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, this rectangular tower, now surrounded by clucking hens, sits atop what was probably the pedestal of a Roman temple. Other Roman remains include a gracefully arched bridge on the east side of the village, and the old wall and gate on the north side.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.3 MILES
The entrance to the fortified village is a grand Gothic gate. From the square inside, a cobbled lane leads up to the heart of the village, with a…
27.31 MILES
Reason enough for a visit to Belmonte, this fabulous museum is dedicated to Portuguese seafaring and the discovery of Brazil by local-born explorer Pedro…
Centro de Cultura Contemporânea de Castelo Branco
21.91 MILES
Castelo Branco's modernist cultural centre has quickly established itself as town landmark since it was inaugurated in 2013. The cutting-edge building,…
Parque Natural do Tejo Internacional
15.04 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…
3.2 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,…
21.9 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…
27.41 MILES
Covilhã used to be the centre of one of Europe’s biggest wool-producing regions, but stray outside the centre and you’ll see the town’s ghostly mills…
23.11 MILES
On the northwest side of Alcántara, a magnificent 2nd-century Roman bridge – 204m long, 61m high, with six arches and much reinforced over the centuries –…
Nearby The Beiras attractions
0.04 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…
0.06 MILES
Tucked into a corner of the walled village sits the 6th-century Visigothic cathedral, surrounded by a jigsaw puzzle of scattered archaeological remains…
3.2 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,…
3.31 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
15.04 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…
21.78 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…
21.9 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…
8. Museu de Francisco Tavares Proença Júnior
21.91 MILES
Occupying the sober 18th-century bishop’s palace, this long-standing museum has an excellent display of local archaeological finds. Its highlight, however…