Pedro DominguesMarvão is considered by many to be the jewel of High Alentejo. The views from the highest point of Serra do Marvão are unmissable, which is why Saramago once said: “From Marvão you can see the whole earth”.
This is one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal, comparable to others such as Sortelha, Monsanto, Monsaraz or Piódão. It is located in the interior of the country, which is why it’s still little known, especially to outsiders. Don’t hesitate to add it to your itinerary of Portugal if you have more time than the average visitor!
In this article I’m going to tell you all about what to do in and around Marvão. Keep reading!
Where is Marvão located, in Portugal?
Marvão is a town located in High Alentejo, being part of the natural park of Serra de São Mamede, in the district of Portalegre. In terms of borders, it has Portalegre, Castelo de Vide and the autonomous region of Extremadura, in Spain, being very close to Cáceres or Mérida.
Marvão is literally in the middle of nowhere, but there is still public transport there from Lisbon, for example (Rede Expressos). For greater flexibility, and so that you can make the most of your trip by visiting other tourist attractions in High Alentejo, rent a car!
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When to visit Marvão?
Try to coincide your visit to Marvão and the surrounding area with some kind of festivity in the region, for example, with the main gastronomic events:
- Comidas d’Azeite Gastronomic Fortnight in March.
- Goat and Lamb Gastronomic Fortnight at Easter: to try the “Ratatau” (Goat or Lamb stewed with potatoes), the Mioladas, or Cabrito de Cachafrito.
- Cod Gastronomic Fortnight in May.
- Chestnut Gastronomic Fortnight in November.
- Gastronomic Hunting Fortnight, in December: to taste the traditional hare and rabbit rice or partridge soup.
Gastronomy and Restaurants in Marvão
In addition to everything you’ll find during the gastronomic fortnights, you can’t forget the typical sweets, such as boleimas de maçã (apple), bolos fintos, escaldados and rosquilhas.
In the neighboring city of Portalegre, a Conventual and Traditional Sweets fair is held every year and, of course, any conventual sweet on display will leave you salivating: Pastéis de Santa Clara, Toucinho do Céu, Fartes, Manjar Branco and Sopa Dourada are just a few examples.
And then there are the almonds from Portalegre!
Below are two examples of restaurants in Marvão area, but there are many others. 😉
- Varanda do Alentejo
- Restaurant Mil Homens
Accommodation tips to visit Marvão
Marvão is the main must-see tourist attraction in Serra de São Mamede, but I’d choose another place to spend the night, especially if you’re visiting outside the festive season, when there’s very little traffic. So below I’ll give you some tips on accommodation in nearby locations also.
| Accommodation | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Casa O Arco | 9.1 | Marvão |
| Varanda do Alentejo | 9.0 | Marvão |
| Estalagem de Marvão | 9.2 | Marvão |
| Casa da Arvore | 9.2 | Marvão |
| Dom Dinis | 9.2 | Marvão |
| A Burguesa | 9.5 | Castelo de Vide |
| Casa da Judiaria | 9.6 | Castelo de Vide |
| Vila Maria | 9.3 | Castelo de Vide |
| Aromas dos Salgueiros | 9.7 | Castelo de Vide |
| Pensão Destino | 9.2 | Castelo de Vide |
| Quinta das Lavandas | 9.5 | Castelo de Vide |
| Quinta da Dourada | 9.1 | Portalegre |
| Solar das Avencas | 9.5 | Portalegre |
| Casa do Arco | 9.2 | Portalegre |
Things to do in Marvão | Portugal
Marvão has, along with one of the peaks of Serra de São Mamede, the best 360º view of the whole mountain range. It is also the highest village in all the Alentejo region.
Because of the difficult access to Marvão, its invasion was more difficult, which gave the Portuguese army a clear advantage in defending the territory there. The town of Marvão is rich in military history, and was for a long time the first line of national defense, where countless battles were fought and won.
1. Arrival in Marvão via Alameda dos Freixos
To visit Marvão, you must pass through the Alameda dos Freixos on your arrival. It’s a very pleasant and beautiful stretch of the National Road 246-1, with trees on both sides of the road forming a tunnel with their tops. On the left you can see the hill and rock where the castle and town of Marvão are located. This is the most beautiful piece of road in Serra de São Mamede: in my opinion, of course!
2. Visit the Roman bridge of Portagem and the river beach
Before you head up the hill to visit Marvão, you can also visit Portagem. The fact that Portagem is on the banks of River Sever makes it a good place to stop for a swim or a picnic. Don’t forget to visit the Medieval Tower and roman bridge.
3. Visit the ruins of the Roman city of Ammaia
One last destination before heading up to Marvão is the ruins of the Roman city of Ammaia, with a museum to visit. The foundation of Ammaia dates back to the 1st century, and it was inhabited until at least the 5th century. In size, it occupied between 22 and 30 hectares of land and is still mostly buried, its details being discovered little by little.
4. Visit Marvão castle
When I visited the town of Marvão, I parked my car outside the walls, next to the Convent and Church of Nossa Senhora da Estrela. I wanted to walk around and get to know every detail of the fortress on foot. In fact, a visit to Marvão must to be on foot!
I entered through the nearest gates “Portas da Vila“, but I didn’t immediately set off for the historic center. On the contrary, I turned left and went up to the town walls. It was over the walls of Marvão that I walked to the Castle, enjoying the fabulous view they afforded me.
Along the way, I passed another gateway to the fortress: Portas de Rodão. At the entrance to the Castle there is a monument to Ibn Maruan, a man who took refuge in this region in the 9th century and gave rise to the name “Marvão”.
You have to pay to visit the castle, but it’s worth it. Inside, I’d like to highlight the Cistern, on the right, and the cobbled walkway that leads to the Keep through Patio das Armas.
5. Enjoy the 360º view when you visit Marvão
The views of Serra de São Mamede, at an altitude of 860 meters, are phenomenal as far as the eye can see. The best part is that they’re 360º at the top of the Keep Tower.
6. Explore the Historic Center of Marvão
Finally, what to visit in Marvão, in its historic center:
- In front of the castle is the garden of Luís de Camões square, which you can’t miss. The image of this garden with the castle in the background has become one of the most captured when people visit Marvão.
- Near the garden is the Church of Santa Maria, which has been converted into Marvão Municipal Museum.
- Then you have to walk further along the walls to the church of Santiago and the Chapel of Calvário.
- Having said that, head finally inside the village roads. Highlights include the Pillory of Marvão, the Cultural Center, and the Church of Espirito Santo. The village is very beautiful, very white, with many details to discover.
7. Visit the old Marvão-Beirã train station
The most essential thing about this now-disused station is its tile panels. It’s a very beautiful building, which is why I recommend a detour there.
8. Admire Fraga da Esparoeira near the border
On the outskirts of Marvão, this was clearly one of my favorite spots. Penha or Fraga da Esparoeira is an imposing and even frightening cliff near the border with Spain, which extends beyond it.
9. Visit the Apartadura Dam
Marvão also has a dam, in this case the Apartadura Dam. You can go there to cool off in its waters or simply enjoy the scenery.
10. Extras to visit in the municipality of Marvão
There are other places in Serra do Marvão that I personally haven’t visited due to lack of time, but which were on my list of places to see:
- Choça de Cabeçudos: a kind of haystack that served as an agricultural warehouse or even a dwelling in ancient times.
- Marmitas de Gigantes, rock formations by a stream not far from where Fraga da Esparoeira is located.
- Caleiras da Escusa, lime kilns from the Roman period.
- And there are also megalithic monuments to see when you visit Marvão: Pombais Menhir, Água da Cuba Menhir, Granja Dolmen and Laje dos Frades Dolmen.
Map with things to do in Marvão
Finally, I’ll leave you with a map of all the sights mentioned. 😉 I hope you find it useful on your travels!
Things to do around Marvão?
On the outskirts of Marvão, I would of course recommend heading to one of the neighboring municipalities: Castelo de Vide or Portalegre. You can also head south, passing through Arronches to Campo Maior and Elvas.
1. Visit Castelo de Vide
The following tourist attractions stand out in Castelo de Vide:
- The town’s various fountains.
- Its main squares.
- The castle and medieval town.
- Its churches.
- The Jewish heritage.
- The São Roque Fort.
- And there are also its viewpoints, such as the one from Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Pena.
2. Visit Portalegre
As far as Portalegre is concerned, don’t ignore it:
- The main waterfalls in Serra de São Mamede, namely Cabroeira Waterfall, São Julião Waterfall, Pego do Inferno and Ribeira de Arronches Waterfall.
- The picturesque town of Alegrete!
- Pico da Serra de São Mamede viewpoint.
- And the historic center of Portalegre, for which I recommend you take this audio tour to see the city’s main heritage sites.
3. Visit Elvas and Campo Maior
Elvas has no shortage of historical heritage, with the Forts of Graça and Santa Luzia standing out. Don’t miss Elvas Castle, the Amoreira Aqueduct and the Military Museum.
Campo Maior is home to the most extraordinary Chapel of Bones in Alentejo (in my opinion), even more so than the one you’ll find in Évora.
Other Itineraries and Travel Guides in Portugal
- N2 Portugal Road Trip Itinerary
- Madeira Itinerary and Travel Guide
- São Miguel Itinerary and Travel Guide (Azores)
- Terceira Itinerary and Travel Guide (Azores)
- Pico Itinerary in Azores
- Faial Itinerary in Azores
- Minho | Northern Portugal Itinerary
- Porto Itinerary and Travel Guide
- Things to do In Braga (Minho)
- Things to do in Guimarães (Minho)
- Things to do in Viana do Castelo (Minho)
- Peneda Gerês National Park Itinerary
- Douro Valley Itinerary
- Trás-os-Montes Itinerary
- Things to do in Bragança
- Montesinho Natural Park Itinerary
- Douro International Natural Park Itinerary
- Things to do in Aveiro
- Things to do in Coimbra
- Things to do in Leiria
- Things to do in Fatima
- Things to do in Nazaré
- Things to do in Peniche
- Things to do in Évora (Alentejo)
- Things to do in Beja (Alentejo)
- Algarve Road Trip Itinerary
- Things to do in Lagos (Algarve)
- Things to do in Portimão (Algarve)
- Things to do in Faro (Algarve)
- Things to do in Tavira (Algarve)
I hope you enjoyed this article with things to do in Marvão. Have a nice stay in my country! 😉 Tell me about your travels in the comment section bellow.
