As I turned away from the ocean, what could I see? I have been traveling all my life and I have not seen a place in Europe that is this untouched, Ms. Cinzano, who built a rustic, seaside home here, said in an interview. The Alentejo region, as the area is known, has the last unspoiled stretch of Atlantic Ocean coast in all of southern Europe. His first Porto venture, Cantinho do Avillez, draws tourists and locals for its creative dishes that combine techniques drawn from molecular gastronomy with the ingredients that define Portuguese cuisine. The village lies on the edge of a valley, surrounded by forests of pine and oak. The area has the last unspoiled stretch of Atlantic Ocean coast in all of southern Europe. Check out the excellent local design at Feeting Room, a chic concept store selling clothes and accessories, including beautiful leather goods by the Porto brand Maria Maleta. Inside the bright, white-tiled restaurant, a giant foam octopus hangs from the ceiling above a handful of tables and bar seats around a horseshoe-shaped counter. The beachside Sal restaurant in Carvalhal along the Alentejo coast of Portugal has become a jet-setters hangout. It is the remoteness, and the unpretentiousness, he said. Finally, late at night, I was there, standing by the cliffs overlooking the ocean, gazing at the crazy display of stars; there are no nearby cities to spoil the show. Break here for a sandwich of black Iberian pork cooked for 12 hours and slicked with basil mayo, or a barbecued chicken sandwich with homemade pickles or French fries garnished with rosemary, and throw in a glass of wine for 2 euros. Comporta is still an appealing place today, with its own nearby beach and great places to eat, such as Cavalarica Comporta, and a lively night-life scene. The White Box House (Rua de Santa Catarina 575; the-white-box.pt; doubles from 50 euros, including breakfast) is within walking distance of the city center. Portugal, in general, is a laid-back place, compared to much of Europe. Stroll over the bridge, with its exquisite views downriver, to the port warehouses that dot the opposite side. Waiting for them inside were the baby lambs, a crowd of jumping cotton balls. Walk down the block to the most effortlessly cool bar in town. Vilarinho is in one of the highest parts of the Barroso, at about 3,300 feet above sea level, in the middle of a windswept plateau. Cattle in the Barroso graze outside all through the year and are never given animal feed. I come from Brazil, but my great-grandfather grew up in a village in Trs os Montes before migrating to South America. Just a block away, French-speaking visitors waltzed into the row of recently opened boutiques selling designer dresses and bikinis, next to the site where the French shoe designer Christian Louboutin is preparing to build this towns first hotel. One day, we discussed the mine while returning his flock to its shed. The Barroso is one of Portugals most isolated areas, known for its rough terrain, abiding agricultural traditions and stunning beauty. Opened last year in a historic building formerly occupied by the consulate of Brazil, Le Consulat is a sophisticated hotel with eight spacious suites decorated with artworks culled from top Lisbon galleries, and views across the lovely Cames square in the central Chiado district (Praa Lus de Cames 22; 351-212-427-470; leconsulat.pt; from about 200 euros). A short walk from the station are two establishments patronized by Portos sweets-loving citizens. Admission, 3 euros, or about $3.70. Southwest of the city center, the pretty riverfront Belm district is defined by its landmarks: the Manueline-style Jernimos Monastery, the 16th-century Belm Tower and, since 2016, the futuristic facade of MAAT, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. Let me try. Instead of a sit-down dinner, try out a few of the newest places. Cork bark is cut every nine years by hand from cork oak trees in the Alentejo region. Start at the Graa Convent, whose tiled chapel and Baroque cloister opened to the public for the first time after recent restorations (free). When I get back to London, I need a crash helmet.. Routines here are as well-worn as the cobblestone streets. Andr Vieira is a photographer based in Portugal. A delightful trend thats ramped up in Porto is petiscos, the Portuguese version of tapas. (The mosquitoes are also pretty overwhelming at night, as the village is built at the edge of a rice field). That is why I was glad we had ended up staying a bit farther south near Melides, a simple town of about 1,500 residents, four or so restaurants, a church and a few small stores and a supermarket. And now they come to threaten our way of life, said Nelson Gomes, one of the leaders of the resistance movement in Covas do Barroso. The slaughter is a communal event, drawing the help of neighbors and friends. If dinner at the Michelin-starred Pedro Lemos restaurant will break the bank, its still possible to try the eponymous chefs food. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Pub Lisboeta in the Prncipe Real district serves a variety of Portuguese craft beers. Mr. Gomess wife, Aida, is the villages President of the Baldio, an elected official charged with overseeing and keeping official tabs on the use of the forest areas and water springs used collectively by residents. He seemed to have something to discuss with everyone who walked by. Long stretches of this coast are permanently protected as national parks, and in other areas there are restrictions prohibiting any new construction near the beach. The Centro Comercial Bombarda doesnt open until noon, but this collection of small shops and restaurants on the gallery-thronged Rua da Bombarda is heaven for shoppers looking for boutiques crammed with goods from homegrown designers. For those who are more interested in sampling than shopping, Vinologia offers a choice of port flights (35 euros) that come with a short introduction to the many varieties. Soon, small groups of cows emerged from the mist, orderly marching in single file to their sheds to spend the night. Melides also served as a great launching point for day trips throughout the Alentejo region, including Comporta. Getting to know Fernando Pessoa, the shape-shifting writer who is considered one of Portugals greatest poets, is no easy task. Located in a former grocery store, Taberna da Rua das Flores has the well-worn atmosphere of an old Lisbon tavern, with tile floors, wooden chairs and marble-topped tables. In inclement weather, take cover at Cerveteca Lisboa, a quiet beer bar across the street pouring hard-to-find brews from Portuguese craft breweries, like Dois Corvos and Passarola Brewing. As I saw the billboards, big box stores of Lisbon, the car dealerships, I realized we had crossed some kind of threshold to return to the contemporary world. Lunch for two, around 30 euros. The result is a historic building thats Instagram-worthy inside and out. A Porto landmark, the twin-towered cathedral, S do Porto (free admission), is a gorgeous amalgamation of architectural details from multiple centuries, beginning in the 12th. At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with travel restrictions in place worldwide, we launched a new series The World Through a Lens in which photojournalists help transport you, virtually, to some of our planets most beautiful and intriguing places. It was early in the morning and his helpers welders, paint mixers, frame builders were just arriving for another day of work, as we walked through his studio, with dozens of his paintings in various states of completion, including paper soaking in vats of red, yellow and green paints, and large abstract canvases with layers of oil paint and acrylic gel. The lascas de bacalhau is a deconstructed fish-and-chips, the cod flaked and mixed with eggs cooked at low temperature and exploding olives that melt in the mouth. These formations, around five million years old, reach 130 feet into the sky, sitting atop a carpet of wild yellow choro das praias flowers. Along with his wife, Joana Espinheira, Mr. Lemos opened Stash, a sandwich shop, in 2014. After shopping, grab a drink and head to the deck chairs on the patio in the summer, or the picnic tables in front of the indoor fire in the winter. Her seven-year-old sister, Bruna, is the second youngest. Situated in the final home of the bespectacled author, the site is a treasure trove of Pessoas early 20th-century works most published posthumously including poems written under three well-developed heteronyms. Grab a coffee and pastry at one of the citys myriad confeitarias and save room for an early lunch. Order the house gin garnished with orange and cloves. Pair a pastis de nata with one of the lesser-known specialties, like the award-winning Torresmo do Cu, a sweeter cousin of the egg tart featuring a rich almond-and-citrus filling. Touriga Vinhos de Portugal is another worthwhile stop, offering samples of three ports for five euros and a good selection of Portuguese wines. The Barroso, in northern Portugal, is part of the historical province of Trs os Montes behind the hills, in Old Portuguese. There are many area homes available for short-term rentals and a campground that has small, but comfortable, bungalows for rent near the beach. Eventually, the companies were forced to delay their plans and produce a detailed environmental impact report for their projects. The landscape is extraordinary and verdant, even in the dry months, Mr. Martin said. On Rua dos Caldeireiros, a handful of restaurants have recently appeared, of which Caldeireiros is the standout. The United Nations World Heritage list, which includes Evora, calls it the finest example of a city of the golden age of Portugal after the destruction of Lisbon by the 1755 earthquake. This was the most tourist-intense part of our week, but well worth the detour. Its now dealing with an outbreak of around 30 cases. Tall pine trees with branches that create an umbrella-like effect. After dawn, I would take a hike on the cliffs, some 200-feet high, overlooking the ocean you can imagine the view. (It looks laid back, but it was also recently featured in Architectural Digest.). Madonna visited in 2017. The nine-year cycle of growing cork, Alentejos clock, is stubborn, slow moving, durable and just right. Vilarinho is considered the best preserved example of the traditional architecture of the Barroso. At Pastelaria Alca, a standing-room-only pastry shop that opened last year in a prime location in the bustling Chiado district, rows of those golden tarts are displayed alongside a variety of other so-called monastic pastries whose centuries-old recipes originated in Catholic monasteries and convents. Half living room, half shop, Mercado 48 has the kind of souvenirs that youll be proud to show off at home, like the modern cork-and-ceramic teapots and mugs, glazed in a variety of colors, that give a nod to Portugals history of cork production. But it is the setting itself that is unrivaled. Grndola is also home to a classic Portuguese restaurant, A Talha de Azeite, where some of the best dishes include Aorda de Bacalhau (a traditional Portuguese bread soup) and Arroz de Lingueiro (rice with razor clams). The truth is that their profound attachment to their land and traditions makes Trs os Montes one of the most culturally unique parts of the country. You can follow his work on Instagram. Home to a third of the worlds cork oak forests, Portugal has dreamed up myriad uses for the natural, sustainable material. The bilevel Ponte de Dom Lus I stretches from the Ribeira section of Porto over the River Douro to Vila Nova de Gaia. In an impressive show of reverse colonization, Brazil has taken over a magnificent mansion in Prncipe Real. One street over, Trasca offers treats like tiny roasted green chiles (3.50 euros) with a glass of vinho verde (3.50 euros). It also has a growing list of luxury boutique hotels nearby, such Quinta da Comporta and Sublime Comporta.But today Comporta feels like a mini-version of the Hamptons: luxury cars fill the busy streets, couples in bohemian-style outfits walk among the art galleries, housewares stores, nightclubs and outdoor bars. The ham and sausages from the pigs will feed them throughout the year. A Portugal of Pristine Beaches, Tiny Villages and Little Else, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/travel/portugal-alentejo-melides-atlantic-coast-beaches-villages.html. After he let the mothers in, we went outside to stare at the landscape as the evening set in. Paulo Pires holds a newborn dwarf lamb at his barn in Covas do Barroso.Credit As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The coast is largely unknown to visitors from the United States, whose bucket list for Portugal is generally the famed cities of Lisbon and Porto, and the Algarve region to the south, which has some beautiful towns like Lagos, but is often overrun with tourists, especially in the peak summer months. The rustic tiled floors, wooden accents and stone walls make it look as if its been around forever, but it opened in 2014 and has had the locals lining up for its well-executed Portuguese cuisine ever since. The town square of Melides features a post office, a small cafe, a newsstand, a funeral home and a butcher shop, along with a collection of small tables where locals gather to pass the hours. Pair with wine from the Douro Valley (wine and small plates for two, around 20 euros). Dinner for two, 75 euros. That explains why Louboutin is not only trying to build a boutique hotel in Melides. Then you climb down a precarious set of stairs built into the sandstone cliff, before you reach the beach. At first, he talked about the colors: the four shades of evergreen that illuminate the region: olive, pine, eucalyptus and cork. A brightly trimmed house on the main street of Porto Covo, a fishing village known for its beaches. This method has helped keep the soil fertile, the rivers and springs clean, and the landscape unblemished. Or try the pork loin sandwich, topped with melted local cheese (wine and small plates for two, around 25 euros). The daily menu scribbled on a large blackboard and patiently explained by servers recently included wasabi-spiced oysters, bright mackerel tartare with seaweed and crunchy dried shrimp, and a flavorful pile of matchstick potatoes and local trumpet mushrooms. As one of Portugals rock star chefs, Jos Avillez is a household name. Colorful Portuguese wares line the shelves at A Vida Portuguesa. Maria Emilia da Silva kneads dough to bake bread for her family at the villages community oven in Covas do Barroso. Children at play in the sand of Melides Lagoon in Portugals Alentejo region. Women cook inside an old kitchen in Covas do Barroso while sausages hang overhead. In the canon of Portuguese pastries, the most storied sweet is the pastis de nata, a flaky, palm-size tart with creamy egg-custard filling. The rooms off the stairs are home to an exhibit documenting the history of the 18th-century towers inhabitants and architects; the adjacent church (included in the admission fee) is also worth a look. A cold and wet fog covered the landscape on my first visit, limiting visibility. Porto at sunset, with the cathedral at left and the Dom Lus I bridge at right. Add the whole fried onion served with black garlic mayonnaise. The inland parts of Alentejo featuring historic towns and vineyards have for some time drawn outsiders. Fontainhas beach in the village of Melides, Portugal. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/travel/36-hours-in-lisbon.html. The title was a morale booster for residents, who benefited from the new status by highlighting the environmentally friendly way in which their products are made and promoting the region as a prime location for ecotourism. Here we make everything at home, he proudly explained, pouring wine into my glass. This cozy, narrow bar opened a few years ago with crowded tables, an emerald-tiled bar, and a variety of Portuguese craft beers try the Klsch from Lisbons Oitava Colina brewery. Mile after mile after mile you can walk, uninterrupted. We spent an afternoon at a large organic farm, Herdade Aberta Nova, that welcomes visitors (including families with young children) to its compound, which includes a vast collection of peacocks, pigs, horses, donkeys, chickens, goats and other farm animals. The mining company offered a ridiculously low amount as compensation for my property. Catholic celebrations dictate the rhythm of life in the Barroso, with festivals and processions marking important points in the agriculture cycle. A religious procession prepares to depart from the chapel of Vilarinho Seco. Jaunts we took included a drive through cork oak fields (every nine years, the bark is cut by hand from the trees, which look almost like they have had haircuts but gradually regrow. The Barroso mountains, with the village of Espertina in the distance. So Torpes beach along the Alentejo coast is popular with surfers. Follow NY Times Travel on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. In late 2017, tired of living in post-Olympic Rio de Janeiro, I decided to move to Portugal, where photography became my way of getting to know a country which, despite my family origins, I knew only superficially. It didnt take long for him to invite me to his home, with a blazing fireplace in the kitchen and rows of sausages and smoked ham hanging from the ceiling above it. The coronavirus pandemic has largely spared the Barroso, which has benefited from its isolation. Its one of the nations most isolated areas, known for its harsh climate, rough terrain and stunning beauty. Not a single hotel or resort, just the occasional snack shack and during the day, a few lifeguards supplied by the regional government. Run by the knowledgeable and friendly Marco Ferreira and Clia Lino, Porto in a Bottle specializes in port from small producers. And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Stunning 18th- and 19th-century buildings, new indie bars and restaurants and a laid-back vibe, facilitated by the excellent wine its hard to find anything to dislike about Porto. But even if it was good, what would I do with it? he said. Soon the village was full of life, with neighbors greeting each other in their muddy boots and wet clothes, taking time for a chat before heading home to sit around the fire, have dinner and end another hard day of work. Ascend the elegant staircase, which is circled by a flock of yellow stuffed parrots, to explore the maze of rooms that recently displayed Lenny Niemeyers fashionable swimsuits, orange-trimmed Panama hats from Frescobol Carioca, bars of Rios Q chocolate, and exquisite polished-wood armchairs designed by Srgio Rodrigues. This week, Andr Vieira shares a collection of images from Portugal. Other A-list homeowners in the area include Philippe Starck, the interior decorator and hotel designer; Anselm Kiefer, the German artist; and Jason Martin, the British abstract painter, who took over a cavernous former nightclub as his studio, and also built a home on the nearby hillside, where he is also producing wine. Over a century old, the interior of the Beaux-Arts building is decorated with azulejos, the exquisite blue and white tiles for which Portugal is famous. Confeitaria Serrana, a family-run bakery for over 40 years, serves the citys best bola de Berlim (1.10 euros, or $1.16 at $1.06 to the euro), a dose of custard sandwiched in a sugar-dusted roll. You walk down a long pathway toward the vast expanse of the Atlantic. Elias Coelho, at left, serves homemade bread to his family and neighbors after they spent the morning slaughtering pigs outside his home in Vilarinho Seco. Start with a glass of Douro branco and paper-thin octopus carpaccio topped with cilantro, sweet potato chips and a drizzle of olive oil (13.50 euros). Rio Maravilha, a new fourth-floor hangout in the resurgent LX Factory area, offers dazzling views of the Tagus River and the 25 de Abril Bridge. My first stop was at the village of Vilarinho Seco, considered one of the best-preserved examples of the traditional architecture of the Barroso, with houses made of rustic stone, often with a shed for the animals on the ground floor, ornate granite granaries next to them, and public water fountains lining the streets every few hundred yards. If you do plan a trip to Lisbon, check out these suggestions on what to pack for the trip from our colleagues at Wirecutter. Many people have left, he said, lamenting the potential loss of the village and its traditions. Many of the pasture areas are collectively owned by the villages. The news brought about fierce opposition from residents. The Alentejo area has long been known as one of the poorest and least populated parts of Western Europe, although its sandy soil is fertile. But the large Barroso diaspora, which returns each summer from all over the globe to the place they still call home, was also affected. For a wider variety of caffeinated options, start the morning at Fbrica Coffee Roasters. At the spacious Chiado locale, order a velvety flat white, take a seat amid the plants, put away the phone (theres no Wi-Fi) and savor your coffee. Opened in 2015 by the acclaimed chef Vtor Sobral, this low-key restaurant on a quiet corner of Campo de Ourique serves fresh-caught seafood raw, cured, marinated, grilled you name it. Melides is in the midst of a transformation as a wave of super affluent Europeans artists, bankers, actors and sports stars have discovered this extraordinarily beautiful spot, which happens to sit in the middle of a 40-mile stretch of nearly untouched Atlantic Ocean beaches, and at the edge of hundreds of square miles of cork oak fields, vineyards and rice fields. This area has a network of sandy trails that extend from the coast miles into the countryside. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Paulo Pires holds a newborn dwarf lamb at his barn in Covas do Barroso. Mr. Pires is one of the few residents of Covas who raises sheep instead of cattle. Lisbons night life reached new heights when a wave of rooftop bars opened around the city. I found myself drawn to the beach and not just for the traditional reasons. Then head outside to admire one of the citys finest miradouros (viewpoints) that sweeps across the terracotta-tiled rooftops. Snapshots of Daily Life in a Remote Region of Portugal, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/23/travel/barroso-portugal-agriculture.html. We are here out of choice, not because of a lack of options. An endless canopy of green formed by umbrella pines tall trees whose branches are umbrella-shaped, so when the trees are huddled together they create a pine blanket in the sky. To survive the unforgiving geography, residents of the Barroso have, over time, developed a complex farming system that relies on the collective management of the water, forests and pastures used by their animals. In the Portuguese capital, a weekends worth of seafood feasts, chic rooftop bars, undulating streets and landmarks, both Old World and futuristic. In the end, helpers are treated to a feast. It is a system based on self-sufficiency, where residents eat what they grow, bake their own bread (often in their villages ancient community oven), step on grapes from their orchards to make wine, and slaughter hogs to make sausages and ham which they smoke above their kitchens fireplace.