A regular Saturday (turned out to be far from regular) – one day before the super blood moon eclipse – one way to explain the glow that surrounded us in the afternoon to which we surrendered like children. Or maybe, maybe it’s just the lady Autumn that settled in gracefully in one of the most beautiful spots in Alentejo, Monsaraz.
Monsaraz is an alluring hilltop village in the municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alentejo, bordered by the walls of a fortress, a reminiscence of the times when it was conquered by the Moors who named it “The Mountain of Rockroses”. That is why once you’ll pass through its large entrance you’ll get a medieval feeling. It seems as if Monsaraz stopped in time, so everything here is peaceful. From the top, in the Templar castle, until down on the surrounding Alentejo, with its fantastic man made Alqueva lake, Guadiana valley and fields of gold spreading to the East until Spain.
We chose the right season to come here for the first time. The tranquility of the streets with the seven churches, the stone alleys and hidden gems revealing whitewashed houses and enticing panoramas are inspiring for any soul looking for a breath of fresh air. Not to forget the bird’s eye view from the castle! It was so serene that we stood there until the sun started setting.
None of the pictures we took were edited. It’s #nofilter, just nature speaking through. The blue and clouds of that sky is something we were lucky to have captured above such a serene place like Monsaraz.
What caught our attention in the first place after entering the village, was this prettilly decorated wall with a door leading to a boutique covering all the artisanal and traditional Portuguese flavors you can imagine – Casa Tial. Beware: you will have a burning desire to buy everything, but the fault lies with the friendly owners who will make sure you understand what is under your eyes. We left with a jar of prickly pear sweet (or Figo da India – a fruit that you may find on the edge of Alentejo’s roads, absolutely YUM), a box with dry thyme leaves and some regional cookies. Whatever souvenir you wish for, the Casa Tial has it.
We also went to the Ervideira Wine House to do what everyone should try at least once throughout Portugal – wine tasting.
More about the Ervideira wine here!
Among the chosen wines to taste, the one that left a profound memory was the Invísivel white wine – the fresh and mild aroma in tone with the widespread fields – we could just picture ourselves snacking on shrimps and drinking Invisivel on the house rooftop terrace until dawn. The curious thing about this wine is that it’s colorless, like water, but its consistency is different from what anyone would expect: it is actually made from the tear of red Aragonez grape – one of the major grapes in Portugal used for Port in the Douro region and widely planted in the Dao and Lisbon regions, also known as Tempranillo.
Come to Monsaraz to write a book, draw a painting, take photos, or simply come here to listen to the wind and cherish its whisper echoing over the Alentejo sceneries…no matter the season.
Useful info if you want to go to Monsaraz
How to get to Monsaraz from Lisbon: by car or by bus to Évora, then another bus to Reguengos de Monsaraz, from where you have three buses a day to the village. Check also these other options!
How much time to get to Monsaraz: there are 170 km, so two to three hours depending on the chosen means of transport
Where to lunch:
Typical dishes: fish (barbel) soup, açorda à Alentejana de alho (sliced bread with garlic, eggs, olive oil and coriander), ensopado de borrego (lamb stew), perna de borrego assada (roasted leg of lamb), encharcada de ovos (eggs and sugar pudding), bolo podre (not literally translated, but it is a honey cake).
Where to stay: So many rural guesthouses to choose from! Here are a few that we came across during our stroll:
Wine tasting: Ervideira Wine Shop where you can shop and taste wine
What else you can find in the region:
- The Menhir of Outeiro – megalithic monument among several others that you’ll spot along the road
- The Alqueva lake
- Guadiana river
Feel welcome to ask us any question in the comments area below and we’d be happy to help :).
