The geography and history of the Alentejo have contributed significantly to the fact that there is a large number of large country estates in this region of Portugal. Even in Roman times, the villae rustica were part of the Alentejo landscape.

These large estates, also called latifundium, extend over several hectares of land in the Alentejo and usually consist of a main house, outbuildings and farm buildings. Traditionally, the estates practised viticulture, olive growing, pig and cattle breeding in combination with the montado system, from which cork was then extracted, also a considerable source of income.

Nowadays, many of these estates (herdades, in Portuguese) have turned to tourism. The secluded estates of the Alentejo offer a perfect retreat from the stress of everyday life. As wine and olive growing is still practised on many estates, guests can taste these classic products of the Alentejo on site at wine and olive oil tastings in a rustic ambience.

We would like to briefly introduce the following estates:

Herdade do Amarelo: The Herdade do Amarelo Natura & Spa is a rural tourism property in the Alentejo, more precisely in São Luís, near Vila Nova de Milfontes, in the southern Alentejo. The XIX century property has been restored in traditional style and offers the discerning guest various luxury suites from 150 EUR per night.

The website is available in Portuguese, Spanish and English. For more information, see: https://www.herdadedoamarelo.pt

Herdade do Sobroso: The Herdade do Sobroso Wine and Country House is located in Vidigueira, in the heart of the Alentejo, where wine growing has a very long tradition. The hosts Filipe Pinto and Sofia Machado have a lot to offer on the 1600 hectares of land: from wine tasting to kayaking and birdwatching, a stay at the Sobroso estate will be an unforgettable memory for the guests.

The website is available in Portuguese and English. Link here: https://www.herdadedosobroso.pt

Herdade do Manantio: For lovers of hunting, there are few estates in Portugal that can rival Herdade do Manantio.  On the 1000 hectare estate on the edge of Lake Alqueva, mainly red grouse are shot. All rooms have a bathroom, air conditioning and room service. The rooms on the ground floor have direct access to the garden. The house is divided by wings and adjoining rooms can be reserved for groups or families.

The website can be found at https://valedomanantio.com, with language selection for Portuguese and English.