Rural Alentejo remains under the radar for most visitors to Portugal, who flock to Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, while wine tourism has long centred on the Douro Valley. Last year only 3.1 per cent of the 19.7mn foreign tourists to Portugal made it to Alentejo. However interest in the region is growing: Baixo Alentejo (Lower Alentejo) has been named “European Wine City” for 2026 — despite the fact it is about as far from a city as it’s possible to get — while the EU has designated the town of Évora in Alentejo Central as one of its two capitals of culture for next year. Winemakers are helping draw visitors with destination restaurants and stylish hotels, such as our base for the weekend, Herdade da Malhadinha Nova — a sprawling family-run estate that received one of Portugal’s first Michelin keys last year.