Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It also has an unexpectedly smart restaurant (mains €9 to €12) with indoor-outdoor
seating and views. There are also several restaurants in the village below.
Unfortunately, at the time of research, no buses were heading to Évoramonte; you need
to have your own wheels.
WORTH A TRIP
REGUENGOS DE MONSARAZ
This small working-class town, once famous for its sheep and wool production, is a stopping point and transport
hub for Monsaraz. It's also close to the pottery centre of São Pedro do Corval as well as to an impressive half-
dozen dolmens and menhirs (out of around 150 scattered across the surrounding plains). It's worth a day trip for
its excellent wineries alone.
The town's rocket-like local church was built in 1887 and designed by José António Dias da Silva, who was
also responsible for Praça de Touros, the Lisbon bullring.
Also worth considering is
Fabrica Alentejana de Lanificios
( 266 502 179; Rua Mendes; 9am-5pm
Mon-Fri) , the last remaining hand-loom producer of
mantas alentejanas
(handwoven woollen floor rugs) - only
a few women are at the looms these days. The owner and/or weavers are happy to show you around. The factory
is southeast of the
praça
(take the road to Monsaraz and turn right at Rua Mendes) and the factory's shop is in
Monsaraz.
The small
turismo
( 266 503 052; Rua 1 de Maio; 9am-12.30pm & 2-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm &
2.30-4.30pm Sat & Sun) can point you in the right direction for the wineries around Reguengos (part of the wine
route), including the acclaimed
Herdade do Esporão
( 266 509 280;
www.esporao.com
) , 7km south of
town. The property's border was defined in 1267 and it has vestiges of Roman times. It produces a wide variety
of wines for the domestic and overseas markets, and its Australian-Portuguese winemaker, David Baverstock,
was voted Portugal's Winemaker of the Year in 2013. Whatever you do, factor in a lunch stop either at the
winery's very smart new eatery, the
Herdade do Esporão Restaurant
(mains €15.50 to €21, open for lunch) or
its more casual cellar bar (the winery's main buildings were recently renovated to a smart, sleek look). Here you
can admire artworks (many pieces produced for the reserve labels) while enjoying some top-class cuisine - tradi-
tional recipes with a modern twist and with vegetables sourced from the kitchen garden - and stupendous vine-
yard views. Wine matching is
de rigeur
with many older and special vintages (not only commercial wines) on of-
fer.
The winery also offers various
tours
of the vineyards and extraordinary cellars (among the largest in Portugal;
parts of the cellars were sourced from the same factory that supplied the metro in Lisbon). Birdwatching trips
head to one of the two water courses, while history tours cover the archaeological excavations of the Herdad's
neighbouring estate, Perdigões. Phone ahead to arrange a tour.
To get there, buses run daily to Évora (€7.40 express, normal/express 1¼ hours/45 minutes, two to nine daily)
and direct to Lisbon (€13, 2½ hours, two daily).
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