Sophie Saint sums up The Alentejo nicely: “The Alentejo Coast is a world away from the Algarve. We’re talking expansive sandy beaches, awesome surf, craggy intimidating cliffs and dusty red soils reminiscent to a Western Australian landscape. The area of Alentejo blankets a third of Portugal and is wild and beautiful, with actual tumbleweed that echoes the population: sparse and empty.”

Rugged coastline, sleepy hillsides and an opportunity to get away from it all. What more could you ask for?