Quinta Boavista
Surroundings and activities
Surroundings
Alentejo
The province of Alentejo is located in thesouth of Portugal. It is the size of the Netherlands with only 776,000 inhabitants. The vast rolling landscape is covered with thousands of flowers and shows many beautiful historic white-housed villages. The population is largely dependent on small-scale, traditional agriculture such as vines, olive groves, cork oaks and livestock farming. The infrastructure is in good condition, which means that greater distances can still be covered in a relatively short time.
Cercal do Alentejo
Is a village (vila) with the surrounding villages about 4000 inhabitants. The central point in Cercal is the roundabout with a square where the main restaurants and cafes are located. The village has several supermarkets , a pharmacy , a bank , a post office and several other shops. Cercal has nice white houses, a church with a square, old men on a bench and the chance of a cart with mule that comes by. It has everything you can think of in a Portuguese village . But Cercal did not fall asleep . It is a living village with many young families. Quinta Boavista is one kilometer from the center . That is a3-minute drive and a20-minute walk .
Beaches
The Atlantic Ocean , on the west coast, is unspoiled with endless sandy beaches and small rocky coves, free from mass tourism. The coastal area of the Alentejo has for the most part been declared a nature reserve, which makes high-rise buildings out of the question. A few favorite beaches are Ilha do Pessegueiro, Malhão, Costa de Santo André, São Torpes, Praia das furnas ...
Places nearby
Vila Nova de Milfontes
-15 min
Milfontes is a nice lively seaside resort 10 km from Cercal do Alentejo on the Costa Vicentina. Tourism on this coast is mainly focused on the Portuguese. There are several beaches on the ocean and some river beaches on the Rio Mira . The Rio Mira is one of the cleanest rivers in Europe and flows into the ocean in Vila Nova de Milfontes. Just outside the village is a picturesque fishing port. There is plenty of opportunity to go out in this place. Discover more:
Activities:
-Rio Mira, kayaking, swimming, rafting
-Beach, surfing, swimming, sea
-Sea fishing
-Boat trip
- Going out, nightlife
-Shop
-Mountain bike rental
Porto Covo
20 min
Porto Covo is a smallfishing village that has been completely renovated in the old style. In the traditional Alentejan houses there are now nice shops and tasty restaurants. The village lives from tourism, but the old atmosphere has been completely preserved. Porto Covo has beautiful beaches and is about 20 minutes drive from Cercal do Alentejo. Discover more:
Sines
-25 min
Santiago do Cacém
Sines is a historic town 25km from Cercal. There are cozy restaurants and shops, but also large supermarkets such as Continente, Pingo Doce, Lidle and Intermaché. There is a bay with a beach, but there is also a huge expanse of beach just outside the city. Discover more:
Activities:
-Vasco da Gama museum
-Shop
-Moorish castle
-Historical centre
-Beach Sea
-Dolphin spotting
-Cinema
-Fest
30 min
Santiago do Cacém is the capital of the municipality and is located 30 km from Cercal. It is picturesquely located on a hill. As a regional center, this is the place where markets, exhibitions and performances are held. There are also restaurants and a number of historical sights. There are a number of large supermarkets such as Aldi, Continente and Intermache.
Celtic Roman excavations (Miróbriga)
-Historical centre
-Museum
-Moorish castle
-Indoor pool
-Auditorium with regular performances
Activities:
Santo André
-30 min
Vila Nova de Santo André
Santo André is a new town 35 km from Cercal. There are beautiful, almost always deserted beaches here. The most famous beach is called "Lagoa de Santo André". Next to the ocean there is a large lagoon where children can swim safely and a colony of flamingos live. In the summer, pedal boats are available for rent.
Activities:
-Safari park Badoca
-Karting
-Horse riding
-Tennis
-Costa de Santo André (one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe with lagoon)
-Wind and Kitesurfing
Other activities
Rota Vincentina
The Alentejo has developed into a hiking area in recent years. There are well-signposted hiking trails throughout the Alentejo. There are also more and more "local" walks signposted around towns and villages. Two walks of the "Rota Vicentina" pass our farm. Many of our hiking guests take a bus in the morning and then walk back to Cercal or come back by bus. This way you can walk part of the Rota while staying in our accommodation . If the bus does not come out, a lift from us is certainly negotiable.
20 min
Ilha do Pessegueiro
A beautiful beach with a bird island just off the coast. There is a historic fort with a nice restaurant with a terrace next to it. There are guided tours to the island to view the birds that breed there. There is a ranch with horses where rides can be taken. Via the extensive beach you can walk to the town of Porto Covo. All year round, the beach is quiet if not quiet. Lifeguards are present during the summer months and in August there is usually entertainment in the form of pedal boats and a banana behind a boat. However, the beach is large enough to be able to find peace and quiet even then.
Market
There are regional markets all over the Alentejo. The largest in the area is that of Brunheiras, a small village 10 minutes drive from Cercal. It is a colorful market, which attracts everyone from the area. Regional products are offered such as clothing, fabrics, plants, animals and everything you can use here in the countryside. It is also a meeting place for family and friends. The biggest attraction is that you can eat the best grilled chicken in Portugal.
Sesimbra
About 1.5 hours drive from Cercal is Setúbal, a large city with a large harbor and a nice center that is closed to traffic. It is a beautiful city, excellent for a day of shopping and enjoying the Portuguese cuisine and culture. If you take the old road, you can cross the enormous estuary of the Rio Sado with the ferry, whether or not by car, and enter the port of Setúbal.
40 min
Cabo Sardão
35 km away is Cabo Sardão, a lighthouse on a beautiful stretch of rocky coast. Several storks' nests can be admired on the cliffs. It is the only place where these large birds nest in the ocean. It is located on the Rota Vicentina walking route, but is also easily accessible by car.
40 min
Évora
The historic city of Évora is a 2-hour drive away. The city has a history of more than 2000 years. Both the traces of the Romans and the Moors can still be found in this city. The historic center of the city is included on the World Heritage List of UNESCO. Sights include an Aqueduct, the Roman Diana Temple and the early Gothic Cathedral of Évora, built from 1186 to 1204, with a monastery from the 14th century.
Algarve
If you need a little more excitement, the Algarve has plenty to offer. In addition to beautiful beaches, you will find here large shopping centers, water parks, golf courses and everything that belongs to an area that receives about 7 million tourists a year.
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