Castles of Portugal itinerary

Few European countries have had borders as stable as Portugal's: the frontier with Spain has barely changed since the 13th century. To defend it, Portuguese kings built along the Raia, the border line, a chain of castles and walled villages perched on hills and crags, each in sight of the next. Many are still intact, with walls you can walk along, white houses packed inside and pousadas, historic hotels, set within the fortresses.

This seven-day itinerary starts in Lisbon and crosses central Portugal and the Alentejo, the region of wheat plains, olive groves and cork oaks: the walled village of Óbidos, the Templar castle of Almourol on an island in the Tagus, the eagle's nests of Castelo de Vide and Marvão, the UNESCO-listed fortress town of Elvas, the marble castles of Estremoz and Vila Viçosa, the village of Monsaraz above the Alqueva lake and finally Évora, with its Roman temple and walls.

The frontier of castles

Portugal was born as a county in the north in the 12th century and, under Afonso Henriques, its first king, expanded south fighting the Muslims and the neighbouring kingdom of León. The Treaty of Alcañices in 1297 fixed a border that has remained almost unchanged to this day. King Dinis built or strengthened dozens of castles along the frontier. In the 17th century, after sixty years of union with Spain, Portugal regained its independence in 1640 and fought for almost thirty years: to defend itself it turned towns such as Elvas into star-shaped fortresses, with bastions, moats and forts, following the new art of war. See the history of Portugal.

Day 1: Óbidos

From Lisbon you reach Óbidos in about an hour. It is Portugal's most famous walled village: enter through the azulejo-lined Porta da Vila and stroll along rua Direita between white houses trimmed in yellow and blue, bougainvillea and little shops. Walk the walls, a kilometre and a half long and without a parapet in many stretches, with views over the rooftops and countryside. According to tradition, King Dinis gave the village to his wife Isabel on their wedding day, and for centuries Óbidos was the wedding gift of Portugal's queens. Try ginjinha, the sour cherry liqueur, served in a little chocolate cup. The castle is now a pousada. See Óbidos.

Where to stay: in Óbidos.

Day 2: Almourol and Castelo de Vide

Head east to Tancos (about an hour), where a small boat takes you in a few minutes to Almourol castle, built on a rocky islet in the middle of the Tagus. It was rebuilt in 1171 by the Templar master Gualdim Pais and is one of the most romantic castles in Europe, its keep and towers mirrored in the river. See Almourol.

In the afternoon continue to Castelo de Vide (about an hour and a half), a white village on the slopes of the Serra de São Mamede, known as "the Sintra of the Alentejo". Visit the castle and the Judiaria, the medieval Jewish quarter, with its small 14th-century synagogue, one of the oldest in Portugal, and drink from the Fonte da Vila, a Renaissance fountain. See Castelo de Vide.

Where to stay: in Castelo de Vide or Marvão, for two nights.

Day 3: Marvão

Marvão (a quarter of an hour) is a walled village almost nine hundred metres up, on top of a granite ridge overlooking the Spanish border. From the castle, on the tip of the rock, the view stretches for dozens of kilometres over the Alentejo and Spain, and on clear days you seem to see all of Portugal. The walls enclose a village of white houses with granite doorways, almost free of cars. Visit the small museum in the church of Santa Maria. In the afternoon go down to the ruins of the Roman town of Ammaia at the foot of the mountain, or walk in the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park. In the evening, when the visitors leave, Marvão falls into an enchanted silence. See Marvão.

Day 4: Elvas

Drive south to Elvas (about an hour), the largest fortified town of its kind in the world, a few kilometres from Badajoz in Spain. Its 17th-century bastioned fortifications are a UNESCO World Heritage Site: a star of walls and moats around the town, completed by two forts on the surrounding hills. Visit the Forte de Nossa Senhora da Graça, a masterpiece of 18th-century military architecture with concentric walls, and admire the Amoreira aqueduct, more than seven kilometres long. In town stroll across the Praça da República with its geometric paving, and try the candied Elvas plums. See Elvas.

In the afternoon drive to Estremoz (three quarters of an hour).

Where to stay: in Estremoz, perhaps in the castle pousada.

Day 5: Estremoz and Vila Viçosa

Estremoz is a marble town: houses, pavements and even door frames are of white or pink marble. In the upper town the castle has its Tower of the Three Crowns, and a chapel recalls Queen Isabel, wife of King Dinis, who died here in 1336 and is venerated as a saint. On Saturday mornings the great Rossio square hosts a market with cheeses, charcuterie, ceramics and Estremoz's famous clay figurines, recognised by UNESCO.

In the afternoon drive to Vila Viçosa (half an hour), the town of the Dukes of Bragança, the family that ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1910. The Ducal Palace, with its marble façade over a hundred metres long, holds furniture, tapestries, porcelain and a carriage collection. Above the town stands the castle, with museums of hunting and archaeology. See Vila Viçosa and Estremoz.

Day 6: Monsaraz

Drive south to Monsaraz (about an hour), a walled village on a hilltop above Lake Alqueva, the largest artificial lake in Western Europe. The village has two parallel streets of white houses, a small church and a castle with an arena where festivals are still held. From the walls you see the lake, with its islands, and Spain on the far shore. The area is a dark sky reserve, one of the first in the world, and in the evening you can go stargazing with a guide. Nearby are prehistoric menhirs and stone circles. See Monsaraz.

Where to stay: in or near Monsaraz.

Day 7: Évora and back

Évora (about an hour) is the capital of the Alentejo and one of Portugal's most beautiful cities, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Roman temple, with its Corinthian columns at the top of the town, the cathedral, with its rooftop terrace, and the Chapel of Bones in the church of São Francisco, its walls covered in skulls and human bones. Walk the walls and across Praça do Giraldo. Then drive back to Lisbon (about an hour and a half). See Évora and Lisbon Airport.

How much it costs

To save money: the Alentejo is one of the cheapest regions in Portugal; menus do dia cost €10-12. Pousadas offer discounts for early booking and for the over-55s.

Practical information

• Walls without parapets: in Óbidos and other villages the walls are narrow and unprotected; take care with children.
• Heat: in summer visit castles early in the morning and late in the afternoon; the Alentejo stops in the hottest hours.
• Tolls: Portuguese motorways have electronic tolls; ask the car hire company for a Via Verde device.
• What to eat: Alentejo black pork, migas, açorda, Serpa and Nisa cheeses and Alentejo reds. See Portuguese cuisine.
• Documents: EU citizens only need a valid identity card. See getting to Portugal.

Variations

• The aldeias históricas: the fortified villages of the Beira, such as Monsanto and Sortelha; see the historic villages itinerary.
• Tomar: the Templar castle and convent; see the Templar itinerary.
• Mértola: the village on the Guadiana with a mosque turned church; see Mértola.
• Guimarães: the cradle of Portugal, with Afonso Henriques's castle; see Guimarães.

What to read before you go

For history, a good history of Portugal; for the Alentejo, José Saramago's novel Raised from the Ground, and his Journey to Portugal, which also describes Marvão and Monsaraz. See also the Alentejo and Portuguese architecture.

Final tips

• Pace: spend at least one night inside the walls of a village, in Óbidos, Marvão or Monsaraz: in the evening the villages return to their residents.
• Combinations: from Évora you can head down to the Algarve coast; from Almourol you can link up with the Templar itinerary.
• A tip: in Marvão climb the castle keep at sunset: the mountain's shadow stretches across the plain and the border seems to vanish.

See also our other itineraries in Portugal.

Alentejo on the map

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