How to spend a weekend in a nameless area of ​​Allentejo in Portugal

Deep south of the Portuguese countryside, the area of ​​Allentejo is dry and the sun is shaking. The low hills of dry grasslands roll towards the horizon, eucalyptus plants glow silvery glow under the sun, and millennium olive trees walking over the landscape. But today another colour rules: the vast expanse of cerulean blue. This is the Alkeva Reservoir, the largest artificial water body in Western Europe, formed in 2002. Fall at night bounces off the water, with countless constellations appearing to reflect from the glassy surface. Designated as the world's first Starlight Tourism destination, with towns and miles of uninterrupted countryside, the area can be plagued by daytime adventures, but it's the night when Allentejo really shines.

Day 1: Vineyards and villages

morning
If you wake up early enough on your first morning at Alentejo, you will see Saturn on the horizon. Saturn, the most distant planet seen by the naked eye, burns brightest at 5am, with grape pickers signaling the first day, moving up and down the area. Coming in autumn, the grapes are heavy with grapes, clay soil and dry climates of Allentejo, with white people taking on fresh, acidic notes at the bottom of the flowers. Based on the working farm and luxury hotel San Louren Sobararocal, surrounded by ancient Holm Oaks, Olive Groves and vineyards, the latter creates the region's finest sparkle. Take a tour of the organic vineyards, see the 14 varieties of grapes grown here, sit for a tasting, then watch the looming process and learn how to ferment. Warm, wet spring, 2024 is a great year for Rose, with in-house wine expert Martim Aleixo lyrical about Vinho Rosé, a real estate with a soft strawberry finish, and then offers four more whites and a local harbor. When you're in Portugal, after all.

afternoon
After a Charcute board and a local cheese platter (Keihodenisa has walnut hints, especially good), we take a five-minute journey into the fortified hilltop settlement of Monsalaz. It is one of Portugal's oldest villages, with its roots dating back to prehistoric times, and Monsalaz was home to many civilizations over the centuries, including the Romans and Moors, before it was reconquered by Christian forces in the 12th century. Its rich history is evident in the narrow cobblestone streets and the impressive Monsalaz Castle. You can peer into that wall of Klenolate and get a sense of the scale of the Alkeva Reservoir. The newly damned River Guadiana filled the former valley and created an island from the top of the hills. Around the lake, the area is a vast landscape of golden wheat fields, lined up above a row of grapes, with a considerable amount of olive trees scattered there.

While in Monsalaz, be sure to visit the 13th century church, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lagoa, and the original court and medieval pillars before sitting down for a bite at one of the many fresco restaurants surrounded by squares.

evening
As the dusk falls, experience the re-appearance of the great alkeva from a completely different angle: on the water. A kayak trip with a break! It is led by Francisco Guerreiro. Francisco Guerreiro is a charismatic local with infectious laughter and a passion for the stars. As the sun sets, turning the water into a fiery red, and the soft sound of the paddle slices the water, Francisco leads guests to one of the small islands – 500 islands across the lake – there are small sandy beaches and picnic tables. In anticipation of a relaxed lesson in astronomy, Francis hopes to point out the pulsating red hearts of the Scorpio constellations on top of a mountain of local red red glasses, a platter of crusty sheep cheese, and the pulsating red hearts of the Scorpio constellations on top of a pile of black pork rizzo (smoked sausage). Although Allentejo has the largest land area, it has the lowest population of all parts of mainland Portugal, and the silence that envelops you is well proven. After a few glasses of wine, a kayak back may prove a challenge, but water-like temperatures mean staying in autumn above 25c, while unplanned swimming is not welcome.

Day 2: Sky covered with wild boar, bees, stars in the sky

morning
The rarity of the people of Allentejo means there are plenty of wildlife – you can jump into the saddle, arrive at a horse safari and see yourself. The sightings likely include boar snuffings in the undergrowth glove, deer darts that spurted for covers as you pass by, black kits, cors, and rare crested larks. The area also has an incredibly beautiful herd of wild horses. Leading by a heavy snowy white stallion, this seven-person family is well-loved locally, but feelings may not be mutually exclusive.

Return to the ranch and visit resident beekeeper Fabio Monte to continue the theme of the morning nature. Against the backdrop of gentle humming emanating from hives, he harvests honey, finds the queen, and shows how to pass it from a woman to a man. He was the first person to produce organic honey in the area, and although several hours in his company naturally involved plenty of tasting, he also learned about the faces of bees today, and the catastrophic effects of their end of mise would have on humanity.

afternoon
The view from the chest of Monsalaz Castle is better than the view from the aerial view, so get on a balloon and ride into the sky with the emotion of local costumes. Apart from the occasional roaring of liquid propane approaching the clouds, silence is fascinating. The gentle Portuguese countryside stretches far below, endlessly, suddenly sharing space with only birds discovered on a morning safari. If the wind carries you in the right direction, pilot Carlos Sousa points out the lost village of Aldeia Dalz. Most villagers unwillingly moved to nearby sites, carrying their doors, windows and garden gates. Even the cemeteries have been relocated, and new villages appear on adjacent hills, like small yellow houses and neat lawn toy towns. The small town of Muruo is not too far. From an aerial perspective, beware of the medieval castle battlements. The shape of these six points is like a star in a picture of the night sky.

evening
Don't miss out on a meal at the restaurant Holtellao last night, from slow food farm to fork. This delightful dining spot features a large green egg barbecue and serves food straight from the grill to a rustic wooden table. Under the strings of the sky covered in fairy light and stars, tucked into fresh fish bubbles from a rainy pork belly and fish reservoir, along with rainbow salads, grilled vegetables and a rich glass of local red.

Then head towards the region's finest glory: the official observatory of Dark Sky Arokeva. Resident astronomer Juan takes you on a cosmos journey, sharing the stories behind the constellations, and seeing through the enormous universe. As the Hercule Meshell 13 spherical clusters appear as glittering webs of spiders 25,000 light years away, peer into the eyepieces of a giant onsite telescope, and as the size of the sun comes a donut-shaped sphere of a dead star. If you are visiting in August, prepare a close-up view of the meteor shower. An hour-long shooter star illuminates the sky of nature's most amazing firework displays.

Three constellations to search for when stargaze

1. Ursa Major (Great Bear)
The URSA major is one of the easiest to recognize in the Northern Hemisphere. Its most famous part is Asterism, known as the Big Dipper, formed by the brightest stars in the constellations. This dipper shape is a great guide to finding the North Star, as the two stars at the edge of the dipper bowl point directly to it. The URSA Major is an important constellation of many cultures, and appears in ancient myths and is used for voyages by the Mariners. It contains a variety of deep objects, such as galaxies and double stars, making it a rich field for amateur astronomers.

2. Summer triangle
Technically, not a constellations, the summer triangle is an asterism formed by three of the brightest stars in the summer sky in the Northern Hemisphere: Vega, Altaia and Deneb. It is directly overhead in July and August, and is also evident in autumn. Each of the three stars belong to different constellations, and together, the Stargazer leads to some of the most interesting regions of the Milky Way and provides a gateway to many deep objects, such as nebulae and clusters of stars.

3. Orion
Most commonly seen from Portugal in the winter and named after the Greek mythological hunter, Orion is characterized by several bright stars, including Bethel Juice, the red mark on Orion's shoulder, Rigel, and a blue supertitan on his feet. The constellations are notable for their distinctive belt made up of three stars running in a straight line. This leads to other celestial bodies, such as Orion Nebula, a stellar nursery where new stars are formed.