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This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page ShareSaveCommentLifestyle TravelA Perfect Long Weekend In The Historic Heart Of Portugal’s AlentejoByAnn Abel Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Ann Abel is a Lisbon-based writer covering luxury travel with a soulFollow AuthorJun 28 05:45am EDTShareSaveCommentThis article is more than 3 years old.Fitapreta the Alentejo has captured the world’s attention—an agricultural region that people like to compare to Tuscany with dusty wide-open landscapes under epic skies that some have likened to African savannas and home to some of Portugal’s best wines and gastronomy (I like to say that Portugal is small but dense.) The Alentejo—the country’s largest geographical region and its least densely populated one—is no exception (This really does look like something out of Tuscany.) The wine tourism operation is overseen by his wife Sometimes there are special evening concerts but even a simple lunch in the courtyard is deeply memorable Just outside of Évora, this historic hotel occupies a 15th-century convent that over the years was regularly visited by Portuguese monarchs who expressed their devotion to Our Lady of Espinheiro (thorn-bush where an apparition of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared) by leaving behind lavish gifts The result is a 90-room convent hotel of unusual opulence and comfort as chef Jorge Peças uses local ingredients including olive oil meat and fresh herbs produced on the property people from all over the region gather on one of the central squares of Estremoz another whitewashed village with a deep history and a whole lot of marble (which is quarried all around here) a dizzying array of local sausages and cheeses While traditional Alentejo gastronomy—lots of meats and hearty dishes that used to fuel the farmers—is often very satisfying, that’s not what’s on offer at Mercearia Gadanha. In the center of Estremoz a shop and wine cellar sell top-quality local products while chef Michele Marques’s restaurant in the back turns out unusual and surprising fare with traditional ingredients Something listed on the menu as “fantastic soup” turned out to be just that: tomato-strawberry gazpacho with sweet prawns and basil granita The dishes that followed were no less delicious Opened last year and still under the radar, this museum in the historic Tocha Palace is a collaboration between one of the country’s largest private collectors and the city government The inaugural exhibition follows 800 years of the gorgeous Portuguese tiles called azulejos from their geometrical origins in the Islamic world to 20th-century advertising (as well as the late-Baroque and Rococo tiles in the palace itself) and features the largest private collection of tiles in the country Deep in the countryside, this family-owned hotel became the first five-star property in the region when it opened in 2014 It’s centered on a tower from 1338 but decorated with colorful contemporary furnishings and many antiques that belonged to the mother of one of the owners (who was born in this area but lived far away most of her life) which have been painted white to give them a more up-to-date look They also produce some top-notch wines (and offer top-notch wine-tourism experiences particularly around the harvest) and have a great restaurant who held a Michelin star at a previous restaurant and the menu has artful renditions of classic Alentejo dishes like roast-duck pastries and black pork with cornbread and asparagus all images courtesy of joão cepeda joão cepeda’s design maintains some of the characteristics of the former agricultural structure, reminding that the new always rests upon the reminiscent. the studio has recovered the existing stone wall enclosing a semi-buried basement for storage the upper ground floor volume houses both the private and social areas and is subtly finished with a sandy stucco merging with the exterior terrain and landscape pantones the light grey microcement floors texture the final construction sheltering and providing the necessary natural cooling to the new house name: house in estremoz designer: joão cepeda | @joaocepedaarch designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here. edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom happening now! partnering with antonio citterio, AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function, but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style, context, and personal expression. 2015Save this storySaveSave this storySaveIf there exists a better way to see a landscape than on horseback The world looks fine from high in a saddle air that much fresher six feet off the ground Or so it seemed to me one mild late-winter afternoon in the Alentejo that sleepy region in south-central Portugal that occupies a third of the country’s overall landmass and is populated by far more creatures that get about on four legs than on two I was astride a piebald Lusitanian gelding called Uruguay a horse so stout that I had to bow my legs to reach the stirrups Trotting alongside me was a chatty 19-year-old local atop a jittery The two of us were hacking across a thousand-acre spread whose name in English translates roughly as Oak Tree Ranch Squarely set on a hill in its middle stands Casa No Tempo a modernist stucco farm complex designed by the visionary Lisbon architect Manuel Aires Mateus in a hilltop house overlooking a wide-open agrarian landscape given over to olive groves and forests of the oak that provides most of the cork on the planet we’d ridden through an orderly copse of these oaks in which each tree was neatly painted in white with an Arabic numeral 3 It would be a while before I learned the rationale behind this system; for that moment it was enough to submit to the irrational magic of riding through a forest of numbers Magic and a certain illogic would in fact come to characterize the days I spent in the Alentejo a 12,000-square-mile area of rude poverty and transcendent beauty of ecclesiastical grandeur and primitive country faith—a place of whose existence I’d been more or less ignorant a month before Though there are some who have lately taken to calling the Alentejo the new Tuscany or the next Napa, I’m not so sure. It cannot be said that the Alentejo is unknown, exactly—coastal Comporta with its white sand beaches and riverine marshes has long been a haunt of the rusticating Continental ultra-rich—and yet everywhere you go in an interior reached along fine toll roads constructed when Portugal joined the European Union 1 / 21ChevronChevronA view of the beach from Sal’s.“The Alentejo is a land time passed by,’’ I was informed by Libanio Murteira Reis a onetime history professor who now conducts tours in Évora it’s a place time washed over in successive waves each epoch leaving its material tidemark behind Within a single pie-shaped slice of Évora city a severe 12th-century cathedral built atop the rubble of an ancient mosque and a 16th-century palace where zealots of the Inquisition condemned heretics to their gruesome fate the Alentejo is known for relaxation and very good preservation of nature,” Murteira Reis remarked mildly one morning over a cup of the strong coffee with which the Portuguese dose themselves as if medicinally “And,” he added with considerable understatement If anything bids to put the Alentejo on the map of mass travel a restaurant run by star chef José Avillez whom Ferran Adrià once tipped as his likely successor; the wine list there proudly showcases the country’s many fine vineyards and vintages a young sommelier named Nuno Oliveira Silva made liquid detours to the award-winning rieslings from northeastern Beira the light merlots produced on the island of Madeira and the floral reds and mineral whites made by little-known wineries scattered throughout the Alentejo so fresh and brightly structured—in many cases made from varietals singular to the region Saddling up for a hack through the oak forests at Caso No Tempo The next morning I headed straight for Évora traversing the Tagus River (for which Alentejo—which translates to “Beyond the Tejo,” or Tagus—is named) in brilliant sunshine along the 11-mile span of the Vasco da Gama Bridge I was hauling my battered Globe-Trotter into the Convento dos Lóios a stolid 15th-century monastery converted into a small hotel My second-floor suite—or “cell,” in keeping with the cloistral theme—had a distinctly oddball arrangement Its two high-ceilinged rooms overlooked a walled garden from whose pool powerful chlorine zephyrs wafted up through the windows Plastering the vaulted ceiling were murals depicting idiotic-looking putti; below them a series of medallion portraits portraying Portuguese notables a gloomy customer with a hipster beard and just one eye (the other was lost in battle) The suite’s interior spaces hardly mattered since right outside the door was the austere stony grandeur of the public ones—broad balconied corridors and wide stone stairs overlooking an enclosed quincunx garden where ten days before Christmas orange trees were still laden with ripening fruit It’s often noted that Portugal receives 3,300 hours of sun yearly—a lot more than my hometown though perversely Lisbon and New York City lie at the same latitude the winter skies remained the blue of a duck egg bright and furnished with the extravagant cloud formations that in a place lacking a particular geographical raison d’être—no river a contemporary retreat just north of Évora Évora was important to an assortment of conquerors and migrants and their monuments remain tightly jigsawed within its Roman Compact and steep—with a population of 55,000 less regional metropolis than glorified town—Évora has the intimate feel of a walled city a sensation amplified by the fact that its colonnaded squares and Ducal Palace are linked by a series of radial passages with names like Street of the Countess’s Tailor or Alley of the Unshaven Man That it’s a university town enlivens what might otherwise feel like a pretty but moribund civic history lesson: one looming and dour ancient cathedral; 20 important though subsidiary churches; a handful of outstanding yet seldom-visited museums Graffiti scrawled on old walls (love sucks) jolts the visitor into awareness of Évora’s vital present something you would not necessarily surmise from the general air of desuetude—embodied by a grumpy old cobbler I visited who’d occupied the same hole-in-the-wall shop for the past 50 years “The Alentejo has all the conditions to be a destination but it is not yet,” said an acquaintance in Lisbon since it meant that on a clear December morning I could find myself wandering the cobbled streets of the boat-shaped citadel village of Monsaraz—first fortified by the Knights Templar—as its lone visitor I inhabited the dream of being sole proprietor of this austere white-painted fortress; ransacking a small shop where a Dutch transplant named Mizette Nielsen sells refined blankets and shawls woven according to local traditions that she was instrumental in reviving; climbing the ramparts to an enclosed bull ring; gawping stupefied at the 360-degree vista of cultivated farmlands; puzzling at the austere Church of Santa Maria da Lagoa over a carved-wood frieze depicting prayerful sinners engulfed in purgatorial flames Something about these eternally doomed beings struck me as eerily familiar Not until I was back on the road out of town did it come to me: Fatefully bored those gilded sinners looked like the types I see all the time in the front row at fashion shows Also roughly equidistant from Évora are Vila Viçosa site of the austere marmoreal Ducal Palace which was once the seat of the noble Braganças; the fortress town of Elvas; hilly Estremoz; drowsy Redondo; and the stubble fields from which rise the famous Cromlech of Almendres All that is known about this surrealist assortment of phallic monoliths is that they date to the sixth century B.C.—that and the fact that they went almost entirely undiscovered until 1966 A kind of wondrous peculiarity came to seem more normal the longer I stayed in the Alentejo where a Baroque palace might stand in the relative middle of nowhere; a severe church entablature might be ornamented with sculptures depicting four figures of Atlas their backs turned rudely to the tabernacle inside; an art exhibition might be stumbled upon in an all-but-empty museum with no sign to indicate the treasures inside situated inside the former Palace of the Inquisition in Évora and now run by the Eugénio de Almeida Foundation aesthetically and spiritually challenging works by contemporary masters were counterbalanced with sacred relics borrowed from local parishes A sculpture of hay and gold thread by the Brazilian artist Cildo Meireles was installed to set up a visual dialogue with a polychrome Pietà A bloody-looking Joseph Beuys lithograph was placed near an 18th-century sculpture of the Dead Christ A cluster of illuminated bulbs (Last Light) by the late artist Felix Gonzalez Torres was strung along a darkened passage leading to a gallery in which hung a 16th-century depiction of Veronica’s Veil the Alentejo is justly celebrated throughout the country for its cuisine which is used to make a robust bread to which even wizards of molecular cooking like José Avillez routinely pay homage There are tangy aromatic cheeses like Queijo de Nisa made from raw ewe’s milk and curdled with an infusion of thistle and plenty of the game you’d expect to abound in an undeveloped region: duck and partridge This made sense when you considered that he sleeps with the chef who could just be seen behind a wood-bead curtain bustling efficiently around a kitchen barely big enough to store two brooms the prim-featured Florbela Canelas nightly conjures up robust which her husband serves to customers in the order—as the recorded message goes—in which they are received I first ordered succulent loin of roast pork to follow wild asparagus topped with poached quail eggs and on a second visit a dish of codfish with eggs I caved quickly to his suggestion I finish my meal with a dessert How otherwise would I have stumbled upon the knowledge that Évora is known throughout Portugal for its confections delicacies devised in convents to gratify the sweet tooth of celibate inmates—things called The honey-and-nut confection I had that evening is known as mel e noz (“honey and nut”) and was concocted from seven wafer-thin layers of walnut flour leavened with egg white and glazed The dessert was so delicious that I finished with mixed feelings of pleasure and regret at the thought I might never taste it again The local black pigs—and others shipped in from as far away as Spain—feast on acorns from the Alentejo’s abundant oak forests which gives the meat an extraordinarily complex flavor Apparently I had come down with a case of saudade that ineffably complex and bittersweet Portuguese emotion for which no satisfactory English translation exists saudade is a kind of melancholic nostalgia a preemptive longing for something that is “An unhappy pleasure,’’ is how it’s described in the lyrics of a well-known fado or so I said jokingly one late afternoon to João Rodrigues the TAP pilot whose vision it was to construct Casa No Tempo on his grandfather’s onetime hunting preserve The two of us sat drinking mint tea in the spare kitchen of a structure whose harmonious elements he intentionally and subtly kept particular to the region: the marble of the counter mined at Estremoz clay brick floors fired at São Pedro do Corval was designed to anchor the structure to its place in both physical and metaphysical ways “The Portuguese hate change,” he told me—something I thought about again later as I galloped through country that cannot have been altered very much in centuries I remembered to call Rodrigues and inquire about the trees and their mysterious numbers and thus learned from him that custom dictates cork oak cannot be harvested before a tree is 25 and law stipulates it can only be harvested every nine years The numbers signify the most recent harvest—2 for 2002 5 for 2005—and somehow I found that simple fact moving less for what it says about maintaining tradition or practicing sustainable forestry than for the implication that a harvester develops a relationship with each individual tree over time Though many factors influence the quality of the final product the most crucial element is the harvester’s hand Using a tool with an ax on one end and a wedge on the other “It’s important the first strike is subtle,” Rodrigues explained A wound created by the ax blade will later show up in the cork as a scar “You always want to be able to come back to the tree.” And it is Casa No Tempo Herdade do Carvalho Pousada dos Lóios Largo Conde Vilaflor Botequim da Mouraria 16 Rua da Mouraria Restaurante a Maria 12 Rua João de Deus, Alandroal. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world the Alentejo—Portugal’s most rural and least populated region—is dotted with picturesque towns separated by cork forests and olive groves But its many new goings-on offer a contrast with its unhurried pace Contact us at letters@time.com vineyard owners Jorge Cardoso and Fernanda Rodrigues are reviving ancient wine-making traditions This article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK).When Jorge Cardoso and Fernanda Rodrigues stumbled across a little valley in Serra d'Ossa shale soil and rolling views of olive groves and cork trees all seemed too good to be true bought the spot in Alto Alentejo and set about turning their dream into reality — to produce natural organic wine so good it would rival the region’s most respected vineyards they were going to do it using ancient techniques “The locals thought we were mad,” says Jorge a wry smile creasing his face as he surveys the vines “Natural wine doesn’t have a set definition and is difficult to make because you must interfere with nature as little as possible — in the vineyard and in the winery you can’t use additives or anything other than naturally occurring yeasts in fermentation.” Using knowledge gained from studying agriculture in the Douro Valley — Portugal’s best-known wine region and where the couple first fell in love with both viticulture and each other — Jorge and Fernanda replanted their land with indigenous grape varieties adapted to the hot and dry conditions shale soil and rolling views of olive groves and cork trees that first drew Jorge Cardoso and Fernanda Rodrigues to the Alto Alentejo region of Portugal.Photograph by Jorge Cardoso and Fernanda RodriguesIn their new winery surrounded by lavender bushes and olive trees they gradually amassed a collection of talhas (clay pots) from neighbouring farmers were first used by local people some 2,000 years ago Their Reserva — a blend of three grape varieties — became the first natural wine to be certified DOC Alentejo a big accolade in a region with a rich wine-making history and some of the country’s best wineries with notes of blackberry and herbs,” says Jorge thoughtfully from the shady veranda of their pretty white-washed farmhouse “And it’s smooth and creamy with a slightly toasted finish.” As a further nod to their willingness to experiment the couple also practice ‘field blending’ — picking different grape varieties to ferment together in the talhas “It’s like making perfume,” explains Jorge We spend time between the rows trying the grapes and building up a profile so we can decide where to start picking we set down the boxes of grapes and make a decision.” the natural wine-making process and the use of talhas help reveal the true tastes and aromas of the grapes “It’s more interesting to discover good wines by respecting the grapes but with a nose of red fruits and an almost jammy It’s a very different wine and you either love it or you hate it But it’s a true expression of this place and its terroir.” Jorge and Fernanda produce nine organic, vegan wines at Herdade dos Outeiros Altos.Photograph by Rachel LaidlerThree more Portuguese wineries to visitQuinta de Sant’Ana Half an hour outside Lisbon this organic family farm has been producing wine since 1630 They use international and native varieties and also run wine tastings Quinta Vila Rachel Located in Portugal’s best-known wine region Morgado do QuintãoExperience a wine tasting under a 2,000-year-old olive tree at this small Algarve vineyard the vineyard will donate €1 to the Portuguese Red Cross to support the fight against Covid-19 Jorge and Fernanda produce nine organic, vegan wines at Herdade dos Outeiros Altos including a white wine made using red grapes Visit their winery near the town of Estremoz for tastings and to pick up some bottles for home Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media: archaeologists recently excavated three graves located at the edge of a medieval cemetery They were intrigued by the graves' isolated location and odd burial style they found something shocking: All three people had amputated hands and feet Between the 13th and 15th centuries, Estremoz was an important village located between the kingdoms of Portugal and Castile. In the mid-13th century, Christians colonized the area The nearby cemetery of Rossio Marquês de Pombal dates to this period It's on the edge of this cemetery that the archaeologists found the burials Writing in the International Journal of Paleopathology researchers from the Universities of Évora and Coimbra describe the young to middle-aged men found in the graves with cut marks to their forearms and ankles The cuts are clean through the bones but not quite at right angles and appear to have happened just before or just after death the bones from the severed hands and feet were also found in the graves—but not in the right places both of his feet and his left hand were buried under his left hip while his right hand was under his left elbow they found evidence that one amputation took more than one try to complete The man's right leg had a second set of cuts likely inflicted after a failed first attempt to cut off his foot The researchers think that a sharp implement such as a machete or axe was used to deliver the blows swiftly and with high force The archaeologists believe the cuts were made while the men were still alive—or very near death—and almost certainly restrained Lead author Teresa Fernandes tells Mental Floss that “due to the absence of any artifact we cannot state for sure that the feet were bound; yet considering the historical evidence prisoners were normally bound with the legs straight while hung." Generally, amputations occur throughout history as the result of a medical therapy, accident, ritual, intentional violence, or punishment. While there is evidence from the same cemetery for foot disease these particular men had no other indications of problems with their bodies meaning medical treatment can be ruled out So too can ritualistic post-mortem amputation since there are no historical or archaeological accounts of amputation of hands and feet after death And their injuries were clearly not the result of an accident The researchers think these amputations were a punishment Historical records of amputations related to criminal cases are relatively rare But medieval kings in the Iberian peninsula had the discretion to mete out capital punishment—including hanging and even boiling someone alive—as they saw fit They could also use mutilation as punishment The researchers found one mention specifically of the amputation of both hands and feet of traitors during a civil war in 14th-century Portugal “These skeletons may represent the testimony of vigorous application of justice as an act of royal sovereignty in a peripheral but militarily strategic region,” Fernandes' team writes Other researchers agree with this interpretation a palaeopathologist at the University of Cambridge tells Mental Floss that because "the amputations are all at similar locations deliberate amputation as a punishment seems the most plausible interpretation." is what these men may have done to merit this extreme punishment Execution "could be enforced in the event of treason or myriad sexual crimes," Fernandes says “But the form of execution isn’t stipulated by law." Archaeological evidence of judicial amputation is extremely rare a bioarchaeologist at the University of Bradford who has done similar studies on ancient British skeletons "The evidence of cut marks and the inclusion of severed hands and feet make this Portuguese case especially compelling,” she tells Mental Floss "the extremities are absent in the graves of those who underwent amputation," which makes it noteworthy that these graves contained the spare body parts The fact that amputees were all young men also intrigues scholars "This pattern has been seen in execution cemeteries in Anglo-Saxon England,” Buckberry says “leaving us wondering if young men are more likely to commit crimes or if punishments are especially harsh for this demographic group." These three unfortunate men may never tell us exactly what they did or who they are But their bones show the most severe case of amputation as judicial punishment to date revealing just one of the extreme penalties for committing a crime in medieval Portugal © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved AND WRECKS",true,"01fx8af8d3r4nt","/section/stones-bones-and-wrecks","stones-bones-and-wrecks",{"createdAt":"fl","displayName":"fm","isActive":"fn","pageID":"fo","path":"fp","property":"5n","slug":"fq","updatedAt":"fl"},"Archaeologists Make Rare Gruesome Find in Portugal","relatedPosts",[],[],[],4,0,"",{"next":"fz"},["5n"],"semantic",{"articles":"fu","articlesQueryURLs":"fv","bySearchQuery":"5f","excludeProperties":"5t","excludedIDs":"fw","isFullPost":"fn","limit":"fx","offset":"fy","onlyQueryURLs":"fn","organization":"fz","pagination":"g0","properties":"g1","sourceType":"g2"},{"type":"ft","value":"g3"},{"postsList":"g4"},"Kristina Killgrove is a semi-retired anthropologist and writes for outlets such as Forbes Mental Floss may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.",{"type":"77","value":"gw"},"AR_1",{"type":"77","value":"gy"},"This article contains affiliate links to products selected by our editors as well as products provided to Mental Floss for review purposes d) {\n h = h[d] = h[d] || {\n q: [],\n onReady: function(c){ h.q.push(c) },\n };\n d = o.createElement(u);\n d.async = 1;\n d.src = n;\n n = o.getElementsByTagName(u)[0];\n n.parentNode.insertBefore(d \"https://www.datadoghq-browser-agent.com/us1/v5/datadog-rum.js\" Initialize Datadog RUM and then measure TTFB/FCP\n window.DD_RUM.onReady(function() {\n // 3a Initialize RUM\n window.DD_RUM.init({\n applicationId: 'f3f16add-4ebf-4aad-9bb4-adb13da4d17e',\n clientToken: 'pub53fad8ec1eea29e2f92980d95072da2f',\n site: \"datadoghq.com\",\n service: \"voltax-sites-www.mentalfloss.com\",\n env: \"prod\",\n sessionSampleRate: 100,\n sessionReplaySampleRate: 0,\n trackUserInteractions: true,\n trackResources: true,\n trackLongTasks: true,\n defaultPrivacyLevel: \"mask-user-input\",\n });\n\n // 3b Measure TTFB & FCP once the page fully loads\n window.addEventListener('load' {\n ttfb: ttfb,\n fcp: fcp,\n });\n\n // Optional: log them to console for debugging\n console.log('[Datadog RUM] TTFB:' Between the 13th and 15th centuries, Estremoz was an important village located between the kingdoms of Portugal and Castile. In the mid-13th century, Christians colonized the area Writing in the International Journal of Paleopathology Generally, amputations occur throughout history as the result of a medical therapy, accident, ritual, intentional violence, or punishment. While there is evidence from the same cemetery for foot disease Avoid overtouristed parts of Portugal by heading to the country’s peaceful Alentejo region Although it is the biggest region of Portugal — occupying about a third of the country — the Alentejo has the fewest number of residents and visitors Following are a few highlights worth checking out during a visit to the Alentejo and one of Lisbon’s top landmarks is Sao Jorge Castle But the Alentejo is home to many other equally impressive medieval castles A lack of crowds is the defining difference between the castles in and around Lisbon versus those found in the Alentejo A few castle-topped towns worth checking out include Castelo de Vide one of the highest fortress-topped towns in the entire region After driving up the hill that leads to the parking lot outside the walled town I entered the gates and immediately came upon an information desk The woman I found there was perhaps the friendliest information bearer I’ve encountered immediately embracing me and sharing her must-dos in Marvao Marvao is one of several castle-topped medieval towns in the Alentejo Marvao is one of several castle-topped medieval towns in the Alentejo Monoliths and other impressive rock sites are heavily concentrated in the region check out Almendres Cromlech just outside of Evora the site — which is believed to have been used as a religious setting as far back as 6,000 B.C a lively courtyard cafe serving some of the best salads and tapas in the area Those who can climb steps should visit the rooftop of the Cathedral of Evora which offers a panorama view of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and its surroundings The coast of the Alentejo is home to numerous sleepy fishermen villages While the beach town remains a perfect place to lay out on white sand or to enjoy cocktails and seafood from one of two beachfront cafes it has received its share of buzz for being a hideaway for celebrity designers and A-listers designer Philippe Starck and shoe icon Christian Louboutin Where to Eat: Forget about it all — and watch an epic sunset — when lounging at beachfront Comporta Cafe home to tasty rice dishes (a specialty of this rice-producing area) and a superlative white-wine sangria Balance sightseeing with time at the beach especially if visiting the laid-back but posh Comporta Backpackers and active travelers love the Alentejo for its Rota Vicentina a hiking system that hugs the area’s craggy coastline and totals 280 miles of trails that were once routes used by fishermen and/or pilgrims so hiking this relatively untouched and often sandy route is the best way to experience constant beachfront views the stunning Vicentina Coast is a beloved destination for multiday beachfront trekking The Alentejo is not home to bloated beach resorts or crowded urban hotels. Here, travelers will find mainly rustic bed-and-breakfasts and historic inns. Evora, which attracts the most tourists, possesses the biggest and finest hotels in the region — but most of them are boutique as well. Check out Imani Country House, which is a 15-minute drive to Evora and a five-minute drive to Almendres Cromlech. The staff is lovely, and they work hard. They are happy to make dinner reservations, provide tips on sightseeing in Evora and cook made-to-order omelets — a luxury in the Alentejo, where most breakfast buffets are strictly continental and don’t serve hot food. Here, they’ll treat you like a special guest, which is one of the many perks of traveling to the Alentejo. with its cooper roof and two wooden troughs forcing a recreation in the sequence of access but it turns out to be dominant or dominator of the whole It rises up absorbing the covered space for parking It sets-out and bestows hierarchy to access whilst hiding technical areas The - almost Iush – vegetation is mixed and almost mystic The almost excessive horizontality of the holm-oaks which are common in these eclectic gardens You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Just as the chiaroscuro technique uses the contrast between light and dark to create the illusion of three-dimensionality Pietre Chiaroscure backlit walls underscore the decorative motifs by skilfully distributing light and dark areas the new collection of backlit walls by Lithos Design joins the Pietre Luminose family in continuing the exploration of the translucent properties of marble Tweed and Stripes meet the needs of each and every project while improving the aesthetics of the walls with surprising decorative and light effects that open the way to countless variations Taking their cue from the sgraffito technique used in architecture the modules are made of two layers of marble on top of one another Parts of a matt upper layer are carved away to delineate a pattern and let the light filter through the translucent surface of the layer below The width and thickness of the engravings are calibrated to achieve a 3D effect and generate different perceptions based on the intensity of the light Four options are proposed: Liquirizia (Carrara Ghiaccio and Nero Marquinia) Smeraldo (Carrara Ghiaccio and Verde Imperiale) Caramello (Estremoz and Giallo Siena) and Greige (Estremoz and Harmony Grey) Chic and stylish like the fabrics that inspired their names Tweed and Stripes backlit walls create a pleased harmony with the interior world Tweed’s line of backlit panels create a Kaleidoscope of light and shadow that brings out the 3D quality of a texture evoking the motifs of the fabric Stripes line of LED lit wall modules reveal decorative motifs by partially removing the covering material from the underlying translucent panel The vertical engravings are all the same width while projections of different heights trigger a reversal in perception when the wall is lit Find out more at lithosdesign.com ShareSaveInnovation ScienceArchaeologists Find Medieval Foot Fungus In Portuguese CemeteryByKristina Killgrove Ankylosis of the left calcaneus and cuboid (3D imaging available here) (B) Radiograph showing multiple foci (black arrows) and the lines (white arrow) between the calcaneus and cuboid (Image used with kind permission of Ana Curto.) archaeologists found over 100 burials dating to the 13th to 15th centuries AD had a hole in his head and clear evidence of disease in his left foot A foot fungus that has never been seen in Medieval Europe before The skeleton in question was studied by biological anthropologists Ana Curto and Teresa Fernandes, who report their findings in the latest issue of the International Journal of Paleopathology The man's left heel and ankle bones were fused together and the heel bone also has a worm-eaten appearance All five of the metatarsals in his left midfoot show evidence of destruction and irregular healing His left lower leg also seems to have been compromised by the same disease Based on these ancient "symptoms," Curto and Fernandes attempted a differential diagnosis excluding some diseases and finally settling on one They first ruled out diseases present since birth narrowing their focus to diseases that can be acquired during life The pattern of bone lesions doesn't match well with leprosy or cancer both of which also involve destruction of bone Tuberculosis and osteomyelitis (infection of the bone marrow) also don't match well but the anthropologists could not definitively exclude those causes Left: Patient with Madura foot in King Saud Medical Complex used under a CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.) Right: Madura foot x-ray of patient at King Saud Medical Complex Rather, the one-sided foot symptoms match best with maduromycosis more commonly known as Madura foot after the place in India where it was first medically reported in the mid-19th century Madura foot is caused by a fungus that lives in soil so is very common among barefoot agricultural workers and the fungus gets in and produces colonies After a long but painless incubation period the fungus spreads through the skin and into the bone What's odd about Madura foot in this Medieval Portuguese cemetery, though, is that the disease is usually confined to between 30°N and 15°S latitudes, or further south than Estremoz Curto and Fernandes think that the Medieval Climatic Anomaly of 1000-1400 AD may be to blame Europe was warmer and drier than during the Little Ice Age meaning the pathogen that causes Madura foot could theoretically have survived in the soil of southern Portugal the researchers can't rule out the possibility that this man got infected somewhere else -- such as the Mediterranean or even the Middle East or Africa -- and came to Portugal afterwards Left: Oval shaped trauma (approximately 31 × 21 mm) at the right parietal of a middle-aged man from.. (Image used with kind permission of Ana Curto.) Right: Medieval (13th century) surgeon trepanning a global charitable foundation based in the UK Someone would have scraped his cranial bone in a back-and-forth manner until the bone wore out Trepanation was practiced in ancient times -- and is still practiced in places today -- as a way to cure disease or bring the person to a higher level of consciousness While trepanation suggests that medical therapy was applied to this man the researchers cannot be sure if it relates in any way to his Madura foot Only two other cases of Madura foot have been reported in the literature on ancient skeletons: one from Mexico dating to between 1300-100 BC and one from Israel dating to between 300-600 AD This new case from southern Portugal is therefore important not only as an addition to the literature but as an indication that climate change may have influenced the spread of this disease "This finding reminds us how the study of palaeopathology can give us a better understanding of diseases today It also shows the impact that cultural changes -- like the use of footwear -- can have on disease distribution." From Lisbon, head east to the village of Monforte and check in at the 19-room, boutique Torre de Palma Wine Hotel meticulously restored from the ruins of Ancient Roman and medieval houses While the sprawling grounds have a cypress-lined outdoor pool Inaugurated in 2016 and led by award-winning Portuguese winemaker Luís Duarte it makes just two wines in small batches: a full-bodied red and a fruity white Dona Maria winery was named after King João V’s lover head to its restaurant for seafood from the nearby Algarve or pork and beef entrées with a decidedly modern flare Quinta do Quetzal is both a winery and art gallery The traditional Assyk games of Kazakhstan and Italy’s culinary art of the Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’ are two of the newest elements inscribed on the United Nations Representative List of intangible contributions to preserve for future generations Late last year on Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage deemed a host of new elements significant in protecting a way of life Ranging from songs and stories to activities and practices – each testifies to the diversity of intangible heritage and raise awareness of its importance is a peaceful congregation of pilgrims in which participants take a dip in a sacred river [see photo above] The tradition plays a central spiritual role in the country encapsulating a diverse range of cultural customs Knowledge and skills relating to Kumbh Mela are mainly imparted through the teacher-student relationship but transmission and safeguarding are also ensured through oral traditions and religious and historical texts Assyk Games are an ancient tradition in Kazakhstan in which each player has their own set of Assyks While most practitioners are children between the ages of 4 and 18 The game is a good model for positive collaboration social inclusiveness and a sense of friendship and is primarily transmitted through observation from older children to younger ones The craftmanship of Estremoz clay figures dates back to the 17th century and involves a process lasting several days The figures are dressed in the regional attires of Alentejo or religious clothing and follow specific themes Their characteristic aesthetic features make the figures identifiable and the craft is strongly attached to the region Artisans ensure the viability and recognition of their craft through non-formal workshops and instructive initiatives Organ craftsmanship and music have shaped Germany’s musical landscape for centuries – with a diverse number of traditions surrounding the instrument’s construction and playing The highly specialized knowledge and skills of organ makers are significant markers of group identity and its music constitutes a universal language that fosters interreligious understanding Knowledge and skills related to the element are transmitted through a direct teacher-pupil experience as well as in vocational schools Rebetiko is a musical and cultural expression directly linked to song and dance which initially spread among urban working-class populations Rebetiko songs are now a standardized repertoire in social occasions containing invaluable references to the customs and traditions of a particular way of life as well as by the media and in music schools and musicians and enthusiasts continue to play a key role in keeping the practice alive or the art of boatbuilding in South Sulawesi refers to the famed Sulawesi schooner and represents the epitome of the Archipelago’s indigenous sailing craft boatbuilding centres are located at Tana Beru Bira and Batu Licin – where shipbuilding and sailing are central to the community’s social Knowledge and skills are transmitted from generation to generation both within and outside of the family circle and local shipbuilders are engaged in active marketing initiatives to safeguard the practice Chogan is a horse-riding game traditionally played in royal courts and urban fields which is accompanied by music and storytelling two-rider teams use wooden sticks to pass a ball through the opposing team’s goal post It has a strong connection to the identity and history of its bearers and practitioners Chogan is transmitted informally within the family sphere as well as by dedicated associations through training and support for local masters Uilleann piping is a musical practice in which an uilleann Bearers and practitioners include participants of all ages Uilleann piping offers an important way of socializing providing a sense of rootedness and connection to the past Knowledge and skills are transmitted using both long-established and modern practices and the practice is primarily safeguarded through the efforts of the group Na Piorabairi Uilleann Creating the Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’ is a culinary practice consisting of four different phases relating to the preparation of the dough and its baking in a wood-fired oven where around 3,000 Pizzaiuoli now live and perform – and plays a key role in fostering social gatherings and intergenerational exchange Knowledge and skills related to the element are primarily transmitted in the ‘bottega’ of the Pizzaiuolo where young apprentices can observe their master at work The Kok boru game is played by two teams on horseback who compete in trying to score points by putting as many ‘ulaks’ (goat’s carcasses) – replaced by moulds of the animal in modern-day games – into their opponents’ goal as possible The horse game integrates traditional practices and performances It is an expression of the cultural and historic tradition of its practitioners and unites communities Related knowledge and skills are primarily transmitted through demonstration as well as during festive and social events Nsima is a compound name for the culinary and dietary tradition of Malawians as well as a form of thick porridge prepared with maize flour It is prepared through an elaborate process requiring specific knowledge and eating it is a communal tradition in families Communities safeguard the element through continued practice and knowledge is transmitted both informally and through on-the-job training and education In a message on the occasion of Nowruz – the day that celebrates the arrival of the spring season – the head of the United Nations cultural agency urged everyone to embrace the day's values and be inspired by its universal message of peace and solidarity Hope BrothertonPublished: Invalid Date millions of Brits head to Portugal but most holidaymakers stick to well-known spots like Lisbon But there are other lesser-known destinations that shouldn't be overlooked, including Estremoz in Alentejo Estremoz is instantly recognisable thanks to its cluster of white houses The city has been dubbed the "white city" thanks to the colour of its houses and the deposits of white marble that it produces Estremoz Marble is famous throughout the world with the city contributing to 90 per cent of the world's total Before holidaymakers can explore the white marble buildings they need to enter the town through the city walls REST ASSURED Versatile travel pillow that passengers claim is better than all the othersThere are four doors in the city's walls Built during the 13th century, Estremoz Castle is arguably the city's main attraction. From 1281, the Portuguese King Dinis lived in the castle with Isabel de Aragão, who later became Holy Queen Isabel. After the queen died in 1336, a statue was built in her honour, and it still remains in the castle to this day. the Tower of the Three Crowns is made from marble and considered as one of the castle's highlights The Alentejo region is well-known for its wine production with plenty of vineyards for holidaymakers to visit According to Hikers Bay, food and drink is cheap in the city too Estremoz is a two-hour drive from Lisbon, with airlines like Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air operating direct flights from London Sun Online Travel have found flights from the UK to Lisbon for just £22 for a one-way ticket Estremoz is a 50-minute drive away from Badajoz Airport in Spain - although there are no direct flights from the UK to the Spanish airport Accommodation in Estremoz is affordable too, with an overnight stay at Pateo dos Solares Charm Hotel starting from £40 per person There are plenty of other lesser-known and unusual places to visit throughout Portugal too The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has published its newest list of Best Tourism Villages for 2023 Ericeira can be found along the western coast of Portugal, about 30 north of Lisbon It has become popular among surfers and received World Surfing Reserve recognition in 2011 However, its beaches offer more than just big waves, including Praia do Sul, which Ericeira Family Adventures say is the best for families to enjoy a day out They said: "This beach has a wading pool at low tide which makes it a fab place to have an ice cream and watch the kids splash around and fish for crabs." Set on the central coast of Portugal Because of these similarities, the Portuguese port city has been compared to Venice for many years While the canals and boats are rather similar, the prices at bars, restaurants, and hotels are significantly better value - making a trip to Aveiro much cheaper Meanwhile, Comporta has been hailed as Portugal's best beach - even attracting the likes of Madonna Everything you need to know about passports Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ Too many automated requests from this network Portugal’s southern region of Alentejo was distinguished by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for “chocalhos” the ancestral manufacture of cowbells listed today as “Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by the organization The bells are made throughout mainland Portugal and on the islands there are master cowbell makers in just seven places: in northern Portugal in Asseiceira (Tomar municipality) and Ereira (Cartaxo municipality); in the south of the country Reguengos de Monsaraz and Alcáçovas on the island of Terceira (Azores) in the hamlet of Grota do Medo (Angra do Heroísmo municipality) is considered the Portuguese “capital of chocalho.” The cowbells come in many shapes and sizes and are primarily used by farmers to locate cattle grazing on pastures The larger bells can reach volumes of up to 100 decibels This is the second time Alentejo has been awarded this distinction by the UNESCO Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage described as “intangible cultural heritage in urgent need of safeguarding.” five new items were added to the UNESCO’s list the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Uganda There are currently 43 cultural items added to the list Last year, Cante Alentejano the traditional polyphonic singing of Alentejo won the UNESCO’s special protected status as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity In 2011, Fado was also added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage cultural identity and skills passed on within cultures While many of Europe's most glamorous spots now suffer overcrowding and a rash of developments have replaced olive groves For those prepared to venture off the beaten track there are amazing discoveries to be made - not least the sparsely populated Alentejo region Stretching south from the river Tejo to the northern hill ranges of the Algarve it's home to one of Europe's most ancient agricultural landscapes My wife and I recently came across a place that seems to encapsulate many of those qualities: a former way station for pilgrims now converted into a minimalist hotel is a place that deserves to be much better known but it was famous as a site of healing miracles for centuries before that the family that has managed the cork estate here since 1600 began converting the abandoned buildings around the church into a hotel that combines the best of traditional Alentejo architecture stone arch windows and serene lime-washed walls The 18 rooms might almost be suitable for monks Even the restaurant manages to combine simplicity of ingredients with a sense of understated luxury This is a place in which to appreciate silence you're unlikely to hear a sound beyond your window the Alentejo has never attracted much development the latter providing the world's principal source of wine stoppers it is one of the most pristine ecosystems in Europe The countryside around Monte do Carmo is stunning Ponds and small lakes rustle with bullrushes And gracing the skies are the prehistoric-shaped black-winged storks for whom the Alentejo is a breeding ground the bark of which is removed in large strips every nine years The Portuguese cork industry has faced difficulties recently due to the competition from plastic corks and screw tops as any visit to Monte do Carmo demonstrates it is not merely the livelihood of the corticeiros that depends on our choosing traditional corks it's these unique patches of wilderness in the heart of mainland Europe Despite the hotel being almost full when we arrived we walked for three hours without seeing another soul But a hare ran across our path and an owl swooped down a few feet away we braved a dip in the chilly swimming pool A traditional pool might spoil the setting but the hotel got around this by installing a sophisticated divided beneath the surface into one area for swimming and another for plants and tadpoles sea salt and olives seemed a culinary mirror to the landscape Each ingredient was intensely pure and concentrated in flavour perhaps because the cork oak acorns provide the pigs' main diet it showed that Portuguese food - sometimes considered inferior to other European cuisines - can hold its own with the best of them apparently rising from the ruins of a pre-Christian site with hundreds of naive ex-voto paintings by pilgrims sprawling across the walls It seemed appropriate that Monte do Carmo should be situated around a church for it has an aura of contemplative silence - ideal for artists or anyone fleeing the madding crowd But when you have a thousand hectares of cork montado to get lost in Monte do Carmo, Azaruja, 7006-901 Evora (00351 266 970 050, hotelruralmontedocarmo.com, belverhotels.com). Doubles €55 per weekday night until July, otherwise around €80, incl breakfast. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from London Gatwick to Lisbon from £52.98 rtn incl taxes. A conglomerate of companies based in Kowloon and incorporated as a private company limited by shares registered in Hong Kong and which announced several investments in Portugal reaching 1.8 billion euros (approx. MOP16 billion) filed for bankruptcy of its Portuguese branch at the beginning of the year. The company in question – Prospect Time International – is, according to Chairman Brian Chen, “a group of companies that is driving progress and, with our customers and partners, building better communities through safe, smart, efficient infrastructure, high-tech green energies, and some state-of-the-art technological equipment and vehicles.” According to its official website it is a group of companies that primarily works in the technological area – Prospect Time International Investment Ltd., Sun Fung Aviation Equipment Import & Export Ltd., Shui Tat Photonics Technology Hong Kong Ltd. and Special Vehicles & Equipment Company Holding Ltd. – with special focus on renewable energy but also in real estate development. And it is at this particular point that the business in Portugal appears, announced in 2017 and grounded in a specific part of the country known as Alentejo (inland south). In June 2017 Mr. Brian Chen, Chairman and Executive of Prospect Time International Investment Ltd. and the group of companies, was “pleased to lead a team of experts to Portugal for a €1,800,000,000 (MOP 16.347 billion) project to be completed in the next four to five years.” Still in 2017, ‘Prospect Time International Investment Limited acquired the 30-hectare Hotel Elxadai, Elvas as its headquarters in Portugal. The acquisition sees Prospect Time’s commitment to the success of its various projects in southern Portugal radiating from the city of Elvas.’ In the following months just one development: the Mayor of Estremoz, Mr. Luis Mourinha, visited Hong Kong to sign a Co-operation Agreement between The Municipality of Estremoz and Prospect Time International Investment (Portugal). The latest information available on the Prospect International website is precisely this one, from February 2018. From then nothing else is known. As for the municipal councils involved, there has been no further update of the projects, especially during 2018. At the beginning of this year Prospect Time International Investment (Portugal) Lda officially requested the ‘dissolution and closure of the activity’. As one can discern, all protocols and business intentions made in Portugal based upon the company recently became redundant. The most curious aspect is that the company had only been formally constituted in August of last year. That is, it legally existed for only five months. Macau Business recently contacted Prospect Time in Kowloon and the two municipal councils involved, Elvas and Extremoz, but to no avail. Only the Mayor of Elvas responded to emails, declaring: “As for the requested [information], we have nothing to add to the above.” On Prospect Time International’s website, the reference to the Portuguese branch (Prospect Time International Investment (Portugal) Lda) headquartered in Elvas still appears, but that is all. Brian Chen’s declared intention to invest MOP16,347 billion in various projects “to be completed in the next four to five years” never reached the public, appearing only on the company’s website. If not a zero error, it would be one of the largest private investments in Portugal ever. But while there may be some misunderstanding in regard to this announcement, only the three projects announced for Elvas and Estremoz would together comprise one of the largest private investments made in this region of Portugal. It is readily understood that investment announcements have aroused much enthusiasm in the regions involved. And that the bankruptcy of the company is a sure hit on the projects already trumpeted. The wall of silence generated around the dissolution of the Portuguese company only increases speculation: to what is the closure due? What business did they actually undertake? What explanations were given to the local authorities involved? Has Prospect Time departed Portugal? The question of continuity in Portugal is relevant because the same partners who created Prospect Time International in Europe (Brian Chen and two Portuguese citizens) created at the same time (mid-2018) at least three other companies in the two regions in Alentejo: Solar King Energy (renewable energy), Prosperscenery (travel) and Springwell Investment (real estate investment). The capital of these three companies is quite low (less than 10,000 euros), but Prospect Time Portugal’s was not higher. These three companies that Macau Business discovered in Portugal, run by Brian Chen, do not appear on the website of Prospect Time International. If you’re looking for a low carbon, reusable material that is strong, robust and beautiful, stone is ready for a revival The environmental argument for stone is counter intuitive. On the one hand it’s not exactly lightweight and it has a finite availability. On the other, it’s an abundant, available, high strength material that can be chopped up and built with immediately. The Inventory of Embodied Carbon and Energy 2019 says ‘general stone’ has a carbon footprint of 0.079kg carbon per kg of stone. Concrete’s is 0.15kg/kg and steel’s 2.8kg/kg. These materials have different strengths so how can we compare apples with apples? ‘General stone’ has a carbon footprint of 0.079kg/kg. Concrete’s is 0.15kg/kg and steel 2.8kg/kg So why isn’t everyone building with stone already? The stone industry has been left behind, while billions has been invested in steel and concrete production. Relatively unsophisticated quarries produce stone with limited or no strength testing or certification. There are many stone cutters and installers who are geared up to provide decorative or highly aesthetic stone structures but are not mechanised for the large-scale production of structural stone components. Used in the right way, stone has the capacity to be very slender, durable and elegant Let’s start small. Stairs: Obviously. You’re about to put a boring steel portal frame in an old house: Save on decoration, make it stone. Your concrete frame: swap the columns for stone and leave them on show. You have a small canopy over a café: Build a little stone vault. Building five units of residential – how about a timber and stone hybrid? Production starts with demand; if you want it, demand it! Steve Webb is a founding partner at Webb Yates updates and our weekly newsletter – all designed to bring you the best stories from RIBAJ.com Among the rolling hills of Portugal hidden behind fruit trees that muffle a calming whistle of birdsong and swimming pools are perfect for softening the blow of Portugal's midsummer heat romantic or designed with a four-legged companion in mind here are some of the best places to stay where you can unplug your devices and reconnect with nature and other varieties that are integrated with the gardens’ many fountains and ponds On sunny days you may prefer to read in the gardens where the air is scented by jasmine and roses The house can comfortably accommodate up to 12 people, making it an ideal choice for families or groups of friends wishing to relax in this modern-day Garden of Eden, with fantastic beaches such as Mira described the area as a "marvellous kingdom" guests can stay in one of the 16 eco-houses or in the two sculptural treehouses designed by the architect Luís Rebelo Andrade which have received numerous architectural awards The park is home to the historic thermal baths of Pedras Salgadas, as well as a modern thermal spa renovated by the renowned architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. The spa menu includes a wide range of massages and aesthetic treatments offered within the thermal area Pedras Salgadas is an ideal place to relax in one of the lesser-known regions of Portugal these innovative architectural projects have brought the 19th-century spa into the present-day with undeniable style Sleeps: two to four in each eco-house or tree housePrice: from £154 per night Accommodating up to 10 people (six adults in three suites and up to four children in a mezzanine room) it has been meticulously restored by its owner working with the architect João Cassiano Santos The house, which has been in do Carmo’s family for three generations, is set in the stunning countryside of the Alentejo region and has a swimming pool surrounded by an orchard of holm oaks The region is undoubtedly one of the richest in Portugal when it comes to its culture and traditions especially in relation to its gastronomy and wines Guests at the property will want to visit Estremoz and eat in restaurants such as Mercería Gadanha or visit towns such as Évora (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) or Monsaraz – all roughly 60 kilometres or less from the villa This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from Casal worked with architect Victor Mineiro who respected the spirit of the region and used ancient building techniques to restore the block walls covered with ochre lime The result reflects the ecology and aesthetics of the region The Villa Pedra Natural Houses offer the illusion of living in a village that has been made whole again, with fully equipped homes decorated with vintage furniture and lots of art. The 10 villas have a communal garden – in addition to each house’s private garden – and a chill-out area that invites guests to sunbathe. The swimming pool is especially inviting on hot summer days while the villas’ fireplaces provide warmth in winter Villa Pedra offers its guests a wonderful breakfast that includes bread baked in a wood-fired oven and typical products of the region Sleeps: two (for six of the villas) and four (for the other four villas)Price: from £111 In this region where time seems to stand still The home’s exquisite design incorporates details from local crafts embracing its roots through the historic architecture and rustic interiors It also offers simple pleasures: a dip in the sapphire blue pool or relaxing in a hammock while listening to birdsong as the breeze gently rustles nearby trees the house combines a modern feel with inviting comforts through a sophisticated palette of white as well as tropical details such as the plants found throughout Try your hand at cooking traditional Portuguese dishes in the main house's kitchen before enjoying an al fresco meal in the stunning outdoor dining area retire to one of the two master suites or one of the two neighbouring studios each with a king-sized bed and private bathroom Sleeps: eight (in four suites)Price: from £256 per night who wanted to provide a bucolic experience in this idyllic setting On a large plot of land they have lovingly built eight beautiful stone cottages with thatched roofs made to resemble the lagoons of the Serra da Estrela guests can commune with nature and explore the nearby trails on foot or on the bicycles that are available free of charge Children will enjoy learning about farm life as they collect eggs from the chicken coop or take a dip in the pool where frogs often visit too The cottages are all equipped with kitchens and have private balconies and terraces Sleeps: two to six (per cottage)Price: from £115 per night son of the Pritzker Prize winner Álvaro Siza Vieira It’s a masterpiece of architecture and engineering in a stunning setting The narrow and long lot on which the house sits is on a steep slope The architect’s solution to this challenge was to design a building that consists of a series of small volumes that connect to each other and with a series of terraces – one of them includes a swimming pool It’s an ingenious and striking use of space The interior is decorated in a contemporary style while a fireplace offers warmth on cool evenings The house has two double rooms and one single The property isn’t suitable for children and pets are not allowed but it is an ideal destination for nature and architecture lovers Boutique Homes8. Quinta dos Murças (Douro)The historic Quinta dos Murças is owned by the prestigious winery Esporão They have restored the estate house which is available for vacation rentals The location is unbeatable, on the right bank of the Douro River, between Régua and Pinhão, in the heart of the Alto Douro, a UNESCO World Heritage wine region The house was completely renovated in 2017 respecting the traditional local architecture and its charm The Anahory Almeida studio was in charge of the project and they completed it with exquisite taste The five bedrooms can accommodate up to 10 people while in the main room the windows open onto the "golden river" As well as being able to experience the daily life of a winery and partake in wine tastings guests at Quinta dos Murças can explore the area on nature walks (they have three trekking routes) Sleeps: 10 (in five rooms)Price: from £598 per night they decided to restore several old whitewashed buildings that formed part of an old mill and turn them into a beautiful retreat Architect Luís Pereira Miguel helped the couple achieve their vision and the project has been recognised with a number of awards The property is close to the village of Arraiolos have been fully restored and sit amid a lush green landscape dotted with megalithic rocks The countryside waits to be explored and there are bicycles available when you are ready to set out You may also choose to stay on the property and enjoy the swimming pool that sits between the mill’s old watercourses the sky offers incredible stargazing opportunities in this town far from sources of light pollution Open House is a new addition in the centre of Arraiolos perfect for creative retreats as well as for groups and families of up to 10 people It also has a rooftop pool to cool off from the summer heat and enjoy the views of this historic Portuguese village Sleeps: two to six (in the three original houses); 10 at Open House (in a family suite and three double rooms).Price: from £103 per night This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller Spain. Archaeologists who were digging in a medieval Portuguese necropolis unearthed three skeletons of young men who had their hands and feet cut off just before they died Most likely the consequence of judicial punishment, the gruesome amputation was inflicted on the men between the 13th and 15th centuries in the town of Estremoz were excavated in 2001 from a necropolis known as Rossio do Marquês de Pombal The researchers were astonished to see that the skeletons were handless and footless "Their hands and feet with stumps were placed under or near the bodies," Cunha said This is the first time that three individuals have been found buried in the same medieval necropolis with both their arms and lower legs severed just before death It wasn't possible to determine the age of the third skeleton because it was incomplete Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox The researchers, who published their findings online June 9 in the International Journal of Paleopathology noted that the hands and feet were complete with all of the bones attached as they were in life This suggests that the amputation was intentional and occurred around the time of death while the joints' soft tissues were still intact the skeletons would have had multiple lesions characteristic of the corpose being cut up or quartered after death as a form of public shaming thieves and counterfeiters were sentenced to have their hands cut off "Yet severe body mutilations were relatively rare and only applied to individuals considered very dangerous," said Teresa Fernandes a researcher in the Department of Biology at the University of Évora in Portugal "It is possible that the cutting of all limbs would represent a punishment only applied to very serious crimes," she added The three men may have been punished for political reasons "These skeletons may represent the testimony of vigorous application of justice as an act of royal sovereignty in a peripheral but militarily strategic region," the researchers said The fractures on the shinbone indicate the legs were cut with a strong blow while the symmetry of the cut marks on the legs also suggests they were straight and parallel to each other when they were severed Those marks and others led the researchers to conclude that the barbaric procedure was carried out with a sharp instrument it wasn't a single blow: Cuts on the incomplete skeleton revealed that the man suffered at least one failed attempt to cut off his legs Other than the lesions in the forearms and leg bones the researchers did not find any evidence of trauma or injuries near the vital organs they could not confirm that the men were executed after the amputation Rather, the individuals probably bled to death caused severe hemorrhagia that led to death," Cunha said She noted that the individuals did not survive long Original article on Live Science. 1,800-year-old warhorse cemetery held remains of a beloved horse — and a man considered an 'outsider' to Roman society Hårby Valkyrie: A 1,200-year-old gold Viking Age woman sporting a sword Secret 'drug room' full of psychedelic 'snuff tubes' discovered at pre-Inca site in Peru Arriving at the 120-hectare property, the sensation of space provides a breathtaking first impression. Wind down the window and the scent of fig trees envelops you, with views of 13,000 olive trees stretching out over the hills. What was once a farm owned by nuns from a nearby convent, then later used by a commune of farmers to produce olive oil, the structures on which Da Licenca was built have existed here since the 1840s. After partners Vitor Borges and Franck Laigneau acquired the land, five years went into the retreat’s making, until it eventually opened in late 2018. The imposing whitewashed structure consists of three buildings; the main house containing a suite and two bedrooms, the second building housing another two suites and a bedroom, while the remaining building features a further two suites – each with their own picturesque and private swimming pool. Reiterating the beauty of space, the interiors are minimal and monastic, designed with no doors to allow each room to flow from one into the next. But the bathrooms are hard to miss with hand-sculpted marble sinks and two boasting grand marble bathtubs. Outside the privacy of the bedrooms, there is still much ground to cover, beginning with private gardens and lovely terraces. Then there are the communal spaces, such as the living and dining rooms, a scenic porch for breakfast, and a choice of two swimming pools surrounded by nature. The artist behind Australia's incredible mega murals Da Licenca is a place where time slows right down. Home to one of Portugal’s largest farmers’ markets, spend your Saturday morning strolling the marble cobblestone streets of Rossio Marques de Pombal Square. In the city of Estremoz, only a 15-minute drive away, the castle dominates the rustic medieval town and offers stunning vistas over the Alentejo landscape from Menagem Keep. The Alentejo wine region ranks among the world’s best, producing ripe and fruity reds. Take advantage of your stay and visit some exceptional local wineries. The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate Palacio da Pena Wikimedia commonsSintra, just half an hour by train from Lisbon, is a must see as soon as you set foot in Portugal and truly stands up to its name of one of the most beautiful towns in Portugal. With its spectacular palaces, gardens and walls, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995 and is worth every minute you spend walking through its beautiful streets. From the 16th-century National Palace in the centre of the village, work your way outwards. Throughout the streets you will find yourself flanked by colourful houses which gradually lead you to the town’s other wonderful monuments: the Castelo dos Mouros, built in the 9th century, and the Palacio Da Pena (Pena Palace), residence of the Portuguese royal family during the 19th century. Make sure to also head to some of the local bakeries to try sweet treats that are made in the area. Estremoz is not only one of Portugal's prettiest villages, but is also one of the best representatives of the wine tradition in the Alentejo area of Portugal, making it a great place for an enotourist getaway in Portugal. Make sure to pay a visit the Chapel of São Martinho, the Parish Church of Santa Maria and the Church of Senhor da Pedra. Ericeira's historic old town bernswaelz on PixabayPortugal has an incredible tradition of fishing villages, and Ericeira, near Mafra, is one of the most beautiful fishing villages in Portugal. You're in for a treat in this beautiful Portuguese town, and will best enjoy the village by strolling through its cobblestone streets and photographing its unbelievably picturesque little blue and white houses. In addition to its seafaring roots and devotion to the patron saint of fishermen, Ericeira is famous for being part of Portugal's contemporary history: it was from the port located in the area, that the Portuguese royal family went into exile in Brazil more than a century ago following the declaration of the First Portuguese Republic. The streets of Monsaraz are an authentic time machine that transport you to another era, one with more peace and tranquillity, but also with unique expressions of music, theatre and dance. Don't forget to check out some of the local food, and wash down your meal with some Monsaraz wine. Carnation Revolution: Portugal's Freedom Day On 25th April Portugal underwent a fundamental transformation known as the Carnation Revolution This pivotal event marked the end of the Estado Novo dictatorship and the start of Portugal's path to democracy The day is celebrated annually as Freedom Day to honour this peaceful transition and the newfound era of freedom and democracy Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.