications to protect the strategic Tejo. Some fine examples may be seen along the river at Belver Abrantes, and Almourol. Tomar, spanning the banks of the N abao (tributary of the Tejo) is dominated by the hilltop Convent of Christ an extraordinary example of medieval architecture built in the 12th century by the Knights Templar.
In the brush covered hills at the western edge of the province lies Fatima, one of Christendom's most important pilgrimage sites. As it flows south approaching Lisbon, the river expands, often overflowing its banks during the winter rains, and the landscape changes to one of rich meadows and pasŽtures and broad, alluvial plains, where rice and other cereals grow in abundance.
The Ribatejans are said to be more reserved than their fellow PortuŽguese; that is, until they step into the arena to test their mettle against a ton or so of charging bull. The Ribatejo is bullfight counŽtry, the heartland of one of Portugal's richest and most colorful traŽditions. On the vast plains along the east bank of the Tejo, you'll encounter men on horseback carrying long wooden prods and often wearing the traditional waistcoats and stocking caps of their trade. These are campinos, the Port ... |