TWIN CENTRE HOLIDAY IN THE ALENTEJO:COMBINE THE AMIEIRA MARINA WITH ÉVORA
The Amieira Marina, Portugal offers a holiday with a twist where visitors can navigate Europe’s largest manmade lake of their own accord. Just an hour’s drive from the Amieira Marina awaits the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Évora, set within the rustic landscape of the Alentejo which offers the perfect twin centre option to combine with a houseboat holiday.
The city’s rich cultural heritage dates back more than 2,000 years and the many monuments of each period play a central role in the city’s status as a historical gem.
The hybrid of architectural styles and techniques across the city can be found along the meandering cobbled streets which converge at the charismatic central Giraldo Square. The historical centre has around 4,000 buildings including the roman temple of Évora, Palace of Vasco da Gama and Cathedral of Évora, one of the most gothic monuments in Portugal.
The iconic ‘Chapel of Bones’ (Capela dos Ossos) is one of the city’s most popular historical sites. Built in the 16th century by a Franciscan monk, its haunting interior walls are decorated with human skulls and bones. The chapel was designed to promote the philosophy that life is transitory and to encourage contemplation of this concept. This message resonates in the warning written above the entrance to the chapel: “We bones, lying here, for yours we wait" (Nós ossos que aqui estamos pelos vossos esperamos)
The Alentejo is also Portugal’s largest wine-producing region and the hills surrounding Évora, are dotted with vineyards which produce some of Portugal’s most famous wines. Here, you can enjoy vineyard walks and special tastings with the winemakers and owners themselves.
Visitors to the Amieira Marina can combine their houseboat holiday with a stop-off in Évora to discover its many historical and cultural delights which compliment the local villages dotted along the shores of the marina’s Alqueva Lake. Guests can also enjoy other activities on and around the lake such as kayaking, swimming and cycling. There are a range of vessels with a capacity of two to 12 people, which are fully equipped with a bathroom, kitchen, living area, bedrooms, sun deck and barbecue as well as safety equipment and navigation technology including GPS.
So visit Évora and the Amieira Marina in summer 2012 for the perfect twin centre holiday, and a true taste of the Alentejo. For more information please visit www.amieiramarina.com
