Guarda, capital of the district of the same name, is Portugal's highest city, at about 1,056 metres, on the north-eastern edge of the Serra da Estrela. Founded in 1199 by King Sancho I as a bulwark against the kingdoms of León and Castile, a few kilometres from the border, it owes its name to its role as a "guard". A saying describes it with five Fs: forte, farta, fria, fiel e formosa, meaning strong, wealthy, cold, loyal and beautiful.
The cathedral
The main monument is the Sé, the cathedral, built of granite between the late fourteenth and mid-sixteenth centuries, fortress-like, with crenellated towers, pinnacles and curious gargoyles: one of them, on the north side, shows its backside turned towards Spain, by tradition as a gesture of defiance. Inside, the high altar has a large sixteenth-century carved stone altarpiece attributed to the workshop of Jean de Rouen. Guided visits to the roof give an exceptional view.
The town
The old centre keeps parts of the medieval walls, gates such as the Porta d'El Rei and the castle keep, from which you can see into Spain on clear days. The Jewish quarter recalls the medieval Jewish community, with marks carved in door stones. The Guarda Museum, in the old seminary, displays archaeology, sacred art and painting. Guarda is also a university town and has a modern municipal theatre.
Climate and surroundings
In winter Guarda is often covered in snow and temperatures fall below zero; in summer the air is cool and dry. The city is a good base for the historic villages of the Beira, such as Trancoso, Almeida, Castelo Rodrigo and Sortelha, and for the Serra da Estrela. It is reached by train (Beira Alta and Beira Baixa lines) and by car on the A23 and A25 motorways, about three hours from Lisbon and two from Porto.