The region of Alentejo sits in south‑central Portugal, reaching the Algarve in the south, the Atlantic on the west and Spain to the east. If you’re weighing up the best place to live in Alentejo, think breezy coastal towns and slow, historic inland centres with proper space and serious food culture.
Best places to live in Alentejo
The region splits neatly between coast and interior, with university life and culture in Évora, fortified towns near Spain, and beach villages along the Costa Vicentina.
In October 2025, property prices in Alentejo averaged €1,904 per m² and rent prices averaged €11.5 per m², well below Portugal’s national averages. Find out where people settle when choosing to live in Alentejo, the feel on the ground, and the latest headline prices for each area, so you can weigh up lifestyle and budget.
Vila Nova de Milfontes
On the Rio Mira, Vila Nova de Milfontes is a small coastal town with year‑round services, beaches like Praia da Franquia, and easy access to the Rota Vicentina paths. Summer brings crowds and higher short-lets, while the shoulder seasons are mellow and good value. It suits remote workers, surfers, families and semi‑retirees.
Évora
History, university energy and walkability define Évora. The walled centre folds Roman stones into daily life, with the Templo de Diana and Capela dos Ossos a short stroll from cafés and bookshops. Trains and coaches to Lisbon make travel manageable, and there’s solid healthcare at the Hospital do Espírito Santo.
As for housing, as of October 2025, property prices in Évora averaged around €2,809 per m². Rent prices in Évora averaged €12 per m², so an 80 m² apartment would typically cost about €960 per month. Summers are hot, so look for airflow and shade in older houses. Modern flats ring the centre if you want lifts and parking.
Sines and Porto Covo
Sines is a working port city with practical amenities, steady jobs in logistics and energy, and fast road links. Sines suits people who value convenience and year-round services, with supermarkets, schools and fibre keeping daily life straightforward. The castle and Vasco da Gama heritage lend character, and July’s FMM Sines festival brings world music to the ramparts.
Porto Covo sits down the coast with sugar-cube houses, Praia Grande, and wind-polished summers. Life here is coast-led with fewer frills than the Algarve and more breathing space. Weekends lean into nearby beaches like São Torpes and Morgavel for consistent surf and long coastal walks on the Rota Vicentina.
Comporta and Melides
Rice fields, dunes and pine forests shape the landscape around Comporta and Melides. This is design‑forward territory with famous restaurants, discreet architecture and sandy lanes. Outside of summer, it’s peaceful and more private than the Algarve’s resort strip.
The coastal area is also one of Portugal’s most exclusive areas, and as of October 2025, property prices in Comporta averaged about €8,387 per m², far above regional norms. The privacy and pared‑back aesthetic attract high‑profile residents and regular A‑list visitors. The new CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club has underlined the area’s luxury credentials, adding a low‑density, members‑only community tucked into the pines near the coast.
Elvas and Campo Maior
Fortified Elvas sits by the Spanish border with the star-shaped Forte da Graça and Forte de Santa Luzia, and Badajoz just over the line for shopping and services. Campo Maior adds tight-knit community spirit and, when locals organise it, the paper‑flower streets.
As of October 2025, property prices in Elvas averaged an affordable €993 per m², and the town is located in Portalegre, which is the cheapest district to buy or rent a house in Alentejo. The value is excellent, summers feel airy, and winters can be crisp.
Estremoz, Borba and Vila Viçosa
These are known as the marble towns due to the nearby quarries that produced fine white and pink “marble” used in landmarks across Portugal. Geographically, they sit in northern Alentejo, between the Serra d’Ossa hills and the Spanish border, roughly an hour east of Évora.
The area offers weekly markets, wine culture anchored by Borba DOC, and palatial squares. Houses are generous for the money, and the pace is agreeably calm, with easy weekend circuits to hilltop castles and wineries. As of October 2025, Borba was the cheapest place to buy property, with an average price of just €893 per m².
Portalegre, Marvão and Castelo de Vide
Here, summers are cooler, and the villages are postcard‑pretty. Portalegre holds the practical bits—schools, shops, services—while Marvão and Castelo de Vide reward you with cobbles, views and proper hiking. As of October 2025, Portalegre property prices averaged €1,003 per m², slightly higher than the district average. Many homes are older, so budget for insulation, windows or a wood burner.
These towns sit in northern Alentejo near the Spanish border, inside the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park, with cork oak woods and granite ridges shaping the landscape. Marvão crowns a high ridge with castle walls and wide views across to Extremadura. Castelo de Vide keeps an atmospheric Judiaria with a small synagogue and spring‑fed fountains, while Portalegre adds the tapestry museum and easy runs over to Badajoz for big‑box shopping.
Beja is the administrative centre of the south, with a Moorish castle, a regional museum and wide-open skies. Life is practical and down-to-earth, with some of the region’s lowest prices and an easy run to Mértola and the Guadiana valley. As of October 2025, property prices in Beja averaged €1,326 per m² . Expect larger houses and small plots to be common.
Mértola and the Guadiana Valley
Perched above the Rio Guadiana, Mértola layers Roman, Islamic and medieval history in a compact town. With Parque Natural do Vale do Guadiana on the doorstep, it’s quiet, beautiful and remote. Property prices in Mértola averaged slightly less than Beja, at €1,174 per m². Availability leans towards village houses rather than big blocks of flats.
Odemira and Zambujeira do Mar
The Odemira municipality spans inland villages and a dramatic coastline. Zambujeira do Mar is tiny outside summer, with cliff-top views and surfable beaches dotted along the Costa Vicentina. Daily life here is at the mercy of the wind, which many people find refreshing in July and August. Odemira has the highest property prices in the Beja district, averaging €2,414 per m². It's good to be aware that summer demand can push coastal rental rates above the inland norm.
Stay in the know about living in Portugal as a foreigner—get our weekly newsletter for the latest travel, legal, and lifestyle news.
Living in Alentejo: life in Portugal’s laid-back heartland
Alentejo spans a vast swathe of southern Portugal, with rolling cork oak estates, olive groves, and whitewashed towns. Living in Alentejo is all about unhurried days, market‑fresh food and robust wines, and wind‑swept Atlantic beaches.
Traditional Portuguese Christmas food: regional dishes and sweets
Christmas in Portugal runs from the Consoada supper on 24th December through family lunches to Twelfth Night. Portuguese Christmas food shifts by region, with fish‑first evenings in some homes, hearty roasts inland and decadent sweets in the south.
Celebrities with property in CostaTerra: famous faces on Portugal’s hidden coast
CostaTerra keeps popping up in the press, with famous names swirling around the dunes of the Alentejo coast in what's now nicknamed the 'Hamptons of Portugal'. Stories about celebrities with property in CostaTerra are everywhere right now, and the estate’s hush‑hush aura only adds to the intrigue.
Where to spend Christmas in Portugal 2025: top destinations for a festive holiday
Are you wondering where to spend Christmas in Portugal? Whether you’re looking for twinkling city lights, a cosy countryside escape, or a sun-soaked coastal getaway, Portugal offers a magical holiday experience. From historic towns decorated in festive lights to vibrant Christmas markets and charming medieval castles, these destinations are perfect for celebrating Christmas 2025.
Christmas lights in Cascais 2025: lit-up waterfront walks and festive highlights
The Christmas lights in Cascais 2025 turn the old fishing town into a seaside winter fixture on Portugal’s festive map. The town boasts a lively Christmas Village with an ice rink and markets by the water. It’s one of the country’s most accessible seasonal set‑ups—compact, family‑friendly and easy to fold into a Lisbon trip.