The small pretty
white town of Arraiolos snaking up the hillside to the ruins of a medieval
castle made an impressive sight. A short drive from Évora, the capital of
Alentejo, this place is renowned for its rugs.
 |
| Embroidering away Arraiolos tapetes©TVB |
Saunter round the
endearing town and in some small shops you can see people embroidering away
creating this uneven cross-stich which covers the whole canvas base of the rug.
Each one is hand-made and can contain 24 colours.
It is not known how old
the industry here is, but it is believed the craft was an inheritance from the
Moors. The oldest rugs date back to the Middle Ages and appear to have been
influenced with designs from the Muslim empires of Ottoman and Persia.
 |
| Local café in the town square |
After the Moors
left, rugs continued to be made and as Évora, in the 15th
century, was in its Golden Age and was the residence of the Portuguese kings, the Arraiolos floor coverings were in
demand by not only the royal palaces but by the convents and monasteries.
By the late 18th
century, the style mavens had lost interest in the Orient and European artistic
trends became the flavour of the moment. So, the carpet makers of Arraiolos
fused a more popular decorative mode with Orientalism which eventually morphed
into themes which we see today based on local flora and fauna.
However, at the end
of the 19th century, the industry was dwindling but was revived in
the 20th century when the rugs were lauded both nationally and
internationally.
Afterwards we popped
into the near-by town hall that hosts a collection of tapestries and works by
local artist Dórdio Gomes.
My guide Libánio Murteira Reis, a history professor, not only knew how to give me facts in a way that grabbed my attention, he, like most of the Portuguese I had met, liked their coffee. So, we went into a local café in the town square where we also just had to sample some snacks including pork crackling pastry. An acquired taste, I think. But unless you try something you will never know if you like it or not.
Another first for me
was having lunch in a former jail. Here I enjoyed a superb lunch of Bacalhau
(salted cod) in what was once a 16th-century prison in the heart of
the Royal Citadel. Just to give you that sense of place, the designer of this
minimalist restaurant, A Cadeia Quinhentista, has left the bars on the windows.
It is well worth going to Estremoz just for the food here.
After lunch we headed to the Paço Ducal in Vila Viçosa. Built in the early 16th century, it was the home of the Dukes of Bragança, one of Portugal’s noblest families.
 |
| I marvelled at a chapel |
Museums are not
always my bag on holiday as I would rather experience real life, but I was
fascinated with the Centro Interpretativo do Tapete de Arraiolos. The
information is well presented and easy to digest.
The exhibitions
feature some rare pieces which are hundreds of years old and truly works of
art.
At the Pousada of
Arraiolos, a restored 16th-century convent, I marvelled at a chapel
adorned with elaborate Portuguese tiles known as azulejos.
 | |||
| Estremoz |
My guide Libánio Murteira Reis, a history professor, not only knew how to give me facts in a way that grabbed my attention, he, like most of the Portuguese I had met, liked their coffee. So, we went into a local café in the town square where we also just had to sample some snacks including pork crackling pastry. An acquired taste, I think. But unless you try something you will never know if you like it or not.
I had never visited
a quarry before but I was about to as we headed to Estremoz, the biggest marble
town in Alentejo. Libánio told me that marble has been cut in the
area since Roman times. Deep holes showed streaked marble. At the sides were
mountains of discarded pieces. I was told that the most precious is pure
white or pink but it can also be streaked or speckled and even have a yellowish
tinge.
 |
| Paço Ducal in Vila Viçosa |
After lunch we headed to the Paço Ducal in Vila Viçosa. Built in the early 16th century, it was the home of the Dukes of Bragança, one of Portugal’s noblest families.
Even though many
treasures were sent to Lisbon when the eighth duke in 1640 became João IV, there are still plenty to make a visit here worthwhile. From
Flemish tapestries, carved furniture and spectacular Persian rugs to portraits
of the 17 dukes and a painting the British gave to Catherine of Bragança after
her husband, Charles ll died, there is a lot to feast your eyes on.
I was particularly fascinated with the private quarters of King Carlos and Queen Marie-Amélia which are dressed as if the couple were going to walk through the door at any moment. Actually, the king spent the night here before his assassination in 1908. The last king, Dom Manuel ll was exiled to England. The palace was left to the nation.
I was particularly fascinated with the private quarters of King Carlos and Queen Marie-Amélia which are dressed as if the couple were going to walk through the door at any moment. Actually, the king spent the night here before his assassination in 1908. The last king, Dom Manuel ll was exiled to England. The palace was left to the nation.
After an
action-packed day discovering more Alentejo gems, it was time to say goodbye to
the marble-clad town of Estremoz and head back to Évora.
By Daralyn Danns
Getting there
TAP Portugal flies
from London Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester to Lisbon up to 9 times a day,
prices start at £124 return including all taxes and surcharges. For further
information, visit www.flytap.com or call 0345 601 0932
I stayed in Évora at
the impressive five star M`AR De AR Aqueduto, housed in the 16th-century Sepulveda
Palace. For more information visit www.mardearhotels.com
For more information about Alentejo visit www.visitalentejo.pt/en/
