Monsaraz Portugal is one of the most beautiful villages in Europe. This remote mountaintop whitewashed eyrie gets few visitors because it’s quite a way from anywhere else, but it’s worth going a long distance out of your way to see it, one of the best hidden gems in Portugal.
Our guide to Monsaraz reveals this astonishing place to you, and covers all the practicalities of getting there, places to stay and things to see nearby. Step back a few hundred years to discover this timeless wonder.
Why Visit Monsaraz Portugal
The village of Monsaraz is one of the most beautiful places in Portugal – and one of the most beautiful villages in Europe.
It’s a spectacular walled village, which is amazingly preserved, with its whitewashed medieval houses, churches and towers and Castle.
Monsaraz also enjoys a dramatic location, with the Alentejo plain on one side and the scenic Barragem do Alqueva lakes – which form the border with Spain – down the mountain on the other side.
The remote location of Monsaraz means that it’s well off the beaten path, and if you travel outside the summer season, it’s quite possible that you’ll have this extraordinary place to yourself.
Monsaraz is one of the most untouched places I’ve ever visited, and if I had to recommend one place in the world where you could feel you’ve stepped back a few hundred years in time, Monsaraz is it.
Monsaraz History
The area around Monsaraz has been settled since at least Neolithic times (around 5,000 years ago – 2500 BC), as evidenced by several ancient stone monuments nearby.
The ridge was fortified even before Roman times, the height and views from it giving it strategic significance, and it was used to guard the border region for over 1,500 years.
Monsaraz has been captured several times, and occupied by Visigoths, Arabs, Christian Mozarabs, Jews and Arabs again. In 1167, Gerald the Fearless (Gerardo Sem Pavor), a Portuguese military leader and folk hero, led the Reconquista (Reconquest) of the Alentejo and the neighbouring Extremadura region of Spain.
However Almohad forces regained Monsaraz in the late 12th century, and they occupied it until 1232 when Portuguese King Sancho II captured the citadel. He then ordered the Knights Templar to guard Monsaraz and the border region.
After this it remained in Christian hands – although at one point this was under the disgruntled Earl of Cambridge who occupied the village along with his mercenaries because they had not been paid!
In 1512, Monsaraz was given a town charter (foral), and a century later its fortifications were upgraded.
Monsaraz gradually faded into obscurity over the following centuries. Locals who had previously cultivated the land or reared livestock gravitated west to the more prosperous Reguengos de Monsaraz, where the renowned Monsaraz wine is produced. The village also backed the losing (Miguelist) side during the Liberal Wars, which did not help its cause at all.
Time may have forgotten Monsaraz, but the upside of this is that it preserved somewhere so unique for posterity.
Things to Do In Monsaraz Portugal
Stay in Monsaraz
The first thing to do in Monsaraz that you should consider is staying there. It’s a wonderful place to explore during the daytime, but is absolutely magical when the sun sets over the Portuguese plains.
At night you’ll have Monsaraz largely to yourself. It’s an incredibly atmospheric place to wander at dusk, the ornate whitewashed churches and houses a stunning backdrop to the silence of this remote place.
Monsaraz Castle – Castelo de Monsaraz
Monsaraz Castelo presided over the southern end of the village, its brown stone tower one of the few breaks from the harmonious whitewashed whole.
It was also a strategically important border post and fortress, which was captured several times. By the 13th century it was in Christian – and Portuguese – hands, and the Castle, together with the impressive town walls were strengthened in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
The Castle in Monsaraz is free to enter, and the wall walk and tower offer magnificent views over the Alqueva lakes to the east, the Alentejo plain to the west and the gorgeous village of Monsaraz below.
After the garrison was withdrawn, the wide central courtyard of the Castle was used as a venue for bullfights. It is still occasionally used for this purpose – during the annual feast of the village patron, Nosso Senhor Jesus dos Passos (Our Lord Jesus Christ). In Portuguese bullfights, like those in France, the bull is not killed.
Wander The Streets of Monsaraz
For us, this was the most enjoyable part of visiting Monsaraz. It’s regularly voted one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal – indeed it has been awarded this title – and you only need a few minutes in the village to see why.
There are two parallel main streets, Rua Direita and Rua de Santiago, which are linked by a few narrow travessas, or alleyways.
The streets are cobbled, most of the buildings are centuries old, and you have this wondrous place all to yourself. We walked for a couple of hours around the village at dusk and beyond, captivated by the beauty of Monsaraz, but also its sense of peace, isolation and silence.
Parish Church of Nossa Senhora da Lagoa
There are a few churches in Monsaraz, including two facing each other across the square, Largo Dom Nuno Alvares Pereira. These are the Igreja da Misericordia and the larger parish church, Nossa Senhora da Lagoa.
The parish church was built in the late 16th century, replacing the ruins of an earlier Gothic church. If it’s open, take a look inside, where you’ll see the remarkable marble tomb of Gomes martins Silvestre, a Knight Templar who became the first Mayor of Monsaraz.
Monsaraz Dark Sky
One of the benefits of its isolation is that there is very little artificial light for miles around Monsaraz after dark.
The area around Monsaraz has been designated a Dark Sky Area, and you can enjoy this from just outside the village walls or head to the Alqueva Dark Sky Observatory at Cumeada, 15 km from Monsaraz and just south of Reguengos de Monsaraz.
Watch The Sunrise Over The Alqueva Lakes
As well as exploring the alleyways of Monsaraz after dark, it’s also well worth setting your alarm clock for sunrise in Monsaraz.
When we visited (in April) the sun rise over the Alqueva lakes and Spanish hills beyond, an awe-inspiring sight.
It was a pleasure to take a walk around the village of Monsaraz at first light, when we were greeted by the sight of four ladies with traditional straw brooms brushing the (already close to immaculate) streets clean.
The Alqueva lakes and Monsaraz are both featured in our Portugal Landmarks article, which gives you lots more ideas about places to visit in Portugal.
Go Craft Shopping In Monsaraz
Although Monsaraz is well off the beaten path in Portugal terms, tourism is very much its mainstay. That said, its presence is unobtrusive, with a few craft shops scattered around the village.
You can find traditional Portuguese ceramic plates and tiles (azulejos) in a couple of places, and we also found a few less common gifts, including some lovely shawls and blankets and a selection of children’s chairs, hand-painted with a floral pattern.
Where Is Monsaraz Portugal
Monsaraz is in the south-east of Portugal, in the region of Alentejo.
It is around 5 km (3 miles) from the border with Spain, and overlooks the Barragem da Alqueva lakes.
Monsaraz is in an isolated part of the country, 15 km east of the wine-producing town of Reguengos de Monsaraz.
It is 53 km (33 miles) from the regional capital Evora, and 180 km (112 miles) from Lisbon.
How To Get To Monsaraz Portugal
We opted to visit Monsaraz as part of our Alentejo road trip, having decided that public transport is simply not an option.
One bus a day runs from Reguengos de Monsaraz to Monsaraz, then there is the matter of getting to Reguengos. One bus a day runs there from Evora and, unfortunately, it doesn’t make the connection with the bus to Monsaraz village. We advocate using public transport wherever possible, but in this case it’s a non-starter.
The road trip from Evora to Monsaraz should take around an hour. Start on the IP2, continue onto N256 and then turn onto the minor M514 road in Reguengos, which takes you to the village of Monsaraz.
The drive from Lisbon to Monsaraz should take a little over two hours, Lisbon traffic permitting. From Lisbon, take the A2 across the Ponte 25 de Abril, then join the A6 just outside Setubal. Continue to the N114 turn-off to Evora, then follow the directions outlined in the previous paragraph to Monsaraz.
If you’re travelling to Monsaraz from Spain, the nearest Spanish city of any size is the border city of Badajoz. From there it’s around 95 km (60 miles) to Monsaraz, taking the country route via Olivenza, Alconchel and Mourao.
Note that cars are not allowed into the walled village – you have to use one of the car parks outside the walls.
Monsaraz Hotels
There are a few hotels in Monsaraz, as well as a range of guesthouses and rooms, but we were amazed at how undeveloped the place is, especially as tourism is its main earner.
We stayed in the Casa Rural Santo Condestavel, a guesthouse in a lovely old village house on Rua Direita with views over the lakes from the windows at the back. It was literally a few steps from anything to see in Monsaraz, and we’d recommend this Monsaraz accommodation to anyone. Bear in mind that they usually close between October and March.
Several other Monsaraz hotels are all very close by. The Casa Dona Antonia – Turismo Rural is just across the street from where we stayed, and looked very inviting with the purple bougainvillea draped over some of the walls. They have a good selection of rooms and a suite, plus a rooftop bar where you can savour the sunset over the Alentejo plains.
Casa Pinto is close to Monsaraz Castle, and is our pick of the places to stay in Monsaraz. The rooms are individually designed, based on Portuguese historic and colonial architecture, and there is also a beautiful garden with tables where breakfast is served in the warmer months.
Places To Visit Near Monsaraz
Monsaraz Portugal is quite some distance from anywhere popular (with English speakers at least!) but if you’re driving in the Portugal-Spain border area there are many rewards to be discovered.
There are a couple of megalithic period ancient monuments in the vicinity of Monsaraz – the Cromleque do Xerez is a stone circle around a kilometre north-east of the village, and a standing stone, the Menir do Outeiro,
The village is just above the Barragem do Alqueva, a series of lakes created by the damming of the Rio Guadiana, and there is a great small beach on the Monsaraz side.
A bridge also crosses the lake, skirting the shore before reaching the picturesque historic town of Mourao, with a red sandstone castle surrounded by whitewashed houses.
As you travel towards Monsaraz from Reguengos, look out for the picturesque fountain in the village of Telheiro (the Fonte de Telheiro, pictured above).
There are enough things to do in Evora to warrant staying a couple of days or so. The ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a warren of cobbled streets with a fascinating cathedral and the Templo de Diana, one of the finest Roman monuments in Europe, among the highlights.
We visited Monsaraz as part of a Portugal 10 day itinerary, a trip that also took us to the likes of Marvao and its amazing frontier castle, and the sleepy historic town of Castelo de Vide. These are around three hours’ drive to the north, again very close to the border with Spain.
David Angel
David Angel is a British writer and photographer who has been travelling and photographing Europe for over 25 years. His work is regularly featured in worldwide media including the BBC, the Guardian, the Times and the Sunday Times.
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