Coudelaria de Alter (Alter Royal Stud Farm)

The Coudelaria de Alter in Alter do Chão has bred the Lusitano Alter Real horse line since its founding by King João V in 1748, making it one of the oldest continuously operating stud farms in the world, with a herd descended from the same royal bloodline once reserved for the Portuguese court's riding school. Guided tours, offered on the hour, lead through the 18th-century stable blocks, paddocks where mares and foals graze, and a small equestrian museum displaying saddlery, carriages and historical documents relating to the breed. Visitors on tours timed to coincide with training sessions can often watch handlers working young horses or see dressage demonstrations that showcase the Alter Real's compact, elevated movement, prized in classical riding traditions. A full guided visit takes about an hour to ninety minutes. Morning tours tend to catch the horses at their most active in the paddocks, before the heat of the day settles over the Alentejo plains and animals retreat to shade. Because tours run on a fixed schedule and numbers can be limited, arriving in time for a specific tour slot, rather than expecting to join immediately, is advisable. The stud farm's setting amid cork oak pastureland northwest of Portalegre also makes for a scenic drive through typical Alto Alentejo countryside.