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For
years the Alentejo has been neglected and many of its rural communities have
suffered as their inhabitants have moved to the cities in search of better
jobs. Villages and farms have fallen into disrepair and for years time has
stood still in the Alentejo.
However, things are changing. There's a renewed interest in the countryside
as people are looking to escape the pressures of a busy city life, even if
its only for weekends and holidays.
The vast
undulating countryside of the Alentejo offers all the benefits of a country
lifestyle with its traditional pursuits of horse riding, hunting, shooting
and fishing, with the ease of access to the capital Lisbon, which as been
created since the opening of new motorways throughout the Alentejo.
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Investors are looking to buy property to renovate and sell as holiday homes,
holiday lets and weekend retreats. The Alentejo monte is in particular
demand. These old farmhouses where built on hills offering spectacular views
of the surrounding farm and countryside.
The
recent completion of the Alqueva dam has created the largest artificial lake
in Europe. The project was designed to regenerate investment in the Alentejo
in tourism, agriculture, and horticulture.
The plan
appears to be working. Development plans for a mega tourist complex along
150 km of the shores of the Alqueva dam has recently been approved. This in
itself will attract further investment, and the property market in the
Alentejo is sure to benefit for some time to come.
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