Portugal is a country with a rich history of exploration and discovery. Many of the greatest explorers, such as d’Azamburia, Dias, Columbus and da Gama were born in Portugal and it was through their achievements that Portugal became an imperialist power in the early part of the last millennium.

Now, at the turn of the new millennium, a new era has come to Portugal, now it is being discovered by the outside world. Not everyone though has the financial capacity to own a house in the many prime tourist locations in the country. On the other hand, because of its increased popularity, hotel accommodations have become scarce and pricey. The next option now to enjoy the sights and scene of Portugal is through the concept of timesharing.

In essence, timesharing is the purchase of a legal right to use a particular property over a period of time. The true owner of the property divests the use of the property to third persons for a fee. This contractual agreement is more formally called a usufruct. In this concept, the owner of the property allows full use of the property for the purpose of its existence. This means, if the property subject to the usufruct is a farmland, then the use of the land is limited to planting and harvesting crops on the land. This concept has become popular in tourist havens in Portugal, such as the Algarve, Alentejo and Lisbon. This is how the concept is applied to the current situation. An individual or corporation builds an apartment complex. Then they employ agents not to sell the property but only to sell the rights to use and live in the apartment complexes or homes at defined schedules all year round.

The concept of timesharing is perfect for an individual or a family traveling to Portugal. Here, you can plan around your around the timeshare you have purchased. When you own a timeshare, you are assured of a place to stay to your liking, away from the trampling and maddening crowds of hotels. Though there is no room service or people to fix your room, you need not worry about running up the bills during your stay in a hotel as you feel you have brought your home all the way up to Portugal during your vacation.

The Benefits of Timesharing

Timesharing has become large business in Portugal, especially in the tourist areas. This has fueled the current construction boom in areas frequented because of their beaches and other offerings that are traditionally Portuguese. Not only has this benefited the environs of the construction areas, there are many other benefits the purchaser derives in buying a timeshare in Portugal.

• Expenses are planned out. One of the greatest concerns for an individual and a family is the cost of the vacation. Literally all the purchases and expenses that one pays for are well above the normal prices when you are in a hotel. With a timeshare, you can pay for your vacation even before getting there, allowing you the financial flexibility to purchase more when you are on your vacation.
• Home away from home. Often, living in a hotel makes one feel that one is living in an anaesthetized and antiseptic room during your vacation. Also, there is a problem with security as many others have access to your room and belongings during your stay in the hotel. In a timeshare, this is very different. You can set up the apartment according to your liking, cook your own meals and treat it as your home away from home. You do have to clean up though and make sure the keys are with you when you leave the house.
• Timeshares are assets. Since what you have is a usufruct, it is a right that can be bought and sold, or even pawned depending upon the contractual provisions of the timeshare. You thus have an asset to form part of your portfolio so long as it is valid and subsisting.

The Places for a Timeshare

There are many places that you can purchase a timeshare in Portugal. Here are but some of the places that one can fully realize the value of a timeshare.

The Albufeira is one of the most happening places in Portugal. There are many timeshare properties that are located all around the so-called “Strip” in the Albufeira. There are also many other properties in the famed beaches such as the Praia de Castelo, Praia de Falesia and the Praia de Gale de Olhos d’Agua. The marina is the center of the city and is but a stone’s throw away from the timeshare properties available.

The Algarve still retains its allure as the best beach tourist destination in the Portugal. There are many hotels though that dominates the beachfronts of the area, so getting a timeshare near them will surely cost a pretty bundle. In return though, you will be in the center of the spectacular sights on the beach and in the surrounding environs.

The Tips in Purchasing Time Shares

The popularity and the rewards of timeshares have its upsides and its downsides. In order to make sure you enjoy the benefits and promises of timeshares, here are some tips you need to follow to keep your investment in check and safe.

• Do your research. Since what you are being offered is a piece of paper, you need to look at the company offering it, the property described and the other things that can validate the existence and reality of the time share. This also ensures that you do not fall prey to unscrupulous individuals that will only dupe you of your hard earned money.
• Look at the property. Looking at what you are purchasing is also an important aspect of the investment. It is not enough you look at the property online or through pictures, but you need to physically see the house and the brokers of the timeshare. Not only is this important for your confidence in the investment, but you need to sign the dotted line to consummate the sale.

This long term investment is a definite plus for you as you enjoy the scenery and the culture that is Portugal. This option will make you rest and recreation truly enjoyable, making you come back for more as each year arrives.

Alentejo is located in the south central region in Portugal. The original name is Alem-Tejo that is translated into either “beyond the Tagus” or “across the Tagus”. This large region is separated from mainland Portugal by the Tagus River extending far into the southern region towards the Algarve. The region is further divided into sub-regions namely the Alto Alentejo or High Region, The Baixo Alentejo or Lower Region, the Alentejo Central, the Alentejo Litoral and Leziria do Tejo. There are two mountain ranges in the region that are its highest peaks, namely Sao Mamede and Osa. Also located in the region is the Guadiana, the largest river in all of Portugal that acts as a natural border between the two countries on the Iberian Peninsula.

The regional capital is Evora and there are other cities in the region, namely Santarem, Portalegre, Beja and Sines. As of 2001, there were 776, 585 inhabitants spread over an area of 31,152 square kilometers. The Alentejo has been known to have one third of all the land area of Portugal but only one twentieth of the population making for wide expanses of lands with few people between them, or roughly twenty four people per square kilometer. The capital of “Baixa Alentejo” is Beja while the capital of the Alto Alentejo is Evora. The cities are rich in historic areas and ruins with many battle scars from foreign invaders such as Romans, Moors and Vandals, or even just conflicts by and between the royal families of Portugal.

Alentejo is best known as the slowest and most laid back of all the regions in Portugal. Most tours portray Alentejo as the place “where even time takes time”. Many townspeople urge visitors walking too fast in the area are urged by locals to “calma, calma” or slow down. The land has been best known for its vineyards, with ten percent devoted for winemaking. The other ninety percent is for cereal grains and olives. The people of Alentejo or Alentejanos have been the object of ridicule for their seeming slow motion in things that they do. In reality, the slow country is the best retreat you can have as a visitor to the region from the rat race of the modern world.

The Tejo River has shaped much of the history and development in the Alentejo region. The river provided a natural border between the Moor controlled Algarve and the Christian governed northern country. The region was developed as the bread basket of Portugal in the 2^nd century by the Roman Empire but fell to the Moors as it invaded Portugal. King Alfonso Henriques wrested the region from Moorish control in 1147. Much of its old monuments and buildings during the cataclysmic earthquake in 1755 though some of them remain as either ruins or restorations of the old architecture. . The cities also have many historic landmarks that have been well preserved as a World Heritage site. The oldest historic edifice in the region is the Temple of Diana built back in the 2^nd or 3^rd century BC. Standing nearby is the Monasterio dos Loios with the Saint John the Baptist Church, which is now a hotel called the Pousada.

The recent history of Alentejo showed the resilience of its people. Over the centuries, the region’s extreme climate has provided much difficulty for the winemakers of the region, but through the townspeople’s ingenuity and modernized facilities, the lack of rainfall and the extreme temperatures have been managed properly for the booming winemaking business. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, much hardship was felt throughout the Alentejo as a few families controlled the economy of the region. The regular folk then farmed the steep sided hills of Quinta Azenha do Romalho into terraces. They also irrigated the Ribiera de Arronches that flowed through the Vale Lourenco to the surrounding areas.

This economic and political imbalance also created changes in the culture as well as the cuisine of the region. The Alentejanos had to make use what was available making for a rich culinary tradition for the region. The staple of the region is pig as pork is the most favored meat in the country. No part of the pig is wasted from snout to tail. Each part, even the feet have particular ways of preparation for a dish of delight.

The region is known as the bread basket of Portugal not only because of the wide expanse of lands but also because of the agricultural produce in the region. The farm products include grains, sunflowers, fruits, vegetables, olives, wine, cork, eucalyptus and livestock. The rich and arable land together with the vast tracts of open spaces providing the necessary inputs to supply much of Portugal’s needs for over hundreds of years.

The Alentejo’s southern border lies the Serra de Caldeira and the mountains of Monchique. This area is home to the world’s largest cork growing area in the world. Cork Oak, locally known as sobreiro has been the primary agricultural product for over three centuries. The traditional method of harvesting cork, by the use of hand axes held by teams of men, is the only way to efficiently and effectively take the cork from the tree. A mature tree can provide cork for about four thousand bottles of wine, and the industry employs roughly 60,000 workers.

Another sign of the wide and varied topography of the Alentejo region is the Portalegre. In this area, the weather is much cooler with greater precipitation because of the higher elevation. It is in this area that the higher quality wines from the region. In this area both white wine grape varieties such as the arinto galego, assario, roupeirom fernao pires and mantuedo and the red wine grape varieties include aragonez, grand noir, periuita and the trincadeiro.

The Alentejo way of life is very different from much of Portugal. Here serenity and slowness is much valued as much is provided for the visitors and inhabitants from the rich earth. Steeped in tradition and rich in culture, the Alentejano’s uniqueness and delights provide not only food for the palate but also food for the soul. So partake of the richness of Alentejo the next time you visit Portugal.

Geographical Background

The north-western part of Alentejo is located on the Tagus banks and Santarém.  It consists of fertile grasslands where the finest horses and bulls roam serenely.  Towards the north-east section of the region, you can find beautiful towns and villages which make up the famous castle routes or Rota dos Castelos: Alter do Chão, Marvão, Portalegre, Castelo de Vide, and Nisa.

Further south, you can find Evora, one of the most beautiful towns in Portugal.  Towns which are known for their exquisite hand-made tapestries can be seen down south such as Arrajolos, Estremoz, Vila Vicosa, and Monsaraz.

The southern part of the region consists mainly of vast, sun-kissed plains.  The oak trees and olive trees are the ones that provide shade to the hot, sunny plains.  There are also dams which act as a source of refreshing water.  The coastline near the south-western part of the region offers a glimpse of Atlantic beaches.

Places to Go

If you are interested in the Roman Times and the Iron Age, you should visit Alcácer do Sal because it boasts of a Moorish-inspired castle.  It was said that in the year 966, a Viking army attacked the place but failed to do so because of the strength of the castle.

In Beja, you can see an ancient Roman town with a Muslim cultural center in its midst.  You will find significant and interesting archaeological finds inside the Queen Leonor Museum.  There are also other legacies such as St. Antonio and St. Maria Church, S. Francisco and Pousada castle, Hermitage of St. André, Roman ruins at Pisões and Misericórdia Church.
Borba is a town which boasts of a castle and city walls which was ordered by King Alfonso II.  The whole place is built with marble, including the streets and the paving stones.
In the cool mountain region of São Mamede, you will find a wonderful spa town named Sintra of the Alentejo.  It is located among chestnut trees and olive groves and it is a place adorned with fountains, roses, old houses, and orchards.  The steep alleyways of this spa town lead up to the castle which boasts of the most impressive Gothic architectures in Portugal.

If you are craving for sugar plums while staying at Alentajes, have no fear; you just have to visit Elvas.  Aside from being famous for its delectable sugar plums, Elvas is also a citadel that has Spain-facing fortifications matching those of Bardajoz.  There are three impressive gates leading into the city and it is known for its history of being besieged by Englishmen, Frenchmen, and Spaniards.

Famous Handicrafts

Some of the famous handicrafts of the town include the painted and glazed pottery and earthenware, leather goods, hand-painted furniture, wrought-iron works, tapestries from Portalegre, embroideries from Nisa, and rugs from Arraiolo.

Regional Gastronomy

The cuisine in this region is flavourful and varied.  You can try the sumptuous local delicacy of stewed eels, shad soup or Tagus lamprey.  You can also try the delicious sausages from Castelo de Vide, Nisa, Arrajolos or Arronches.

You can also try the tasty fried rabbit or hare with the red beans cooked with the famous Alentejo olive oil.  You must also try the delicious regional bread because it really offers something very different and distinct from other breads.  To make the bread tastier, you can add sheep cheeses form Nisa or Serpa.  You can also try the delicious Alandroal goat cheese to go with your bread.

To satisfy your sweet tooth, you can try the celestes from Santarém, imperial cakes from Almeirim, and palha from Abrantes.  The fruits of the region will also offer your taste buds an exciting journey!  Try the melons from Alpiarca and Almeirim.  The region also offers fine tasting wine and you can get them from Vidígueira, Reguengos, Borba, and Almeirim.

Investing In Alentejo Properties

If you are a peace and quiet seeker, you will surely enjoy staying at Alentejo.  Nowadays, more and more people are discovering the simple yet unbeatable joy and serenity that the place offers.  With its deserted beaches and serene plains, Alentejo boasts of something that is quite unique for places located in Europe.

You will surely not regret investing in a property in a Portuguese region such as Alentejo because aside from the serene and quiet ambience of the region, you will also be overwhelmed by the warm hospitality of the residents.

Aside from the beautiful scenery and the wonderful seaside properties, the rich cultural heritage of the place makes it a very interesting and appealing place for investing properties.  The old fishermen’s villages are not known only for its charm and hospitality but also for its fresh fishes.

Some famous beach villages found in Alentejo include Vila Nova de Milfontes, Zambujeira do Mar, and Almograve.  They offer lovely beaches, restaurants and trendy bars that give people one great culinary experience.

If you go further into the center of Alentejo, you will find wine quintas.  The place offers wine tasting to give people a chance to taste the exquisite world of Portuguese wines.  Most of the wines in Alentejo are prize-winning wines.  Alentejo also offers a lot of magnificent Pousadas, old castles, monasteries, hotels partially owned by the State, and other historical places.

Indeed, Alentejo is a place that offers wonderful infrastructures, recreational activities and sceneries.  Its rich cultural heritage can be seen from not only from its breathtaking architecture but also from the handicrafts and traditional festivities of the place.

If you are interested in purchasing a property or investing in Alentejo, you can check with the local developers or real estate property agents to check out the different places and properties that they can offer.  For sure, you will really not regret investing in a serene and blissful place like Alentejo.