A long time ago (last year), in a galaxy far, far away (Braga), we planned to celebrate our anniversary by ticking an item off our not-quite-in-the-bucket list – visiting a Dark Sky Observatory (or DSO). We’ve wanted to go to one for many years but they aren’t always conveniently located, for obvious reasons. However, one of the central regions of Portugal known as the Alentejo has a large swath that is so designated. It’s relatively high altitude and hardly ever rains, so stargazing there can be amazing. We booked a nice room at an inn, rented a car, packed our bags…. aaaaaand it rained. Less than two days a month on average, but the ole storm clouds scored a bullseye. Figures. So, we filed that plan away, and this year we pulled it out to give it another go. It was sketchy for a bit but turned out wonderfully. Do tell? We tell!
“What exactly is a DSO,” you ask? Excellent and thoughtful question! In a Dark Sky Observatory the territory is rural or agricultural, or for whatever reason devoid of human settlement. A DSO is not so much a specific place with an address, it’s a region that has been marked out as having extremely low, or no, light pollution, allowing for the best environment for viewing the night sky. Generally, the local inhabitants and businesses agree to avoid using external light as much as possible. Just in case you aren’t aware, the ambient light in populated areas washes out the comparatively dim light of the stars in the sky, the result being that only the brightest stars are visible. The Alentejo is one such place – it’s an area of land not suited for large cities but perfect for some kinds of farming (primarily cork, grapes, and olives). A lot of great wine comes out of the Alentejo. The result is that you can settle in for an overnight or two and see the sky in a way that most people in industrialized nations rarely get to do.
Last time we had booked ourselves into a simple little motel, but this time we figured “what the heck, it’s our anniversary!” and made plans to go to Montimerso Skyscape Countryhouse. Described as a remote, tranquil eco-retreat with 15 suites, jaw-dropping lake views, starry skies, and a top-rated gourmet restaurant, it seemed very celebratory. And we fell in love with this sparkling eco-hotel in a secret corner of glorious Alentejo countryside. Nature is at the heart of everything here – from the fresh, seasonal ingredients used in the kitchen, to the trendy, locally-sourced decor in the rooms. All of the suites are generously sized, even the smallest (ours) and beautifully designed with handmade interiors with muted tones and cork and wicker touches. Did I mention those far-reaching views of the lake or countryside? We were utterly charmed.
We were amused during check-in when they asked us “do you have a problem with dogs?” We don’t, and their website even mentions being dog-friendly. However, there’s “friendly” and there’s “our two dogs act like they own the place and very likely will wander into your room to see if you like giving belly scritches.” John actually likes this level of engagement with random dogs so he had a great time, but we could both admit this was a little extra. The little pooch pictured here actually came in through the front door of our room and nosed around pleasantly enough. John said “ok pal, I’m closing this up and you need to go, but if you can find us on the back patio (we were ground floor with a nice little deck space) then you’ll earn your way in… and sure enough, 15 minutes later – give or take – he sauntered up to us on the patio, received chin skritches as was his due, and then went for a lie down in our room. I mean, he’d earned it, right?
Dinner that evening was at the hotel’s SkyScape Restaurant, by pre-arrangement. (They have a zero waste policy and ask that you pre-order at least 24 hours in advance so they can minimize food waste.) For a fixed priced, we shared a collection of starters, small plates, both hot and cold, all featuring foods local to the Alentejo. We had cheeses, cured meats, crusty bread, asparagus drizzled in a honey-mustard dressing and topped with toasted nuts, and black pig tenderloins with migas (a local delicacy made by soaking stale bread. Dessert was super-sweet sericaia (a type of flat cake local to the region) with plum and cinnamon.
The weather this night was not cooperative to skywatching, but we’d been expecting that from the forecast, so it wasn’t a disappointment. We went to sleep that night with visions of sugarplums, or at least clear skies, dancing in our heads.
