Europe's largest artificial lake covers 250 km² of the Alentejo. Here's what there is to see, do and eat around it.
Lake Alqueva formed when the dam closed in 2002, and it changed the landscape of this part of the Alentejo. Where there was dry plain, there are now arms of water reaching into valleys, islands, and more than a thousand kilometres of shoreline.
The region is big and distances are deceptive: places that look close on a map can be forty minutes apart, because you have to drive around the water. These guides are written from Mourão, on the eastern shore, and always tell you how long the drive takes.
Accommodation
Which area to choose on Alqueva, what changes between Mourão, Monsaraz and Reguengos, and how to decide between a house with a pool, a farmhouse, a hotel or a houseboat.
4 min read
Guide
River beaches, Monsaraz, boat trips, the Dark Sky reserve and where to eat. What's actually worth doing on Alqueva, with real driving times and the best season for each.
4 min read
Planning
Real month-by-month temperatures, when the water is warm, when the beach is open, and why September is probably the best month to come to Lake Alqueva.
4 min read
Nature
Alqueva was the first place in the world certified for star tourism. Where the observatory is, what the sessions are like, and what you can see without leaving the house.
2 min read
Planning
How long it takes to reach Lake Alqueva from Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Seville or Badajoz, which airport is closest, and why distances on the map are deceptive.
3 min read
Eating and drinking
The wineries you can visit within half an hour of Mourão, the wine aged at the bottom of Lake Alqueva, and what to know before turning up without booking.
3 min read
Eating
Where to eat well around Lake Alqueva — from village tascas in Mourão to tables with a view in Monsaraz — and what to know about opening hours and booking.
3 min read
Nearby
Évora is an hour from Mourão. Roman temple, cathedral, Chapel of Bones and what fits in a day — with parking advice and an order that works.
3 min read
Itineraries
A day-by-day plan for a long weekend on Alqueva: river beach, Monsaraz, Dark Sky and wineries, with real driving times and an order that works.
2 min read
Itineraries
What actually fits into a weekend on Alqueva without rushing: the river beach, Monsaraz and the night sky, with real driving times.
2 min read
Families
Supervised swimming, short outings, stars and very hot afternoons. How to plan a few days on Alqueva with children without anyone getting fed up.
2 min read
Beaches
Which river beaches exist on Lake Alqueva, which have lifeguards and facilities, and how to pick the right one for who's coming.
2 min read
On the water
Renting a houseboat on Alqueva without a boat licence: how it works, where you start from, who it suits and what to expect.
2 min read
History
The story of the village that went under the water in 2002 and was rebuilt two kilometres uphill. The Museu da Luz and what you see today, 20 minutes from Mourão.
2 min read