The Globetrotter: 22 November
With its fine architecture, extensive sightseeing and fabulous shopping, Lisbon has been a popular short city break destination for many years. But if it’s rest and relaxation you’re after, the nearby region of Alentejo offers handsome towns and villages, but also spas, spectacular landscapes, great food and an altogether quieter vibe.
Hire a car and you can spend a wonderful four or five days discovering secret – and hopefully, sunny – Portugal for yourself.
Where better to stay for a truly peaceful atmosphere than in a former monastery? The Convento do Espinheiro is now a five-star hotel with the deluxe Diana spa, featuring Espa products.
The spa offers treatments from massages and facials, to scrubs and body wraps. Indulge in a treatment using black pearls, marine gold, even chocolate, or a destressing, pressure-point massage using bamboo.
There’s also an indoor pool, gym, sauna, tepidarium and Jacuzzi. If it’s warm enough, there’s an outdoor pool with its own juice and salad bar, too.
The hotel is actually a National Monument – it even has a splendid chapel. There’s also a wine cellar and gourmet restaurant serving the best local fare from juicy pork to goat’s cheese and salads made with delicious fresh herbs.
You can learn how to prepare local cuisine during a cooking lesson at the Ecorkhotel Évora, a four-star contemporary hotel if you prefer modern decor.
Évora is the capital of the Alentejo and a World Heritage Site. It’s an elegant city lled with churches, former palaces and marble fountains. Gentle sightseeing can include the Roman temple, dating back to the 2nd century.
Head a bit further out to Monsaraz, a delightful hilltop town with ancient buildings, narrow streets nooks and crannies, a ruined castle, tiny B&Bs and craft shops. There are also spectacular views from the castle ruins over landscapes full of cork trees, olive groves and vineyards.
The Covento do Espinheiro
We stopped off at the Esporão Wine Estate for a tasting before staying overnight at the Hotel Horta da Moura, tucked away in the countryside.
Hotel stays are great, but for something a little different, and huge fun, do stay a night or two on a houseboat on Lake Alqueva, the largest man-made lake in Europe.
You set off from Amieira Marina and the well-equipped boats, which range in size from one to ve bedrooms, and are very easy to steer, even for novices. You receive training and are supplied with plenty of maps and information on what’s good to see and do.
We pootled around, stopping off at villages for sightseeing, dinner and to moor up. Away from urban lights, the night sky was sprinkled with stars and we had a most peaceful rest, rocked to sleep by the gentle swaying of the water…
Getting there
Sunvil Discovery offers three nights at the Hotel Convento do Espinheiro, one night on a houseboat, car hire and return ights from Heathrow with TAP Portugal, from £675 per person.
Sunvil Discovery: 020-8758 4722, www.sunvil.co.uk
TAP Portugal: www.ytap.com
For more about the Alentejo: www.visitalentejo.pt/en/
Cooking lesson at the Ecorkhotel Évora: +351 266 738502, www.ecorkhotel.com
Hotel Horta da Moura: +351 266 550100, www.hortadamoura.pt
Amieira Marina: +351 266 611173, www.amieiramarina.com
Contact Wendy at wendy.gomersall@lady.co.uk
RURAL RELAXATION Satvada Retreats is running an Art Of Relaxation weekend in Su olk from 29 November, from £397 per person including tuition and full-board accommodation. 020-8133 5995, www.satvada-retreats.co.uk
SANTA DAY TRIP Winter Wonderland, Transun’s day trip to Lapland, includes a meeting with Santa, sleigh and snowmobile rides, lunch and more. From £489 per person: departs from Gatwick, Belfast, Leeds Bradford, Bristol and Glasgow between 1 to 24 December. 01865-265200, www.transun.co.uk
TOP BIRDS Watch winter migratory birds at Woods Cottage, a four-bedroomed home in Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. From £864 for four nights, up to eight sharing. www.premiercottages.co.uk
A HARDY WALK On Foot Holidays’ selfguided walks feature a seven-night trip in Thomas Hardy territory in Dorset. From £740 per person. 01722-322652, www.onfootholidays.co.uk
Hire a car and you can spend a wonderful four or five days discovering secret – and hopefully, sunny – Portugal for yourself.
Where better to stay for a truly peaceful atmosphere than in a former monastery? The Convento do Espinheiro is now a five-star hotel with the deluxe Diana spa, featuring Espa products.
The spa offers treatments from massages and facials, to scrubs and body wraps. Indulge in a treatment using black pearls, marine gold, even chocolate, or a destressing, pressure-point massage using bamboo.
There’s also an indoor pool, gym, sauna, tepidarium and Jacuzzi. If it’s warm enough, there’s an outdoor pool with its own juice and salad bar, too.
The hotel is actually a National Monument – it even has a splendid chapel. There’s also a wine cellar and gourmet restaurant serving the best local fare from juicy pork to goat’s cheese and salads made with delicious fresh herbs.
You can learn how to prepare local cuisine during a cooking lesson at the Ecorkhotel Évora, a four-star contemporary hotel if you prefer modern decor.
Évora is the capital of the Alentejo and a World Heritage Site. It’s an elegant city lled with churches, former palaces and marble fountains. Gentle sightseeing can include the Roman temple, dating back to the 2nd century.
Head a bit further out to Monsaraz, a delightful hilltop town with ancient buildings, narrow streets nooks and crannies, a ruined castle, tiny B&Bs and craft shops. There are also spectacular views from the castle ruins over landscapes full of cork trees, olive groves and vineyards.
The Covento do EspinheiroWe stopped off at the Esporão Wine Estate for a tasting before staying overnight at the Hotel Horta da Moura, tucked away in the countryside.
Hotel stays are great, but for something a little different, and huge fun, do stay a night or two on a houseboat on Lake Alqueva, the largest man-made lake in Europe.
You set off from Amieira Marina and the well-equipped boats, which range in size from one to ve bedrooms, and are very easy to steer, even for novices. You receive training and are supplied with plenty of maps and information on what’s good to see and do.
We pootled around, stopping off at villages for sightseeing, dinner and to moor up. Away from urban lights, the night sky was sprinkled with stars and we had a most peaceful rest, rocked to sleep by the gentle swaying of the water…
Getting there
Sunvil Discovery offers three nights at the Hotel Convento do Espinheiro, one night on a houseboat, car hire and return ights from Heathrow with TAP Portugal, from £675 per person.
Sunvil Discovery: 020-8758 4722, www.sunvil.co.uk
TAP Portugal: www.ytap.com
For more about the Alentejo: www.visitalentejo.pt/en/
Cooking lesson at the Ecorkhotel Évora: +351 266 738502, www.ecorkhotel.com
Hotel Horta da Moura: +351 266 550100, www.hortadamoura.pt
Amieira Marina: +351 266 611173, www.amieiramarina.com
Contact Wendy at wendy.gomersall@lady.co.uk
RURAL RELAXATION Satvada Retreats is running an Art Of Relaxation weekend in Su olk from 29 November, from £397 per person including tuition and full-board accommodation. 020-8133 5995, www.satvada-retreats.co.uk
SANTA DAY TRIP Winter Wonderland, Transun’s day trip to Lapland, includes a meeting with Santa, sleigh and snowmobile rides, lunch and more. From £489 per person: departs from Gatwick, Belfast, Leeds Bradford, Bristol and Glasgow between 1 to 24 December. 01865-265200, www.transun.co.uk
TOP BIRDS Watch winter migratory birds at Woods Cottage, a four-bedroomed home in Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. From £864 for four nights, up to eight sharing. www.premiercottages.co.uk
A HARDY WALK On Foot Holidays’ selfguided walks feature a seven-night trip in Thomas Hardy territory in Dorset. From £740 per person. 01722-322652, www.onfootholidays.co.uk