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Today I want to show you a true Portugal hidden gem: Monsaraz. A small village – and at the same time a castle set on top of a hill, completely surrounded by ancient walls. The easiest way to get there is from Lisbon – it’s only about 180 km. What makes this place so special is the feeling of being somewhere between sky and earth. It feels almost surreal, almost magical. And something else surprised me: I barely saw any tourists, hardly any locals – the white streets were empty and the whole village felt like an enchanted fairytale place.

MONSARAZ – PORTUGAL HIDDEN GEM AND ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR LOCATIONS IN ALENTEJO

Even before checking into our hotel, I wanted to explore the castle and its surroundings. Monsaraz is closed to car traffic, so you park outside the walls and walk in. And immediately everything felt different from our previous trips. From up there, from the castle, you see endless views in every direction. Below, the landscape is shaped by countless branches of the Alqueva Lake stretching into the land. And you’re looking at both Spain and Portugal at the same time – Monsaraz sits almost exactly on the border. From the castle walls, I saw the most beautiful sunset of our entire Portugal trip. Everything here felt special: the elevated position, the water in the valley, the fairytale-like white streets and their almost unreal silence. It’s definitely one of the most spectacular places in my destinations collection – with an almost exclusive feeling. In April, there were no tourists here, unlike in so many other beautiful places.

Our hotel, Casa Pinto, was small and incredibly charming – not a classic hotel, but more like a little palace from a One Thousand and One Nights story, with a subtle oriental touch in the interior. Each room was different, designed with so much attention to detail. At this time of year, we were the only guests, and the owner prepared a beautiful breakfast just for us – everything you could wish for. And there’s also a very special terrace at the top, overlooking the rooftops of Monsaraz. I still regret not taking any photos of the hotel – typical me: so caught up in the moment that I forget the camera. But next time I’ll make up for it – now I have one more reason to come back. Take a look at Casa Pinto online and you’ll immediately understand my enthusiasm.

Book the most beautiful hotel in Monsaraz here*

Monsaraz is one of the most remarkable places in Alentejo – and also one of the oldest. There are traces dating back to prehistoric times, and until 1312 it was a domain of the Knights Templar. You can easily imagine what must have happened here in the Middle Ages. You feel history on every corner. There are no typical tourist shops, no souvenir clutter – just one small shop with beautiful handmade ceramics that I came across.

In the evening, when we arrived, I was so focused on exploring the castle and the surroundings that we completely forgot to reserve a table for dinner. And since we were visiting off-season, not a single restaurant was open. So we just walked into a small local bar, hoping for the best. At first, we got some very skeptical looks – but as the evening went on, people became friendlier. And in the end, the owner even gave us a piece of cake – a small gesture that felt like acceptance.

Monsaraz is the kind of Portugal hidden gem you go to when you need a real change of scenery. When you’ve had enough of big cities, shopping streets and crowds. There are no luxury brands, no five-star hotels, no Michelin restaurants, no “see and be seen,” no jet set – and outside the main season, not even many tourists. What you find instead is something else: authenticity, genuine hospitality, stunning nature, historical atmosphere and those rare impressions that stay with you. The village is small, but for its size, surprisingly spectacular. You sleep deeper here, simple food and local wine taste better, and your взгляд just gets lost in the vastness of the landscape. Maybe that’s exactly it: a place that reminds you how little it actually takes. A pause from the loud world out there – a pause somewhere between sky and earth.

Do you prefer traveling to well-known places where something is always happening or do you actively look for Portugal hidden gems like Monsaraz?

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