Holiday rentals in the Alentejo offer holidaymakers the ideal country retreat away from the stresses and strains of busy city life. If your idea of a relaxing holiday is sampling excellent local cuisine followed by a leisurely stroll through tranquil countryside or a siesta under the shade of a cork oak tree, then the Alentejo has what you're looking for.

There's clearly not the range of holiday rentals available in the Alentejo as in other regions, but there are self-catering holidays in quaint Alentejo villages that will enchant even the most discerning traveller.

São Gregórios, a little village near Estremoz is a typical example. At its peak it was home to over forty people but by the 1980's all had deserted the village for the cities.

The village was bought in 1998 and its original 15th century architecture renovated to offer an innovative form of village tourism. The cottages for rent sleep form 2 to 4 people and cost about 150 Euros per night.

The potential for luxury holiday rentals in the Alentejo hasn't gone unnoticed by developers and new resorts are opening or being planned, offering buy to let investments in townhouses and luxury villas.

One example is Parque do Redondo on the shores of Lake Vigia, near Redondo. Consisting of 150 luxury villas and 70 townhouses, the resort includes a golf course, hunting, fishing, tennis, horse riding and water sports. A luxury resort is also planned on the Alqueva dam, so the future for holiday rentals in the Alentejo looks promising.