Alentejo

The Alentejo is the south-central part of Portugal.The greater region is defined within Portugal by the land bordering the left bank of the Tagus river to the North and extending to the South where it borders the Algarve region. The origin of its name, "além" + "Tejo" combined as Alentejo, literally translates to "Beyond-the-Tagus" or "Across-the-Tagus". However, a large portion of Lezíria do Tejo in Ribatejo Province is located on the right margin of the Tagus River. The Alentejo proper is all located beyond the left margin of the Tagus River.Its main cities are Évora, Elvas, Portalegre (Upper Alentejo), Beja, Moura, Serpa (Lower Alentejo), Sines (Coastal Alentejo), Santarém and Rio Maior (Lezíria do Tejo, in Ribatejo).It is one of the more recent seven Regions of Portugal (NUTS II subdivisions). Today, Lezíria do Tejo subregion, formerly belonging to Lisboa e Vale do Tejo region, is part of the Alentejo NUTS II region.