Travel PR to represent the Alqueva region, within Portugal’s delightful Alentejo

Travel PR is delighted to represent the Alqueva region in Portugal’s very special Alentejo – a lesser- known holiday destination, despite being within easy reach of Lisbon and boasting 30% of the region’s landmass, but with so much to offer the UK traveller seeking water sports galore, a Dark Sky paradise at night, plus superb food and wine.

The freshest of fish, from both the nearby coast and from Alqueva Lake itself, combined with local olives and the Alentejo’s glorious wines (many using traditional cork stoppers courtesy of the region’s ancient cork oak forests) mean that the simple pleasures of life are all close at hand – fresh air, sunshine, watersports and the best of food and wine; the perfect holiday menu awaits…

Located south of Lisbon and north of the Algarve, the Alentejo is perfect for those seeking escapism (but with easy access), slow travel and outdoor adventure (in a wonderful climate) plus world-class wines and gastronomy.  Authentic and uncrowded, visitors will relish the slower pace of life and the region’s fascinating Dark Skies – you’ll see planets and stars clearly with the naked eye in the Alentejo’s cloud-free night skies; a real revelation.

Alqueva is one of the most striking parts of the Alentejo region; centred around a serene, man-made lake – Europe’s largest, at over 97 square miles – it is fed by the mighty Guadiana River.  The lake is home to prolific birdlife, particularly in spring and autumn, with sightings of Great and Little Bustards, Spanish Eagle and Common Crane, all of which flourish within the local ecosystem – alongside many storks, whose large nests can be seen on chimneys, telegraph poles, church towers and more.

Alqueva Lake is also the ideal setting for activities such as windsurfing, kayaking and swimming, and the calm conditions are popular for houseboat trips, with fishing and flamingo-spotting part of the daily options.  Alqueva Lake’s waters are pleasantly warm during the summer months, and the lake is lined with small beaches and refreshing natural swimming spots.

Alqueva boasts some of Europe’s best Dark Skies, recognised by its Dark Sky Reserve certification. With excellent visibility of the Milky Way and myriad planets and constellations, and over 260 cloud-free nights annually, visitors can book guided night sessions, astrophotography workshops, plus memorable canoeing and horse-riding experiences under starry skies.

This year, Baixo (lower) Alentejo, centred around Beja (the regional capital, dating back to Roman times), is the European Wine City 2026, thanks to an award by the European Network of Wine Cities (RECEVIN). The thirteen municipalities which make up the area share this distinction and will celebrate with a year-long programme of tastings, festivals and cultural events (details shortly to be confirmed). The Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP) has recognised the region as a benchmark for sustainable wine production. Launched in 2015, a large proportion of the Alentejo’s vineyards, and dozens of producers, are committed to water and energy conservation, biodiversity and social responsibility.

For those mindful of the journey as well as the destination, the new Évora to Caia (Spanish border) high-speed rail line will start operating in 2026, providing quicker connections from the Alentejo region to the Spanish border. This is part of the longer-term Lisbon to Madrid high-speed route planned later this decade, which will connect the two Iberian capital cities in around five hours.

Looking ahead to 2027, Évora has been named European Capital of Culture 2027. To mark this exciting announcement, restoration projects are underway, and the re-use of heritage buildings is being planned, all centred around the Alentejo art of slow living, known as ‘vagar’.

“We are delighted to have appointed Travel PR to promote the Alentejo’s Alqueva region to discerning UK visitors.

“We are proud of our authentic and unspoilt destination, from its phenomenal Dark Sky Reserve to its huge lake (Lago Grande, or Lake Alqueva) – a real water playground, year-round, for so many different outdoor sporting activities. We boast a thriving - and delicious - local food and wine scene, alongside our region’s rich biodiversity. Visitors will dine well (at excellent value-for-money prices) while enjoying the outdoor life in our sunshine; it’s a simple but very desirable lifestyle, and we know just how fortunate we are to live here!”.
José Santos, President of Turismo do Alentejo

“Travel PR is delighted to be partnering again with Visit Alentejo and other regional tourism bodies to promote this extraordinarily diverse and beguiling part of Portugal. We can’t wait to share the many reasons why the Alentejo’s Alqueva region should be on everyone’s wish list, both for short breaks and longer holidays alike, throughout 2026 and 2027.

“The region’s gastronomy, its wines, its lack of pollution and its back-to-nature lifestyle, plus endless active holiday options – not to mention its delightfully warm climate, short travelling time from the UK and excellent value for money - are all part of the exciting mix.”
Sue Ockwell, Managing Director, Travel PR

From historic Pousadas and manor houses to minimalist boutique hotels, rural farm stays and contemporary designer resorts, the region offers an unusually wide range of accommodation for every budget – from boutique hotels with vineyards to countryside hotels on working farms.

For further information on Lake Alqueva and the many reasons to holiday in the Alentejo region around Lake Alqueva, visit https://www.visitalentejo.pt/en/.

Press enquiries: For queries, interviews or press trip enquiries (with a suitable commission), please contact Travel PR on 020 8891 4440, or email Julia Farish (j.farish@travelpr.co.uk) or Jane Collyer (j.collyer@travelpr.co.uk).

For urgent out of hours requests, please contact Sue Ockwell (s.ockwell@travelpr.co.uk or

07831 126 356).