Location
Guarda District is located in the northeast of Portugal, being part of the district located on the border with Spain. It is located among mountain ranges, with high altitudes. Several rivers flow in this region, the most important ones the Douro, Mondego and Zêzere rivers.
Description
Mountain range region with snow in the winter time, that has attracted a big number of tourists to the district, mainly to “Serra da Estrela”, mainland Portugal's highest mountain range with 1993 meters high, being the town of Guarda also the highest one in Portugal (1.054 meters high).
In winter time, the landscape is snow white, and in the summer time it flourishes with green plants and trees. Nature at its best.
There are also several small villages that have survived the pass of time and difficult weather, usually built in typical granite stone. Some of these small villages have suffered improvements to keep on their original look, in a programme that first started in this region: “Aldeias de Portugal” (literally meaning “Small villages of Portugal”), so that it would be possible to preserve tradition on its best, holding hands with progress and nowadays ways of living.
One can also find several vestiges of ancient human presence in the region, in several megalithic monuments.
The Guarda district is also very rich in religious monuments, many of them built in the traditional granitical style.
Gastronomy
The Serra da Estrela cheese is the most known and appreciated product in the District. There is also a large variety of bread (wheat and corn, amongst others). Codfish and Octopus are another masterpiece of the region, cooked with large amounts of olive oil and garlic.
For dessert, sweet rice pudding is the most famous one. All served with strong red wine from Dão and Lafões.
