Sunday 13th April 2025.
We had intended staying two nights in Evora but after a long walk around we had seen everything we could without leaving Layla in the van, also where we were stopping didn’t have the facilities to let her have a run off the lead, she was banned from the local park because peacocks/hens roamed wild. So Alison and Peter kindly agreed to move on today and we drove a short distance to Monsaraz.
Monsaraz is a tiny medieval walled town perched above the River Guadiana on the frontier with Spain. It has had a turbulent history with ownership passing from Portugal, Spain, Knights Templar and for a while by the English troops of the Earl of Cambridge. The main street leads to the castle built in the 13th century as a border defence against Spain.
At some point after it had been abandoned the local people turned the garrison courtyard into a bull ring.
The village has narrow winding streets with the houses painted white, there are of course tourist shops most selling pottery.
Monsaraz is one of the most splendid places to view the wonderful Alqueva Dam. This is the largest artificial lake in Europe and one of the greatest Portuguese constructions. You can rent a houseboat and cruise the waters (no license required.)
Monsaraz is one of those jewels of a place where you could visit regularly, it’s only small but it would be easy for it to become familiar.
taraabit 