Budget travel in Portugal's interior — the Alentejo region specifically — is underexplored compared to the Lisbon-Porto-Algarve circuit.

Why the interior: Alentejo is the largest region of Portugal by area and receives perhaps 5% of the tourist volume of the coast. The landscape is rolling plains and cork oak forests, the medieval walled cities (Évora, Monsaraz, Marvão, Elvas) are perfectly preserved, the food culture is specific and excellent, and accommodation is noticeably cheaper than the coast.

Évora: a UNESCO world heritage walled city with Roman temple ruins, Gothic cathedral, and a bone chapel (chapel of bones made from 5,000 human skeletons — free entry, genuinely remarkable). Guesthouses $20-30/night. Local restaurants serving Alentejo cuisine (açorda, migas, slow-cooked pork) at $8-12 for a full meal.

Monsaraz: tiny medieval village inside a castle wall. Views over the Guadiana River into Spain. One of the most atmospheric villages in Portugal. Day trip from Évora by bus or rent a car.

Marvão: hilltop castle village at 800m altitude. The views from the castle walls are extraordinary on clear days. Tiny accommodation options at $25-35/night.

Getting there: Évora has regular bus connections from Lisbon (1.5 hours, $10). The further villages require either a rental car (€30/day split among 2-3 people) or patience with infrequent local bus connections.