HOME / OUR NATURE/ A land of stories
The land of Quinta Solana is full of stories
The Alentejo,
Portugal’s best-kept secret
From the south of Lisbon to the Algarve beaches, the Alentejo region is full of archaeological remains inherited from the Celts (dolmen), Greeks (temple of Diana in Evora) and Romans (foundation of Beja under the name of Pax Julia).
But the influence of these civilisations goes far beyond architecture. A real treasure in itself, the olive tree, brought by the Phoenicians, was cultivated by the Romans, the Visigoths and later by the Moors.
The Moorish invasions also left their mark on the architecture and lifestyle of the region. The taste for patios and narrow streets protected from the sun, the whitewashed houses and the earthenware tiles of the azulejos bear witness to this.
A rebellious land with a strong agricultural identity, Alentejo was also the epicentre of the Carnation Revolution.
A GASTRONOMY
authentic & generous
These civilisations have thus forged a strong cultural and culinary identity in the region. Bread, wine, olive oil, cheese and charcuterie from Alentejo offer an authentic and generous cuisine.
Today a new generation of winegrowers, chefs and other craftsmen are working to bring this sweetness of life back to the region, to spread it outside the circles of Portugal and to help them discover their secret garden.
In the press
NYT : ”As in Provence and Tuscany, food and wine bond families and strangers alike”
The Guardian : “Alentejo, the new Tuscany”
Le Monde : “L’Alentejo, eau de vie”
Le Figaro : “Alentejo, voyage au-delà du Tage, au-delà du Temps”
The origin of Quinta Solana is a small olive grove of 2 ha bought by Antonio after the Carnation Revolution (1974), in his native village of Brinches in the heart of Alentejo. Antonio’s favourite retirement project was his”quinta” (vegetable and fruit garden). From his work we have inherited his respect for the fertile and nourishing earth.