Situated close to the Spanish border in central Portugal, the old Roman spa town of Castelo de Vide is one of the most picturesque places in the Alto Alentejo region.
Overlooking a deep valley on a spur of the Serra de São Mamede, the town is particularly photogenic for its trim whitewashed houses with bright red roofs, while its chequered history is largely synonymous with that of Portugal itself.
Alongside it ran the major Roman thoroughfare that once traversed the Iberian Peninsula. The settlement was subsequently sacked by the Vandals at the beginning of the 4th century and occupied by the Moors during their domination of the southern part of the peninsula.
Many of Castelo de Vide’s old squares and streets have remained largely unaltered since medieval times and today’s visitors can marvel at the lovely old 17th- and 18th-century houses still featuring their original iron grilles over predominantly Manueline-style windows.
The town’s centrepiece is the magnificent Praça D. Pedro V, a large central square surrounded by some exquisite Baroque palacetes and the towering church of Santa Maria whose striking façade is easily visible from miles around.
In another old square, the enchanting Largo do Dr. José Frederico Laranjo, stands the town’s delightful Renaissance fountain – the 16th-century Fonte da Vila – which consists of elegant marble columns supporting a pyramidal roof set over basins that have been worn into undulating curves by centuries of use.
Known for their curative qualities, the town’s mineral waters are used for the treatment of liver and skin diseases, digestive problems, diabetes and high blood pressure and can be sipped fresh from one of the 300 fountains located in the town and its environs.
On the Estrada de Circunvalação lies the town’s oldest chapel, the 13th-century Igreja de São Salvador do Mundo, whose ceiling and walls are covered in tiles dating from 1695 depicting The Flight to Egypt.
Notable for its 13th-century synagogue (the oldest surviving synagogue in Portugal), the town’s ancient Jewish quarter, the Judiaria (housing a small museum), was first established by Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition and ascends its way from the square to the castle’s walls through a labyrinth of narrow, cobblestone alleyways.
Built outside the original town walls, the ancient castle of Castelo de Vide was finally completed in 1327, although its construction began in the 12th century. It was here that arrangements were made for the marriage of King Dinis and Isabel of Aragon who as Rainha Santa Isabel became one of Portugal’s most adored queens.
Where to go in central Portugal
Not to be missed inside the castle itself are the superbly vaulted Gothic hall in the tower and the fine main hall with its brick tunnel vaulted ceiling. Dedicated to Our Lady of Joy (Nossa Senhora da Alegria), the church inside the castle is lined with stunning 17th-century polychrome azulejo tiles.
Perched right on top of a mountain opposite the town is the lovely little chapel of Senhora da Penha which affords the most head-spinning panoramic views over Castelo de Vide and far beyond.
The town is also the perfect base from which to explore the surrounding Alentejo countryside and visit some of the area’s other charming places, notably Crato (headquarters of the Knights Templar since 1340), Nisa (a short drive to the north-west of Castelo de Vide) and Marvão, the latter generally ranked as one of the most beautiful villages in the whole of Portugal.
A must for nature lovers is a visit to the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park, a vast area of protected land covering 560 square-kilometres (216 square-miles) where rare animals such as the Iberian wolf and the Iberian lynx exist in small numbers.
People visiting the region might also be interested to know that the remains of an important megalithic culture in the form of dolmens, menhirs and antas can be seen between Castelo de Vide, the Barragem de Póvoa and the village of Póvoa e Meadas around 10 kilometres to the north.
And dotted over an area between Castelo de Vide (indicated on the map below) and Castelo Branco are a number of circular stone edifices (sometimes referred to as ‘beehive huts’) that are quite similar to those at Citânia de Briteiros in northern Portugal.
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