Some cities still preserve their medieval roots, with monuments or even by maintaining the original paths, with curious sidewalks on the streets.

Keeping the towns as they were helps people understand a little bit more about the history of the place, and promotes amazing experiences for all visitors, sometimes with historical events.


Guimarães

Located in Braga district, it is unclear when the city was considered to be a city by any king. However, Guimarães is known as the Cradle of Portuguese, the location where Portugal was born. With more than 155,000 inhabitants, Guimarães is the perfect place to visit medieval times, thanks to the breathtaking castle and amazing streets.


Silves

It would be impossible to mention a city that keeps its medieval history firmly still in focus, without mentioning Silves. The Algarve city with more than 10,000 inhabitants has kept the traces of the past so well, that it is possible to transport the whole city to the past, with the amazing Medieval Fair, usually in August. With a story linked to the Moors' occupation and a magnificent castle that is possible to visit, Silves is a perfect place for time travelling.


Tomar

Located in Central Portugal, Tomar is an 864-year-old city. Heavily linked to the Templars, Tomar is known as their city, with monuments highlighting that historical fact. With the Convento de Cristo, a former Templar monastery, that was given to the Catholic Church, Tomar is the right place to learn about the History of these knights who aimed to help people.

Author: Alexandre Delmar;

Óbidos

It is in the district of Leiria where you can find the city that is considered to be the most well-preserved medieval city in Portugal. Founded in 1195, Óbidos is one of the oldest municipalities of Portugal, as the Zamora Treaty was signed in 1143 when Portugal became a country. With a great castle and part of the city surrounded by walls, Óbidos is the perfect place to go back in time, and even enjoy some chocolate and ginjinha.


Monsanto

When talking about keeping History in cities, Monsanto, in the Castelo Branco district, must be highlighted. Considered the most Portuguese village in Portugal, the houses built with rocks will provide that traditional atmosphere that people love. With some chapels spread across the village, it was the Castle Monsanto which was the chosen place to film certain parts of the Game of Thrones prequel, House of Dragon.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos