Castles, Villages and the Spanish Border
Marvão and Castelo de Vide
Marvão and Castelo de Vide
Two hill villages in the mountains near the Spanish frontier.
Full day
Region
Alto Alentejo
Mountain villages, border castles and royal horses.
- From Lisbon
- 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes
- Best in
- Spring and autumn
The feeling
The northern Alentejo is greener and more dramatic than most visitors expect. Granite hills, chestnut woods and whitewashed villages sit beneath medieval castles that once guarded the frontier with Spain, while the stud farms around Alter do Chão keep alive one of Europe's oldest horse breeding traditions.
Signature places
Where to linger
- Marvão
- Castelo de Vide
- Portalegre
- Alter do Chão
- Elvas
- 01Marvão, a castle village above the clouds
- 02The old Jewish quarter of Castelo de Vide
- 03The tapestry manufactory of Portalegre
- 04The Serra de São Mamede Natural Park
- 05The star fortress town of Elvas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Experiences
Experiences in Alto Alentejo
Horses and the Atlantic Coast
The Royal Stud and the Lusitano Horse
Alter do Chão
Meet the horses of an eighteenth century royal stud, and the people who still breed them.
Half day
Cork, Wine and Olive Oil
From Bark to Craft: A Cork Workshop
Alentejo cork country
See how raw cork becomes something beautiful, in a family-run workshop.
1.5 to 2 hours
Cork, Wine and Olive Oil
A Long Table Under the Olive Trees
Countryside near Évora
An unhurried lunch of Alentejo flavours, served outdoors.
3 hours
Craft Studios
The Tapestry Manufactory of Portalegre
Portalegre
See how thousands of coloured threads become monumental woven art.
1.5 to 2 hours
Craft Studios
A Cork Design Studio
Alentejo
Meet the designers giving cork a modern, elegant second life.
1.5 hours
When to go
The seasons here
Spring brings wildflowers and green hills. Autumn brings soft light, mushrooms and chestnuts. Summer is warm but the mountains stay cooler than the plains.
- Spring (recommended)
- Summer
- Autumn (recommended)
- Winter
Nearby
Elsewhere in the Alentejo
Alentejo Central
Évora, wine estates and the oldest stones in Portugal.
Alqueva and the Great Lake
Still water, hilltop villages and the stars.
Let us design Alto Alentejo around you.
Tell us when you are landing in Lisbon and what moves you. A member of the team will reply personally.
Curated by Portugal Magik