Say hello to the perfect long weekend escape from Lisbon - no car required! We previously wrote a post on a 3 night Alentejo roadtrip itinerary, but if you don't have a car, this is a great alternative. While having a car will give you more flexibility and allow you to see more of the smaller villages in the region, you can absolutely still have an amazing time without the car.
We love Alentejo because of its laid back atmosphere, adorable historic walled villages, incredible wines, and nature as far as the eye can see. Plus, it's also only a 1.5 hour train ride from Lisbon, so you'll get to maximize your time exploring the area!
Top 3 Must-Do’s for an Alentejo Itinerary
Walk along the roof of the Cathedral of Évora
Wander through the tiny hilltop village of Monsaraz
Enjoy a wine tasting in the countryside at Fitapreta
Duration: 3 nights
Typical Daily Cost for two people: $296 (excludes any required airfare to/from Lisbon)
Best Time to Go: April, May, September, October
Avoid the Alentejo in the summer (June - August) - it’s insanely hot and overall just not an enjoyable experience.
Check out our other itineraries in Portugal to combine with the Alentejo and create the ultimate Portugal vacation:
Table of Contents
Alentejo Without a Car: Itinerary at a Glance
Day | Activities |
Day 1 | Catch the train from Lisbon in the morning. Explore Évora in the afternoon and climb to the top of the Cathedral for some incredible views. |
Day 2 | Take a tour of the Alentejo region to explore the tiny hilltop village of Monsaraz, see how traditional Portuguese pottery is made, and enjoy a wine tasting. |
Day 3 | Explore more of Évora in the morning, and then grab a taxi to Fitapreta Winery for a private wine tasting. |
Day 4 | Catch the train back to Lisbon. |
Just the Facts
Stay
If you're planning to visit Alentejo without a car, we highly recommend you base yourself in the walled portion of Evora's Old Town as it's the most lively and well-connected town in the region. Évora is super walkable and has tons of great Airbnb options that you can usually get for under 100 euros a night for 2 people.
Eat
We recommend making a reservation a few days before for all restaurants listed. Traditional Alentejo cuisine is focused more on stewed meats, especially pork:
Tua Madre: Farm to table Italian restaurant (yes, we said Italian) and our overall favorite restaurant in Évora. Menu changes every week based on what ingredients are available. Great natural wine list.
Taberna Sal Grosso: We'd call this reimagined Portuguese food—they take traditional Portuguese dishes and put their own modern twist on it, and it's delicious! There's only a few tables here, so be sure to make a reservation. Order the beef tartare and asparagus/mushrooms with truffle.
TascaTosca: Traditional Alentejo food, right next to Tua Madre. Nice outdoor seating. Get the grilled chorizo and cheese to start, then the baked octopus. This is also a good lunch spot.
Botequim da Mouraria: Great lunch spot with traditional cuisine. Note, there are only 11 seats in the whole place and no reservations, so get there early!
O Templo: Very traditional Alentejo restaurant. The owner has quite the personality!
Taberna Típica Quarta-feira: Another very traditional Alentejo restaurant
Alegrias e Vinho Tinto Botequim: Small family-run restaurant with traditional cuisine.
Lombardo: Upscale Alentejo food
Map
Detailed Alentejo Itinerary
Day 1: Évora Old Town & Cathedral
Catch a morning train from Lisbon's Sete-Rios train station - the trip to Évora is just under 1.5 hours so you should arrive by late morning. From the train station, it's an easy (and flat) 20 minute walk into the center of town (or you can grab a taxi).
Note: You can book all train tickets on cp.pt. The earlier you book, the bigger discount you will receive.
Once you settle in, start exploring the town! Évora is a beautiful walled town with so many adorable streets to wander through, history to take in, and plenty of shops with traditional and handmade goods. For lunch, we recommend heading over to the adorable TascaTosca for some traditional Alentejo cuisine - our favorites here are the semi-cured sheep's cheese, charred chorizo, and baked octopus.
After lunch, walk over to the Cathedral. We typically skip going inside cathedrals, but this one is a exception. For only 4 euros you'll get the unforgettable experience of climbing to the very top of the Cathedral and walking along the roof for some insanely beautiful views of Évora and the surrounding countryside. After the Cathedral, spend a few hours just wandering around town, shop for ceramics, and make sure to pass by the Roman Temple of Evora for sunset.
Before dinner, grab a glass of wine at one of the outdoor tables in Praça do Giraldo to people watch and enjoy the atmosphere. Dinner tonight is at our favorite restaurant in Évora, Tua Madre (make a reservation a few days before!). This is a tiny farm to table restaurant - their menu changes weekly based on what fresh ingredients they’ve picked up and they have a great selection of Portuguese natural wines.
Day 2: Daytrip to Monsaraz
There's so much to explore in the Alentejo region, so today we recommend you get out of Évora and take a daytrip to Monsaraz. Along the way, you'll learn how Portugal's traditional ceramics are made and enjoy a local wine tasting - we loved this tour!
Monsaraz is a super picturesque (and tiny) village that looks out over a lake bordering Spain. There are some beautiful ceramic shops in town and make sure to stop at one of the several outdoor patios to enjoy a drink with a view (Taverna Os Templários and Xarez both have great views).
For dinner tonight, we recommend booking a table at Taberna Sal Grosso to enjoy some traditional Portuguese food with a modern twist!
Day 3: Évora & Wine Tasting at FitaPreta
Start the day just wandering around Évora a bit - you could walk around the public garden or go into the Chapel of Bones (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like, a chapel filled with human bones).
In the afternoon, catch a taxi from Praça do Giraldo to Fitapreta Winery. Fitapreta is an absolutely stunning winery with a variety of tours and tastings to choose from - you can book directly on their website. We loved spending a relaxing afternoon here sipping on wine in their courtyard and enjoying the countryside.
For your final night in Évora, we recommend booking a table at O Templo, Taberna Típica Quarta-feira or Alegrias e Vinho Tinto Botequim for a super traditional Alentejo dinner.
Day 4
It’s a quick 1.5 hour train back to Lisbon from Évora. If you want to extend your trip or combine Alentejo with another area of Portugal, we highly recommend you check out our itineraries for Lisbon, Porto, Algarve.
Cost Breakdown (2 people for 3 nights)
Note: Flights to/from Portugal are not included in this cost breakdown.
Roundtrip Train Tickets | $40 |
Airbnb | $300 |
Breakfast | $15 |
Lunch | $70 |
Dinner (2 entrees, 1 app, bottle of wine) | $150 |
Cocktails (1 cocktail per person per day) | $60 |
Évora Cathedral Tickets | $9 |
Daytrip to Monsaraz | $140 |
Roundtrip Taxi to Fitapreta | $40 |
Fitapreta Wine Tour & Tasting | $65 |
Total | $889 |
Daily Cost for 2 people | $296 |
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