Portalegre district
To see and do
Useful information
Personal notes
Other opinions
​My preferences:

 ** Very interesting:
      Marvão
      Elvas
      Castelo de Vide
  * Interesting:
      Portalegre
      Campo Maior
      Belver
​With time Alter do Chão, Amieira do Tejo, Ponte de Sor and Avis

Amieira do Tejo

​The castle

Built by the Hospitallers after Belver, to enhance the defensive line of the river, this castle comes from the 13th century.

​Losing its military importance it was partially used as private residence, and the courtyard as cemetery, until 1940 when it was classified as a national monument.
Chapel

Belver
The castle

The first castle constructed in Portugal by the Hospitallers was located by Tejo river, to stabilize the border between Christians and Muslims, in the 12th century. It was ruled by the religious order until the 14th century, and kept being used for defensive purposes with some adaptations, until the 18th century.

​A strong earthquake in 1909 caused serious damages, but in 1939 the recuperation was started, and, with successive interventions, it was carefully recovered during 50 years.

​It may be visited from Tuesday afternoon to Sunday, from 9.30 to 12.30 and 14.30 to 17.00, except in a few holidays, and between July 10th. and 17th

Campo Maior
Festas do Povo

National colours, identifying the most popular clubs in Portugal (Sporting and Benfica), give the boys the chance to demonstrate their different choices. But where? And why these colors?

In Campo Maior for the Festas do Povo (people's festivities). They're an explosion of color, each street rivaling with its neighbors to get the prize of the most beautiful.
It is very difficult to get accommodation. so, Elvas or Badajoz, with luck, are near solutions.

2020. September 2020. Don't forget to put in your agenda.
​Festas da Cidade

Maybe Campo Maior has interesting points besides its festivities, but, surrounded by so much color, who gets time and space to search for anything else?

Only going there in another occasion. But its so far...

In Alentejo it doesn't rain much, and the decoration uses to be safe, but... what if it does rain?. 

Castelo de Vide

A couple of times in Castelo de Vide, but only the last one with time to have a deep look at town.

It is small, rich in tradition, specially in connection with Jewish culture.
​
For a few years it became the regular location to one of the biggest dancing events in Portugal - Andanças.

Though facing the extreme heat of summer, that may be a great opportunity for a couple of days in town

​Elvas

Marvão


There are two ways to appreciate  Marvão - one of them entering the castle, enjoying its details, and the wide sights across border, showing that Portugal and Spain are only conventional designations for the same landscape.

The other one is from distance with the castle topping the ridge, as a sentinel guarding the hills, where "progress" is the pretext to some visual offenses...

​Why not mixing the two?

Portalegre


One day passing by, in the way to Spain, another one visiting the city for an express cultural event, and a third one, in a trip from Castelo de Vide trying to see something more but "forbidden" by the 41º Celsius in the shades (and a "special" shop that Fernanda had seen in the previous visit.

So,  Portalegre keeps being one of my least known cities of Portugal.

​Till when?