Nearby the border with Spain, situated between Castelo de Vide and Portalegre, on the highest point of the lovely São Mamede mountain, in Alentejo, is situated this charming village of Marvão.
In a peacefull and relaxing environment, surrounded by 13th and 17th century defensive walls, Marvão rises high, with its lovely white houses, narrow and winding streets, showing that time is not as quick as it often seems.
The archaeological vestiges of the region date back to the Palaeolithic and Neolithic Period, with many menhirs and antas all around the area, as well as an important Roman archaeological station.
Its strategic location, on the higher point of the São Mamede Mountain, with difficult accesses, that served as a natural protection, and near the border with Spain, made of Marvão an important Portuguese defensive point for many centuries, being the stage of several battles and political conflicts.
Visiting Marvão, one has the certain of visiting history itself, along these historical streets, with gothic and manueline inheritances, and medieval testimonies of other times, marked in the typical granite constructions.
The Castle and its imposing walls from the 13th century are unforgettable monuments of the village, yet Marvão has much more to offer to the visitor, like its Mother Church of the 15th century, or the old Santa Maria Church, nowadays an interesting municipal museum with ethnological and archaeological collections from the region.
Located next to the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park, from the highest points in Marvão, like Torre de Menagem (Watchtower) or the Pousada de Santa Maria, one can enjoy of astonishing landscapes throughout the surrounding natural area.
Outside the village walls, are located the lovely Espírito Santo Chapel and the Nossa Senhora da Estrela Convent, which saint is said to be miraculous and once believed to be the reason of the Portuguese kingdom’s protection, and every year the festivities dedicated to her are widely famous.
