Alto Alentejo
Dating from the 1640s, this miniature, zigzag-walled fort lies just 1.4km south of the main praça (town square). Today it houses a military museum with…
Must-see attractions in The Alentejo
Baixo Alentejo
The old Moorish quarter lies at the western end of Praça Sacadura Cabral. It’s a well-preserved, tight cluster of narrow, cobbled lanes and white terraced…
Vila Nova De Milfontes
The 'Lighthouse Beach' just west of town is sheltered but gets busy. Beaches on the other side of the estuary are less crowded. Be careful of the strong…
Mértola
At the southern end of the old town, the Islamic Museum is a small but dramatic display of inscribed funerary stones, jewellery, pots and jugs from the…
Mértola
At the river’s edge, near its confluence with the Ribeira de Oeiras, is the ruined, Roman-era Torre do Rio, which once guarded the vital port.
Alto Alentejo
Under construction at research, this museum will delve into the dark era of the Inquisition. It's set inside a restored 17th-century mansion.
Monsaraz
Situated 6km north of Monsaraz is the granite, 5.6m-tall Menhir do Outeiro, one of the tallest megalithic monuments ever discovered.
Baixo Alentejo
In the village centre, this beautifully laid out museum showcases elements of local cultural and agricultural practices.
Baixo Alentejo
The impressive remains of an 11th-century aqueduct run along the western side of the town walls (follow Rua dos Arcos).
Baixo Alentejo
The view from the Torre de Menagem is a Beja highlight, and a great way to get your bearings over the city.
Alto Alentejo
This plain church hides a thrilling interior. There are painted marble columns under a cupola, gilded chapels and fantastic 17th-century azulejos covering…
Baixo Alentejo
This renovated attractive town square with a pelourinho (stone pillory) is the historic heart of the old city. Dominating the square is the 16th-century…
Évora
Inside the entrance hall of the câmara municipal (town hall) are more Roman vestiges, only discovered in 1987. These impressive Roman baths, which include…
Alto Alentejo
Yet another of Portalegre’s hidden treasures, this former convent is now part of the municipal library, meaning you can freely wander around at will. It…
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção
Alto Alentejo
Francisco de Arruda designed this sturdy fortified church in the early 16th century, and it served as the town’s cathedral until Elvas lost its episcopal…
Alto Alentejo
It's worth making the ascent up to the Arraiolos castle for fine views over the countryside. The original structure dates from the 14th century, and it's…
Évora
The crenellated, pointy-topped Arabian Gothic Ermida de São Brás dates from about 1480. It’s possibly an early project of Diogo de Boitaca, considered the…
Alto Alentejo
Dating from the 16th century, this striking monastery has some exquisite azulejos and a serene cloister. It’s set inside a GNR (Portugal’s military police…
Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Graça
Évora
Down an alley off Rua da República is the curious baroque facade of this church, topped by four ungainly stone giants – as if they’ve strayed from a…
Baixo Alentejo
The 18th-century Royal Basilica features extraordinary gilded woodcarvings and a set of tiled panels depicting the 12th-century Battle of Ourique. Its…
Baixo Alentejo
This 16th-century church has a remarkable Manueline portal. Set against the plain facade, it is a twisting, flamboyant bit of decoration, with carvings of…
Museu Fotográfico João Carpinteiro
Alto Alentejo
Housed in the old-town cinema is this tiny museum that contains a collection of vintage cameras, the oldest a pocket-vest number dating from 1912. Unless…
Alto Alentejo
In a pretty square just below and east of the judiaria (Jewish quarter) is the worn-smooth 16th-century marble Fonte da Vila, with a washing area. This,…
Baixo Alentejo
Just off Largo da Mouraria, the Casa dos Poços has a pocket collection of Moorish ceramics and other remains, such as carved stone inscriptions and a 14th…
Baixo Alentejo
Cheese lovers should make a pilgrimage to this small factory in the town centre, where if you’re lucky you might see the cheese producers in action. Call…
Alto Alentejo
This small museum in poet José Régio’s former house shows his magpie-like collection of popular religious art, with around 400 Christ figures. There are…
Mértola
Housed in the former Misericórdia church, the Museu de Arte Sacra exhibits religious statuettes from the 16th to 18th centuries and several impressive…
Monsaraz
Near the castle, this small two-storey museum touches on the Jewish presence in Monsaraz during the Middle Ages and the persecutions that unfolded after…
Évora
Among several elegant mansions around the Largo da Porta de Moura square (and contemporary with the strange-looking, globular 16th-century Renaissance…
Alto Alentejo
In a restored building, this cultural centre hosts changing exhibitions. You can also check out the rustic upstairs courtroom, dating from 1809, and there…
Évora
This is one of two watch museums that houses one family’s extraordinary private collection (the other is in Serpa). You name it – if it ticks, chimes,…
Baixo Alentejo
At the southern end of the aqueduct is a huge 17th-century wheel pump (aka noria), once used for pumping water to the nearby Palácio dos Condes de Ficalho.
Mértola
Next to the turismo, this small two-room house shows what living conditions were like for Mértolans up until fairly recent times (the 1970s).
Manufactura de Tapeçarias de Portalegre
Alto Alentejo
Strikingly vibrant tapestries are still made at this factory (its walls are also adorned with fabulous examples). Photography is prohibited and advance…
Alto Alentejo
Just north of the square Rossio Marquês de Pombal, you’ll find a few monastic buildings that were converted into cavalry barracks and today house a modest…
Alto Alentejo
This church was once part of a 13th-century Dominican monastery, though much of its construction dates from the 18th century. It opens only on rare…
Mértola
Tucked away on one of the narrow streets of São Domingos village, this small museum set among still-inhabited houses re-creates a typical miner’s cottage.
Évora
The extraordinary knotted Manueline stone doorway of the Igreja do Carmo lies south of Largo da Porta de Moura.
Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Alegria
Alto Alentejo
This 17th-century church was built in a simple style, and seems largely forgotten by the village surrounding it.
Alto Alentejo
Near the centre of town stretches this marble-edged water tank, called the Lago do Gadanha after its scythe-wielding statue of Neptune.
