Blissful Beja
The Alentejo
The Alentejo is a vibrant region of Portugal it made up of rural towns that have amazing landscapes covered in wheat fields, trees, and cork oaks moreover there is plenty of vineyards and amazing beaches to be discovered. Its rich history makes this historical province a must visit if you’re in Portugal which is why it sparked my interest in the first place.
The Beja Trip
To begin with I took a bus from Lisbon Sete Rios bus station which costme 14 euros to get to Beja the journey approximately takes 3 hours. if you do notmanage to fall asleep on the bus which I don’t recommend then from your busseat you get to experience the beautiful rural towns that you pass by and see someamazing countryside.
When visiting Baja I would suggest staying there a night or two to get the full experience of the town, to make your stay more authentic I would put forward that you stay at a guest house which is what I did due to the fact the rooms and the interior are inspired by what a typical house in the Alentejo is like.
Pictures from the Hotel i stayed in called Aljana Guest House
Castelo de Beja
Once I got to Beja my first impressions were that it was a quiet peaceful town as I began looking around one of the main things that caught my eye was the castle (Castelo de Beja) a medieval castle built in the 13th century which is the first thing in my journey I went to, as you enter the castle you can begin to appreciate up close its late Gothic and Manueline flourishes in the window traceries and slender pointed merlons. I would advise you to go all the way to the top of the castle so you can get one of the best panoramic views of the city. From the pictures below you can see how breathtaking the view is also its amazing spot to watch the sunset.
Pictures of the Castelo de Beja
Museu Rainha Dona Leonor
The second place I went to on the trip is Museu Rainha Dona Leonor which again has great historic significance as it is labelled the oldest museum of its kind in Portugal, from the outside its an immediate attraction as it lets architecture and the furnishing do the talking. Inside the museum you’ll see the captivating ceilings and walls, and the multitude of azulejos, some going back to the convent’s construction in the 1400s. Lastly, you’ll come across Flemish, Spanish, and Portuguese painting, which tells the story of Mariana Alcoforado.
Pictures from Museu Rainha Dona Leonor
Jardim Publico de Beja
The last place that I will highly recommend to visit is the Jardim Publico de Beja it’s a very scenic peaceful park surrounded by gorgeous trees and a nice lake. This calm green space also has an interesting past in the 16th century it became a military training ground, which it remained until the 1800s. In the present this space is more of a playground for children and adults if they want to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing time.
Pictures from Jardim Publico de Beja
All things considered my time in Beja was wonderful I would definitely recommend visiting this town in the the Alentejo and if you do visit be sure to check out all the suggestions I made.
Finally Below is a gallery of some more pictures of my trip from Beja to give you a better idea of the surroundings.
