One thing worth understanding before you look at a map: on Alqueva, distances lie. Two points that look close can be forty minutes apart, because the lake sits between them and you have to drive around it. There are 1,100 km of shoreline and relatively few crossings.
The times below are by car, from Mourão, where Casa de Santa Margarida is. They don't include stops or weekend traffic.
Where most people come from
| From | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | 192 km | 2h30 |
| Évora | 60 km | 1h00 |
| Badajoz (Spain) | 81 km | 1h20 |
| Beja | 98 km | 1h35 |
| Faro | 243 km | 3h15 |
| Seville | 217 km | 3h00 |
| Porto | 468 km | 5h25 |
| Madrid | 482 km | 5h40 |
From Lisbon
The usual route is the A6 to Évora, then national roads. About two and a half hours, with tolls on the A2 and A6.
After Évora the motorway ends and the real Alentejo begins: two-lane roads, long straights, cork oak on both sides. It's the good part of the drive and it isn't worth rushing.
From Spain
Mourão is a few kilometres from the border, which surprises most people looking at the map for the first time.
| From | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Olivenza | 55 km | 0h55 |
| Jerez de los Caballeros | 59 km | 0h55 |
| Elvas | 81 km | 1h20 |
| Badajoz | 81 km | 1h20 |
| Zafra | 108 km | 1h55 |
| Mérida | 142 km | 2h00 |
Airports
| Airport | Time to Mourão | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | 2h30 | The practical choice. Most connections, all the car hire desks |
| Seville | 3h10 | Good alternative from elsewhere in Europe |
| Faro | 3h35 | Makes sense if you're combining with the Algarve |
| Badajoz | 1h35 | Closest, but very few flights |
Once you're here
From Mourão:
| To | Time |
|---|---|
| Mourão lake beach | 5 min |
| Lake Alqueva | 5 min |
| Aldeia da Luz and the Museu da Luz | 20 min |
| Monsaraz | 20 min |
| Dark Sky observatory, at Cumeada | 25 min |
| Reguengos de Monsaraz | 25 min |
| Amieira Marina | 50 min |
| Évora | 1h00 |
Look at Amieira: 43 km, but 50 minutes. That's exactly the effect described at the top — it's on the far side of the lake and you have to go around.
Driving here
Fill up in the larger towns. Reguengos and Moura have petrol stations; the small villages often don't.
Watch for animals at night. Wild boar and foxes cross the roads through the cork oak regularly. Outside the villages there is no street lighting, so slow down.
Satnav works fine to Mourão, but the streets in the old centre are narrow. There's free parking by the house.
Where to stay. If you are coming for more than a day, Casa de Santa Margarida is in the centre of Mourão, with a private pool and room for four. To compare areas and types of accommodation around the lake, see where to stay on Lake Alqueva.
Common questions
How long does it take from Lisbon to Alqueva?
About 2h30 to Mourão, 192 km. The usual route is the A6 to Évora and then national roads, with tolls on the A2 and A6.
Which airport is closest?
Lisbon is 2h30 away and Seville 3h00 by car; Faro is 3h15. Coming from Spain, Badajoz is just 1h20.
Why are map distances misleading here?
Because the lake is almost always between two points. There are 1,100 km of shoreline and relatively few crossings, so two places that look close can be forty minutes apart.
Do I need a car?
In practice, yes. The distances between the villages, the beaches and the sights are driving distances, and there's no public transport covering these routes at useful times.
