Location
Beja District is the largest one in the country (10 225km2). Located in the South of Portugal it has a great landscape diversity, which varies from the coastline to the border with Spain, at the eastern and driest part of the country.
Description
Sea, sand, river, adobe and dry soil merge all together in this area. The Mediterranean and northern African influence is visible throughout the District, providing a traditional array of customs and ways of living.
Guadiana River provides memorable boat trips, with astounding landscapes all along. Several cities are also worth the visit, such as Mértola, Alcoutim and Serpa. Cultural structures, national heritage monuments and sites and an abundance of archaeological inheritance are also to enhance in this district, where one can wander through narrow streets filled with history, the peaceful and wide landscapes of the Alentejo, and the blue Atlantic Ocean, dotted with beaches for all tastes.
Gastronomy
Being such a wide District and with so many influences from the Northern Portugal, the Mediterranean, and North Africa, it is obvious that one can find in Beja District a handful of tasty and superb food. From a wide variety of Cheese (the most appreciated and well known is Serpa cheese), Pork, Lamb, several types of Ham, Olives and Olive oils, and of course, a wide selection of Bread. This region has always been a great wheat region, sprinkled with cork tree plantations and large herds of pigs grazing on the plains. As such, bread, pork and olive oil are the basic ingredients for one of the most delicious cuisines in the country, seasoned with herbs which carry to the table the original aromas from the fields.
