The Guadiana River separates Extremadura and Andalucia (Spain) from Alentejo and Algarve (Portugal) and is a favourite area of ours. We stay on the Portuguese side right on the river banks and we go for hikes in the mountains and drinks in the local bar – what could be better?

Put in this next paragraph 'cos it's written better than I could manage... Basically, it says that it's right pretty around here...

The blue river framed by cool greens of the riverside vegetation, of fertile orchards and gardens. The dark ochre of the hills, flecked with colour by cistus plants, holm, oak and the occasional olive tree. Houses with walls of schist or baked mud white with the dazzle of lime, huddled together in hamlets lost among the hills. Such contrasts are to be found in the Alcoutim municipality. http://www.portugalvirtual.pt/_tourism/algarve/alcoutim/

Wiki gives less flowery information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadiana

You can eat wild boar or the local black Iberian pigs at the local restaurant – yeah first take photos of the sweeties and then eat them... what are we like?! In spite of the large goat population I didn't see goat on the menu – will have to request it next time... relax, I'm going through a vegetarian phase so I'm eating their food instead of them. They just can't win!