Away from the hustle and bustle: a wine trip through the Alentejo

Portugal has long since developed from an insider tip to a popular travel destination. While Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve are increasingly crowded with visitors, the Alentejo is much more relaxed and less crowded - which is precisely why it is one of the most exciting destinations for wine travelers. The region, around an hour and a half's drive east of Lisbon, is vast, rural and, with only around 22 inhabitants per square kilometer, one of the most sparsely populated areas in southern Europe. Gentle hills, extensive fields, cork oak forests, olive groves and vineyards dominate the landscape. In between, there are always villages and small towns with their typical whitewashed houses. Wine explorers will not only find a variety of exciting wineries here, but also a remarkable density of stylish accommodation.