Head towards Batalha (means battle), founded by King D. João I of Portugal, jointly with the Monastery, to pay homage to the Portuguese victory at the Battle of Aljubarrota (1385). After head to Fátima, one of the most famous religious destinations in the world, The Sanctuary of Fátima, is the principal focus of visitors. Annually pilgrims regularly fill the country roads leading to the shrine. Numbers can reach hundreds of the thousands on May 13th and October 13th, the significant dates of the apparitions. In 2017 it´s the 100th anniversary of the apparitions and the Pope´s presence is expected.

Now drive to Ferreira do Zêzere, a geographic transition territory between Ribatejo and Beiras, between the flatlands and the pine forests of the interior. The county stands out for its natural beauty and landscape provided by the Zêzere River (Castelo de Bode Lake) and the wide forest that provides outstanding touristic potentialities. It has a diversified heritage in terms of archaeology, history, religion, architecture and culture.

Trízio will be your final stop. It is located next to Zêzere’s Nautical Centre, with river beach, marina, camping, restaurant and a bar. It´s a place with a higher wakeboard tradition. Trízio offers calmness, stunning landscapes, sandy beaches and many activities.

1^st overnight – Trizio
GPS: 39.72976, -8.23107

Here it´s where the journey through the River Beaches and the old Shale Villages starts. This region has hundreds of them.

First stop, Pedrogão Grande and Góis, a charming small mountain town between the Açor mountain and the Serra de Lousã mountain, with beautiful views and a lovely small church. Many like to spend their Sunday afternoons by the side of the river Ceira, it´s a pleasant place to picnic, swim and canoe.

Continue your journey North towards Arganil, one of the most beautiful Portuguese counties, with river beaches, waterfalls, typical gastronomy, historical heritage and hiking routes. After, you have the beautiful village of Coja, a 13th century village with a cultural and historical heritage, an amazing river beach; place of extreme beauty and calmness.

To overnight, you´ll stay in Barril de Alva, just by the river Alva. The village is quiet and is well equipped in terms of Camper vanning, with a beach, eating park, green areas and welcoming population.

While driving North, around the Serra do Açor hills, we are not only charmed by the majesty and purity of the landscape, but we are also overcome with curiosity and impatience. Piódão stubbornly remains hidden so that it can then astound us with its architecture, which is such a good example of Man’s ability to adapt harmoniously to the most inhospitable but sublime places. Like a crib, the Shale Houses stand along the terraces of the slopes, which show blue and schist between narrow winding streets.

Now head to Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in Continental Portugal with its highest point at 1.993 meters (6.539 feet) above sea level. This point is not a distinctive mountain summit, but rather the highest point in a plateau, being known as Torre (« Tower » in English). There is a ski resort at the summit, named Vodafone Ski Resort. The mountain range, situated between the municipalities of Seia, Manteigas, Gouveia, Guarda and Covilhã, is about 100 kms (60 miles) long and is 30 kms (19 miles) across at its widest point. It is formed from a huge granite ridge that once formed the southern frontier of the country. Due to its bizarrely shaped crags and gorges, mountain streams and lakes, beautiful forests and magnificent views, the area ranks among Portugal’s outstanding scenic attractions.

The next stop is at the foot of the beautiful Vale do Zêzere. With high peaks and forest-draped slopes dominating the horizon in all directions, Manteigas feels more like a true mountain town than any of the other major Serra da Estrela gateways. There has been a settlement here since at least Moorish times, probably because of the nearby Caldas of Manteigas hot springs. Manteigas makes an excellent base for hikers looking to explore the region. Walk through the glacial valley above town and you’ll still encounter terraced meadows, stone shepherds’ huts and tinkling goat-bells, while in Manteigas itself, cobblestone streets and older homes still hold their own against the high-rise development that has taken root on the Serra’s fringes.

Next stop and overnight place is Aldeia Viçosa. It has very good facilities, such has playground, sport facilities, bar, pool and waterslide and plenty of green spaces.

2^nd overnight – Aldeia Viçosa
GPS: 40.57992, -7.30794

Heading South will undergo Vila Nova de Milfontes, located in the estuary of the Mira river, which gives shelter to several species of birds and marine life, and Zambujeira do Mar, where in August is held the Southwest Festival, the largest music festival during the summer.

Next stop Castro Verde, a small agricultural town that owes its name to an old prehistoric Castro. You should visit Castro Verde on the 3rd Sunday of October to visit the agricultural and craft fair that dates back to the 17th century. It is very well-known and every year attracts thousands of visitors. Also, very interesting to see is the Basilica, covered from top to bottom with magnificent hand painted tiles. The panels of the upper section of the basilica, depict scenes of the battle of Ourique, a town 14 kms away, where Afonso D. Henriques, routed the Moors and was proclaimed King of Portugal.

Then visit Mértola village, an important river port from the 11th century, rising it´s castle in a dominant position on one of the Guadiana river stretch. Its importance was such, that during a short period in the 11th century was the capital of a small independent Islamic Emirate.

After, you´ll spend the night at the river beach of Tapada Grande – Mina de São Domingos. The beach is simply wonderful. It is equipped with a cafe/restaurant with terrace and picnic tables right near the beach, so you don´t have to walk far. The overnight parking for Motorhomes is 100 meters from the beach and has very good condition.

3^rd overnight – PE-TP Praia Fluvial Mina de São Domingos – Tapada Grande
GPS: 37.672309, -7.504258

The first stop will be on the Alqueva Lake, the largest artificial lake in Western Europe. It was constructed for the purpose of irrigation of the entire region and production of electricity, in addition to other complementary activities.

Today, the Alqueva Lake is used for boating, water sports and it is an ideal area for Stargazing, because of its total absence of light pollution. In its margins, we can visit places like Luz, Mourão, Monsaraz, among others.

Monsaraz, known locally as Ninho das Águias (Eagles’ Nest) – is perched high above the border plains, a tiny village nestled into fortified walls close to the Spanish border. The views from the walls are magnificent: to the north and west, you survey a typically flat Alentejo plain of vineyards and olive groves, while to the south and east a watery expanse glitters far below the village, part of Europe’s largest artificial reservoir behind the dam at Alqueva.

The village does its best to attract visitors with a series of little galleries, craft shops and restaurants, but it’s really the castle, the higgledy-piggledy streets and stunning views that keep people coming.

Four thousand years ago, the region around Monsaraz was an important centre of megalithic culture, and various dolmens (covered temples or tombs), menhirs (standing stones) and stone circles survive today. An hour and a half’s driving circuit takes in most of these, and if you throw in lunch and a vineyard visit at nearby Reguengos that’s a good day out. Don’t miss a small village called São Pedro do Corval, masters of traditional hand painted pottery.

The final site for this day is the city of Évora. Its historical, well preserved center, is one of Portugal richest in terms of monuments, which gave the name of the City Museum, and since 1986, declared World Heritage by UNESCO. The city is surrounded by a wall, protecting its cultural heritage. The local gastronomy and wineries are reasons why the city is called the « Alentejo Capital« .

4^th overnight – PE Évora
GPS: 38.576423313822275, -7.914415569482458

First stop of the day, Estremoz, lies in the center of a district rich in marble quarries – so much so that the material is used extensively in the most commonplace surroundings, as you’ll see when you wander its marble-clad streets and squares. It was once an important border settlement where Dom Dinis, an early monarch who set about fortifying Portugal’s frontiers, chose to locate his hilltop palace. Meanwhile, down in the lower town, the vast main square known as the Rossio – properly, the Rossio Marquês de Pombal – has long been the site of one of Portugal’s finest markets, held every Saturday. It starts and finishes early, so it pays to stay over in town on Friday night if you can.

The attractive hilltop town of Elvas, was once one of Portugal’s mightiest frontier posts, strategically positioned just 15km from Spanish Badajoz, to the east across the Guadiana River. Its star-shaped walls and outlying forts are among the best-preserved military fortifications in Europe, a factor that subsequently helped gain the town UNESCO World Heritage status. Its military significance long past, and down to a population of around 25,000, it looks largely to tourism these days – Spanish day-trippers pop over to climb the steep cobbled streets and sit in the restored central square, while the vibrant Monday market (held on alternate weeks) is a big attraction, held just outside town behind the aqueduct. Otherwise, the town’s main annual bash is its week-long Festa de São Mateus, starting on September 20 and including the largest procession in southern Portugal.

By the time, you’ve negotiated the winding road up to Marvão you’re ready for sensational panoramas, and the remote border outpost doesn’t disappoint. From the dramatically sited rocky outcrop high above the undulating mountain, there are unbeatable views, while within a complete circuit of seventeenth-century walls lies a higgledy-piggledy town of fewer than a thousand residents, inhabiting neat houses with granite windows and pitched red roofs.

5^th overnight – PE Marvão
GPS: 39.3941, -7.37347

First stop of the day, the small town of Castelo de Vide, throws up one of the nicest surprises in the Alentejo. A castle rises up above a fairy-tale townscape of bright white houses, while steep cobbled streets and placid squares are lined with well-watered pots of geraniums, tumbling house plants and two-meter-high sunflowers. Mineral springs pepper the local hills and the town is full of public fountains in gleaming squares and shaded gardens. It’s one of those places that begs an aimless, meandering stroll, and it’s very easy to find you’ve spent a couple of days here doing not very much at all quite happily.

Now head towards Nisa. Considered by an American magazine as one of the best in the world, the Cheese of Nisa is the most recognized and appreciated cheese of the Alentejo. Cured, semi-hard and a color between white and yellow, of handicraft production, it is made with raw milk of ewes of the local Merina Branca breed, coagulated with thistle and follows a process of slow draining of the curd and subsequent maturation, done in three distinct phases, during 45 days.

Situated in the borderline of Ribatejo and Alentejo regions, Ponte de Sôr is an essentially agricultural council. Cattle breeding, olive and cork production provide important revenues. It is one of the less populated zones of Central and South Portugal. It is possible to travel many miles without seeing one or two farms. Located in the middle of Sôr river stream, Montargil dam, mainly conceived for agricultural purposes, has created a vast reservoir. Nowadays, it is an area ideal for leisure, fishing and nautical sports that attracts many visitors.

Montargil is a true waterside resort where you can participate in waterskiing, sailing, windsurfing, rowing, trips in a hovercraft and sports fishing. The Maranhão reservoir, today provided with a leisure complex integrated within the new municipal Camping Park, is yet one more Alentejo location intimately associated with heritage. Overlooking the lake rises the town of Avis, with a historical centre which certainly deserves a visit.

6^th overnight – PE Fluviário de Mora
GPS: 38.95424, -8.10757