Catedral

The Beiras


Tucked into a corner of the walled village sits the 6th-century Visigothic cathedral, surrounded by a jigsaw puzzle of scattered archaeological remains. The church has undergone heavy restoration, but its early roots are evident everywhere: foundation stones bearing Latin inscriptions, Moorish brick arches, salvaged Roman columns and Visigothic elements such as the baptistry visible through glass near the entrance. The best preserved of the frescoes within features São Bartolomeu with a demon at his feet.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Beiras attractions

1. Lagar de Varas

0.02 MILES

This a 19th-century stone barn near the cathedral houses an impressive olive-oil press made in the traditional way with huge tree trunks providing the…

2. Ruins

0.06 MILES

The only remaining vestige of the defences the Knights Templar built in the 13th century is the Torre de Menagem. Also known as the Torre dos Templários,…

3. Castelo

3.18 MILES

This formidable stone fortress seems to grow out of the boulder-littered hilltop. There's not a lot left inside the walls but it's a beautiful site,…

4. Miradouro do Forno

3.29 MILES

Get your camera ready. This viewing balcony commands huge views over the village's red roofs down to the baking plains below. It also looks up to an…

5. Parque Natural do Tejo Internacional

15.1 MILES

Still one of Portugal’s wildest landscapes, this 264-sq-km natural park shadows the Rio Tejo and the watersheds of three of its tributaries. While not…

6. Cantera de Alcántara

21.83 MILES

For one of Spain's more unusual swimming experiences, it's hard to go past the Cantera de Alcántara. It was here that the stones were quarried by the…

7. Jardim do Paço Episcopal

21.89 MILES

This delightful retreat is the garden of the former bishop's palace, an 18th-century baroque whimsy of clipped box hedges, pools and grand staircases…