I didn’t even know I was going to the Alentejo the first time I visited; I simply wanted to sun myself in the famed beach enclave of Comporta, and only realised where I was when I arrived.
That’s because the Alentejo’s greatest hits are so much more famous than the album: Evora, the regional capital, a Unesco site and “city-museum”; Monsaraz with its castles and lakes; Troia, the seaside weekend destination beloved of Lisboetas; historic Estremoz and its fabulous weekend market; and Comporta — that string of sandy, stylish beach towns whose seafood restaurants and kaftan shops were enough to pull me 1,500 miles southwards. We might have heard of the sights, but if asked to place Alentejo on a map, we’d maybe stumble.
Yet, the Alentejo is Portugal’s biggest region, stretching from the Algarve in the south to beyond Marvao in the north, with an epic Atlantic coastline to the west and Spain to the east — it’s vast. But with no airports or big cities, it’s better known for two things: farming and rural tourism. My hunch is you’re more interested in the latter, and in ticking off all the extraordinary destinations listed above. Which means you’ll fly into Lisbon or Faro and jump straight in the hire car (Comporta is 90 minutes from Lisbon; the Costa Vicentina, great for hiking, about 80 miles from Faro).
Sines, in the Alentejo region
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If you want to bask on the beaches of Comporta — as I did — the good news is they’re as effortlessly, un-obnoxiously cool as ever, nothing like the “Hamptons” nor the “Ibiza of Portugal” as they’ve been dubbed. That’s because this 30-mile coastline in the north of the region is so fearsomely protected by the state, that you could have a mile of that sand to yourself in mid-August. Yes, there are pockets of development allowed (at Troia, Comporta, Carvalhal and Melides villages — all collectively known as “Comporta”, where the beach hotels and boutiques congregate) but absolutely nothing in between. These are the ingredients for the perfect beach-holiday recipe.
As for inland exploration, you’ll be equally well rewarded. As the days passed on my first seductive visit — more than a decade ago now — day trips got longer, our escapades further afield. We ventured to pretty towns such as riverside Alcacer do Sal and market-lined Grandola, which became staples on second and third visits to the Alentejo. The driving is dreamy: empty roads carving through cork and olive groves, where umbrella pine trees grow straight up from the sand dunes, then — as you approach Spain — it’s much more mountainous, and all of a sudden you’ll spot a whitewashed village such as Monsaraz, like a cherry on a craggy cake of rock.
And then there’s the wine! A reserva rosé from Herdade da Comporta is better than any Provençal drop. And don’t forget the lakes: Alqueva, near the Spanish border, is so large it has sandy beaches, and country estates nearby welcome guests with local produce and four-poster beds. Meanwhile, the hiking and mountain bike trails of the southwest, which lead into the Algarve, have even been given preservation status: the Vicentine Coast Natural Park.
The region has a wonderful collection of villas and hotels, and many properties offer both options — make sure there’s a fridge in which to store all that chilled rosé.
1. Casas Caiadas Open House, Arraiolos
The Alentejo is the biggest region in Portugal, and almost entirely rural. Many villas capitalise on their vast, remote plots, so it’s special when you find a big house in the centre of historic Arraiolos with a rooftop pool and plenty of space in four stylish bedrooms, not to mention sunny balconies, terracotta-tiled terraces and two art-adorned living areas (one with an open fire). You’re within walking distance of bars and restaurants along the cobbles, and a 20-minute drive from must-see Evora.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for eight from £2,686 (casascaiadas.com). Fly to Lisbon
2. Dune, Soltroia, Troia
So protected are the wild dunes and dolphin-frequented estuary of Costa de Gale — a sandy peninsula close to Lisbon — that very little building is allowed, and only in approved areas. Thus, Soltroia was born: a coastal estate with everything from five-bedroom mansions built in traditional Portuguese style, to contemporary sea-view apartments. Dune 5 is one of the latter, seconds from pristine Troia beach, with a huge roof terrace for sundowners, and use of a shared pool in palm-shaded gardens. It’s set across two floors, with sliding glass doors, and all-white walls spruced up with bright furniture.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for six from £687 (holidaylovers.com). Fly to Lisbon
Quinta da Comporta
FREDERIC DUCOUT PHOTOGRAPHY
3. Quinta da Comporta, Carvalhal
Here’s our first mention of the “C” word — famed and fabulous Comporta, once a fishing village, now a beachy hub awash with second-home Lisboetas, swimwear boutiques and juice bars. If you don’t own a pad here, this new resort offers the next best thing: spectacular, architecturally designed homes with private pools, within cycling distance of the sea in cool Carvalhal village (a Comporta satellite). You’ll also have use of the Quinta hotel facilities, including a glass-walled swimming pool, spa, restaurants, bar, bikes and more.
Details One night’s B&B for six from £811 (quintadacomporta.com). Fly to Lisbon
4. Pousada Castelo, Alcacer do Sal
Like so many other pousadas (formerly state-governed historic hotels), this place is a destination in itself — in this case, a medieval hilltop castle. But rather than making you drive hours to reach a rural spot, Pousada Castelo is only an hour from Lisbon and under 30 minutes from the beaches of Comporta in the pretty riverside town of Alcacer do Sal. Expect flagstone corridors, arch-trimmed courtyards and even an underground archaeological crypt, as well as traditional but light rooms, some with original features.
Details B&B doubles from £77 (pestana.com). Fly to Lisbon
The living room of Herdade de Malhadinha Nova
5. Herdade de Malhadinha Nova, Albernoa
The Alentejo is known as Portugal’s breadbasket, and this 4.5 sq km country estate is doing a big chunk of production, farming everything from black pork and pure-bred beef, to vineyard grapes. No surprise given the region’s size, there’s room enough on the property for five villas (plus a hotel and restaurant, where breakfast is served), which range from blue-washed traditional cottages to glass-and-concrete pavilions. No need to get in the car either; you can enjoy balloon rides, cookery lessons, wine tasting, or go canoeing on site.
Details Seven nights’ B&B from £1,189pp, based on two sharing a villa, including flights and car hire (sunvil.co.uk)
6. Alentejo House, Estremoz
Owned by different generations of the same family since it was built in the 1930s, this house was already modern in Alentejo terms, but is now a contemporary marvel. It’s had a sleek lap pool and decked terrace added to its gardens of olive groves, as well as a stainless-steel cook’s kitchen (the owner is a chef), poured concrete floors and atmospheric skylights. The location feels utterly rural, yet is actually on the edge of ancient Estremoz, known for its Saturday food and antiques market.
Details One night’s self-catering for eight from £386; three-night minimum stay (boutique-homes.com). Fly to Lisbon
A bedroom at Octant Santiago
7. Octant Santiago, Santiago do Cacem
Nowhere embraces the Alentejo’s “bread basket” nickname quite as enthusiastically as Octant Santiago — not least because you can learn the art of breadmaking as well as whipping up local specialities in its cooking academy. The little ones can get stuck into pizza-making lessons, and even culinary cowards will learn by osmosis thanks to the busy open kitchen. Rooms are decked in crisp whites and subtle ocean blues, and at night you’ll have postcard-worthy views over the castle-topped city.
Details B&B doubles from £75 (santiago.octanthotels.com). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
8. Monte do Pardieiro do Meio, near Grandola
There is a look to the classic whitewashed, one-level Comporta beach houses that grace the pages of Architectural Digest: deep-blue painted trim; original farm doors; rattan light shades; exposed pitch-roof beams, and walls covered with art to show off the interior designer’s travels. It also usually costs a bomb to stay in one — as much as £20,000 a week. But not in this place, a little further out of the fray, and not a bad deal if you can fill it with ten friends. It has a lovely pool to boot.
Details One night’s self-catering for ten from £432; three-night minimum stay (pintahouse.com). Fly to Lisbon
9. Herdade de Montalvo, Alcacer do Sal
Your sat-nav will show you’re only 15 minutes’ drive from the trendy beaches of Comporta and Carvalhal here, but the two spots are worlds apart. That’s because you’ve driven directly inland, through dense pine and cork groves, to a collection of villas hidden from the road. Lake Villa is a great three-bedroom home with a wood-burner and pool table for autumnal evenings, or barbecue and outdoor dining area if you’re fortunate enough to bag a week in summer. The terracotta-roofed home is painted in the classic white-and-yellow of the region, its L-shape wrapped around a large, private pool.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering from £640pp, based on two sharing, including flights and car hire (sunvil.co.uk)
10. Casa Sines, Cercal do Alentejo
What a steal: a cute, detached cottage, under half an hour’s drive from the coast, with a private pool and weekly rates that equal one night in a hotel if you were staying nearer the action. It’s a simple abode, with space for just a couple, or a small family (three people max), in a yellow-and-white farmhouse conversion with terracotta floors, exposed beams and upcycled farm features. If you’re not the beach type, this area is also popular for cycling, lake swimming and horse riding.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for three from £421 (micazu.com). Fly to Faro or Lisbon
11. Butterfly House, Pestana Troia, Troia
You’ve no doubt picked up by now just how hot the Alentejo is on all things green; you can’t move for the word “eco”, which comes attached to every home in a new development from the Portuguese Pestana hotel group — each house is either carbon neutral or as close as. The very best example is Butterfly House, which has two timber “wings” linked by a glass corridor “body” — one contains the gorgeous open-plan living spaces, while the other houses four chic bedrooms. The whole thing surrounds a decked pool. And while true beach houses — that is, ones that are actually within walking distance of the coast — are rare in these parts, this one has its own path straight to the sea.
Details One night’s self-catering for eight from £287 (pestanatroia.com). Fly to Lisbon
12. Monte Falperras, Alqueva
If you take Evora and Estremoz out of the equation, it’d be easy to assume the Alentejo’s greatest hits all play out along the coast. But way, way inland, right on the Spanish border, is a vast network of lakes, many with sandy beaches and incredible scenery. Alqueva is one of the best known, with beautiful swimming and the Monte Falperras farmhouse a stroll from the water’s edge. A sprawling yet stylishly restored property that sleeps 14, Monte Falperras is equally perfect for Christmas as it is in summer. Will you choose to enjoy the smell of pine cones on the fire, or basking by the pool?
Details One night’s self-catering for 14 from £344; two-night minimum stay (montefalperras.com). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
13. Casa Oliveira, Sao Teotonio
A Dutch couple spent ten years building this traditional one-bedroom clay house on a beautiful rural estate next to their home. Barn doors have been re-used as tables, metal pipework has been transformed into cool lighting and ancient stone sinks have been sourced, alongside azulejo tiles used to part-cover walls Portuguese-style. You’re not far from the beach, though the draw here are the countryside walks and the couple’s extended family of horses, sheep and goats. The swimming pool is shared between the two properties.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for three from £422 (micazu.com). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
Casa no Montinho, Alcarias
14. Casa no Montinho, Alcarias
When the owners found Casa no Montinho it was a series of ruined farmhouse outbuildings in a tiny hamlet of chickens and wildflowers (though, handily, the location is moments off the E1 motorway from Faro to Lisbon). Because of this, the finished conversion can sleep up to ten, but in three distinct spaces — ideal for families, or multiple couples. With a mix of chic antiques and must-have mod cons (including the biggest fridge and ice machine we’ve seen in a Portuguese rental), the rooms feel well loved yet special. There’s also a saltwater pool and bikes to borrow, and the free breakfast served at the house (if you wish) is a nice touch.
Details One night’s self-catering for ten from £346; two-night minimum stay (casanomontinho.pt). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
15. Casas da Horta, Alcacer do Sal
With 1.5 sq km of cork groves, lakeland and countryside to call their own, owners Maria and Bernardo at first filled the space with dogs, sheep, chickens, horses and a donkey. But with room left over, they built two separate rental homes: Casa das Alcachofras (Artichoke House) and Beterrabas (Beetroot House), both with two bedrooms and a private pool. Each comes kitted in the classic raffia-wood-whitewash uniform, with wood-burners a nice extra. The chance to dive from the lake pier is the star attraction.
Details One night’s self-catering for six from £221; two-night minimum stay (casasdahorta.pt). Fly to Lisbon
16. Casa do Covo, Porto Covo
You’re a-ways down the Alentejo coast here, where the Atlantic wind starts to pick up again after calm Comporta, and the craggy coastline could pass for west-coast Ireland — if it were in the sunshine. In the seaside town of Porto Covo you’ll find this contemporary villa, which sleeps eight in a white concrete and glass box. There’s an ultra-slick lap pool in the garden and, atop the flat roof, a sunny terrace with sea views. As beach houses go, they don’t come closer: you can be down on the sands of Buizinhos in less than two minutes.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for eight from £2,429 (secretplaces.com). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
17. Casa Latrinas Alta, Vale do Guadiana
Of all these holiday villas, this is the most southerly, close to the border with the Algarve and deep inland in the Vale do Guadiana Natural Park. Days here revolve around river canoeing, lake and waterfall swimming, and perhaps a visit to 14th-century Serpa with its medieval town walls. It’s surprising then to find this modern, glassy home of light wells and asymmetrical ceilings — and even more surprising when you learn it’s a recent conversion of former miners’ latrines (hence the name). But such style comes with substance too: olive grove gardens and river views, all close to the famous Via Verde walking trail.
Details One night’s self-catering for five from £114 (vrbo.com). Fly to Faro
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18. Monte do Zambujeiro, Vila Nova de Milfontes
Location, location, location: that’s the superpower of this herdade — or rural estate — that’s on the banks of the River Mira (the shared pool literally teeters over it) but also less than ten minutes’ drive from the beach. As with so many herdades in Portugal, there are individual hotel suites on offer at Monte do Zambujeiro, but also villas in the grounds, the most independent being Casa do Caseiro. It’s a lovely two-bedroom cottage, set away from the main building but with access to the spectacular saltwater pool, hammocks and main farmhouse building for free homemade breakfasts.
Details One night’s B&B for five from £173 (montedozambujeiro.com). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
19. Sublime Comporta, Comporta
Sublime is not so much a place to stay as a way of life in the Comporta area. Yes, there are villas — beautiful thatched cabana-style designs with their own pools — but there’s also a beach club (guests get priority sunbed booking), and a farm selling its produce, olive oil and Alentejo wines. There’s a spa so good it seduces guests from rival properties, and a rural restaurant that beachgoers are happy to drive to (Sublime Comporta is ten minutes from the coast). Villas run from two to five bedrooms, but each is a timber-and-glass glory to behold, with unique features such as sand gardens, internal courtyards with trees, and bedrooms with soaring pitched ceilings.
Details One night’s B&B in a two-bedroom house for four from £604 (sublimecomporta.pt). Fly to Lisbon
20. Monte do Brejinho, Brejinho de Agua do Sul
There’s nothing owner Nuno won’t do for his — loyal (mostly repeat) — guests, who stay in cottages in the grounds of his family’s farm. Perhaps you need some homemade coffee cake at breakfast (included), or a hand-drawn map to his secret beach. This is what makes Monte do Brejinho special among so many other Alentejo farm stays, though it’s worth noting that even its standard offerings are a notch above: an immaculate shared walled pool; pristine cottages (ideal for couples) that are also practical, with modern kitchens; and gardens you’re free to roam, which you’re bound to do a lot if your kids take a liking to Alice the goat. The location, ten minutes’ drive from trendy Carvalhal, is the cherry on top.
Details One night’s B&B in a one-bed cottage for two from £86 (booking.com). Fly to Lisbon
21. Troia Resort, Troia
Rumours abound that football manager José Mourinho owns one of the homes here (he was born in nearby Setubal). Land House is one of the resort’s collection of contemporary beach properties,, each designed by one of three renowned Portuguese architects (themed land, light or air). They differ from other Alentejo rentals in that they are coastal, but right in the heart of the action too, so you have the restaurants and boutiques of Troia marina on hand. The houses each have dune-style gardens and a path to the beach, but no private pool (there’s a communal infinity pool with sea views). Within, you can expect open-tread staircases, glass partition walls and modern panelling.
Details One night’s self-catering for five from £194 (editoryhotels.com). Fly to Lisbon
22. Blue House, Grandola
Owners Sofia and Alfonso renovated the two separate blue-washed cottages (always rented together) with beach trips in mind — you’re less than a 15-minute drive from the coast. In the main house there are living spaces, a lovely shaded dining terrace and most of the bedrooms (one on a mezzanine isn’t very private, while the bunk room suits families), and the other cottage sleeps two. Exposed beams, banisters and woodwork are painted pastel blue against the worn-in terracotta floors, antique chests and vintage patterned fabrics. There’s also a private plunge pool.
Details One night’s self-catering for 11 from £237 (secretplaces.com). Fly to Lisbon
23. Monte Xisto, Vale de Agua
Family-owned and run, Monte Xisto does what so many other country-estate hotels in the Alentejo do, just on a smaller scale: rural living, bucolic landscapes, a laid-back pool scene and thoughtful local food. Staff can’t do enough for guests and will fill your days with local recommendations for beaches, bike trails and bird watching. It’s not quite as magazine-worthy as the other herdades nearby (bright rooms are colour-themed, with crazy-paved stone floors and questionable art), but this is a good choice for atmosphere and affordability.
Details B&B doubles from £142 (montexisto.com). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
Les Terrasses de Comporta
24. Les Terrasses de Comporta, Melides
Architecturally, Les Terrasses de Comporta is unforgettable: three beautifully brutalist bungalows that sleep eight in total. On location, you couldn’t do better: remote enough to hear a pine cone fall from the tree, but within 15 minutes’ drive of cool beaches Carvalhal and Melides. And the views! Usually, in the flat Alentejo, you need to be in a beach apartment to see the sea, but here you have an uninterrupted ocean vista. With tropical gardens, and an angular pool and terraces, it could win at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for eight from £6,566 (welcomebeyond.com). Fly to Lisbon
25. Imani, Guadalupe
Only an hour from Lisbon, glamorous Imani country house — with two pools, one of which is carved from the lawn in an Instagrammable circle — makes the perfect weekend for those lucky enough to bag one of its seven swish suites. Luckier still is the traveller who takes Imani over for exclusive use — sleeping 22 in total — which means access to the chef. Interiors are more luxe than usual in these parts (often beach-chic or farmhouse fab is the norm), so bring your poshest pals.
Details One night’s self-catering for 16 adults and 6 children from £854 (imani.pt). Fly to Lisbon
26. Monte do Casarao, Sao Teotonio
This is a bit of a find for budget travellers, as it was for the Dutch family who bought it more than a decade ago. What they found was a farmhouse — which they reserve for themselves — on a huge plot in the mountains inland from the Alentejo’s most southerly sands. It’s only half an hour’s drive from the beach (though be aware this Praia do Carvalhal is not the Carvalhal, but a much emptier, wilder stretch with the same name). There are now six cottages here, each on its own “monte” (or hill) for maximum peace and privacy. Lovely but low-key, they’re not going to bag any style awards with their simple furnishings, but there is a shared pool with breathtaking views from on high.
Details One night’s self-catering for six from £74 (montedocasarao.com). Fly to Faro
27. Sobreiras Alentejo Country Hotel, near Grandola
Architecture is a big deal in Portugal (it has more than its fair share of Pritzker prizewinners), and this is particularly evident at Sobreiras, where even the children’s wooden playground is a masterpiece of design. Timber pitched roofs provide tepee-style shade for kids, and beyond lie the minimalist bedrooms, a restaurant and the pool. It feels almost like a space-age glampsite among wildflowers — and it’s magnificent. You can spend your days enjoying various country pursuits — padel tennis, horse riding, cycling — or soaking up the sun on one of the beaches, equidistant between hip Comporta and humble Sines.
Details B&B twins from £86 (sobreiras.pt). Fly to Lisbon
The living room of Espiga House
28. Espiga House, Evora
Evora is more than the Alentejan capital — it’s also a Unesco world heritage site that gives tourists a city hit in a vast region that is otherwise agricultural or beachy. Almost all visitors spend at least a day here, and Espiga House sleeps six in converted 17th-century stables on Evora’s fringes. The house is one of a collection of renovated outbuildings and only opened in the pandemic, so is still relatively unknown and a bargain. Interiors are bright, modern and simple, but the magic ingredient is the grounds — lovingly maintained farmland and vegetable gardens (with a farm shop to supply your kitchen), all in the shadow of the historic Quinta.
Details One night’s self-catering for six from £129 (qsf.com.pt). Fly to Lisbon
29. Villa Casinhoto, Carvalhal, Comporta
This is a real crowd-pleaser: a brilliant beach house seconds from the sea (and local icon Sal Restaurant) but also at the edges of Carvalhal village, walking distance from the design stores (check out Stork Club) and trendy restaurants (5 Sentidos). This pad is perfect for a blowout or big birthday: it sleeps ten across three thatched cottages that sit around a cool mosaic pool, with terraces and living spaces perfect for wine-fuelled chats and card games. Rooms are light and airy, but not overly styled (hence the sensible price), so you can relax in the knowledge a broken wine glass won’t bankrupt you.
Details Seven nights’ self-catering for ten from £3,606 (boutique-homes.com). Fly to Lisbon
Sao Lourenco do Barrocal, Monsaraz
30. Sao Lourenco do Barrocal, Monsaraz
Eight generations of one family have lived at this vast country estate, but it took the youngest member — dashing Jose Antonio Uva — to turn it into a farming retreat for paying guests. He has done so with almost religious reverence for the property’s heritage: neolithic barrocais (stone outcrops) are preserved in the grounds; original grain sacks have been used as artwork in the suites; and tours of the 200-year-old vineyards can be taken by horse-drawn carriage. This is low-key luxury with unbeatable food and views over olive groves and ancient oaks.
Details B&B doubles from £361 (barrocal.pt). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
The glamorous Troia Design Hotel
31. Troia Design Hotel, Troia
Take the scenic ferry from Setubal to Troia and you’ll spot your hotel before anything else: a skyscraper whose curved-glass balconies mimic the ocean’s waves and are even lit in blue by night. It’s not to everybody’s taste, but all that glass and sunlight does make for phenomenal sea views, and a wonderful feeling of being on the water when you’re actually in bed. Within the hotel there’s a casino, and glam Troia marina is all yacht clubs and boutiques, but there’s nothing to stop you just enjoying one of the safest, clearest beaches on the Alentejo coast.
Details B&B doubles from £92 (troiadesignhotel.com). Fly to Lisbon
Spatia Comporta
FRANCISCO NOGUEIRA
32. Spatia Comporta, Comporta
Imagine the traditional herdade (country estate) turned on its head for the 21st century — the same infinite grounds filled with lavender, olive trees and cork oaks, just with contemporary glass cabana outbuildings with every mod con. That’s Spatia Comporta. Time feels as though it stands still here, and if you want to spend a full seven days beside the Ibiza-smart pool, you’re welcome to. There are three places to eat — including Nesto, where the menu of local fresh fish is heavenly — and, soon, a spa and a beach club on the pristine Praia do Pinheirinho.
Details B&B doubles from £166 (spatiacomporta.com). Fly to Lisbon
Vila Galý Clube de Campo
VILA GALÝ HOTELS
33. Vila Gale Clube de Campo, Beja
What a concept: a health-conscious resort on a wine estate in a ravishing natural setting. Portuguese friends and families check in to enjoy a week of good food and wine, then effortlessly burn it all off by playing tennis, horse riding, canoeing, mountain biking or simply sweating in the Turkish hammam. Rooms are farmhouse-chic, while the mosaic pools and traditional Portuguese palette of white, blue, yellow and terracotta make for a photogenic setting.
Details B&B doubles from £94 (vilagale.com). Fly to Lisbon or Faro
Evora Cathedral
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34. M’AR De AR Aqueduto, Evora
Within the walls of the ancient city, just five minutes’ walk from Giraldo Square and its terrace cafés, this luxury pad sits in a Unesco World Heritage site. That’s because in a former life it was the Sepulveda Palace and what was once a regal courtyard now holds a gorgeous swimming pool and sunbeds enough for your ladies in waiting. The 16th-century chapel, vaulted ceilings and Manueline windows have all been preserved, so you can do a good chunk of your sightseeing before you’ve even left for lunch. Rooms are neutral in crowd-pleasing beige and grey, many with balconies and terraces.
Details B&B doubles from £105 (mardearhotels.com). Fly to Lisbon
35. Convento do Espinheiro, Evora
A short drive from Evora, this 15th-century convent with gilt interiors has been frequented by kings and queens — and there’s a free tour for guests each evening to take it all in. Don’t miss the pristine manicured gardens, sunlit pool, spa and a wine bar in the stone cellars (where the monks used to store rainwater) too. Rooms are suitably grand with carved mahogany headboards, velvet Chesterfield sofas and cut-glass chandeliers.
Details B&B doubles from £145 (conventodoespinheiro.com). Fly to Lisbon
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