We had enjoyed ten relaxing days in Portugal’s Alentejo but now it was time to go back to the UK! We set off from Flor da Rosa on main roads to Lisbon Airport with a brief stop in Arraiolos for coffee.


Cromlech de Vale Maria do Meio
The only thing about which I was unhappy was that we had not found or visited some ‘proper’ prehistoric remains and so we aimed to rectify this on the road back to Lisbon. We had visited this site on the road between Arraiolos and Montemor-o-Novo before and knew it was a ‘reliable’ site – meaning there was something obvious to see! The site of the Cromlech Vale Maria do Meio is marked from the road; access is via a bumpy dirt road but you can park at the site which is in private farmland.






Cromlech de Portela de Mogos
This site, the Cromlech de Portela de Mogos is just a little further down the main road and it is very different. There is no signpost, just a hinged section of fencing. And the site itself has an atmosphere – this is somewhere with a ‘spirit of place’.



And then it was over and we were crossing the Vasco da Gama bridge into Lisbon. The airport was chaotic and we needed the full two hours before the flight left to get on to the plane! Happy memories and next trip already being planned…

I would love to hear from you!