Castle Of Castelo De Vide (Castelo De Castelo De Vide)

The castle of Castelo de Vide crowns the hill above the town, and its walls enclose the oldest part of the settlement, a small medieval quarter that still has houses, lanes and a church within the fortifications. The town stands in the Alto Alentejo, close to the Spanish border and at the foot of the Serra de São Mamede, and the castle was one of a chain of fortresses that guarded this frontier in the Middle Ages. A walk up to it, through steep whitewashed streets, is the best way to understand the town's layout.

The fortress was built in the 13th century and strengthened in the reigns that followed, above all under King Dinis, who reinforced the defences of many border strongholds in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The main feature is the keep, a square tower of granite rising from the highest point, from which the garrison could watch the plains toward Spain, and around it run walls with battlements and a gateway. A large cistern, built to store water for sieges, lies inside the walls. In the 17th century, during the wars that followed the restoration of Portuguese independence from Spain, the defences were modernised and adapted to artillery, and the work is visible in the lower bastions and the altered outline of the walls.

What makes the castle unusual is that it encloses a living quarter, the medieval village, where people once sheltered in times of danger. Inside the walls stand a handful of old houses, narrow lanes and a church, the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Alegria, and visitors can walk along the lanes and get a feel for the compact life of a fortified community. The keep houses a small museum, with displays on the history of the fortress, the town and the military life of the region, and the building can be climbed for the best view. From the parapets, the panorama takes in the roofs of the town, the green hills of the Serra de São Mamede, the walled village of Marvão on its crest to the north, and the open Alentejo plain stretching toward Spain.

The castle is a short climb from the town's main square, and the slope is steep in places, so wear comfortable shoes. Opening hours of the keep and museum vary with the season, with a midday closure on some days, so check at the tourist office, while the walls and courtyard can generally be visited freely. Summer afternoons are very hot, and early morning or late afternoon is best, when the light is softer and the stones glow.

Below the castle lie the other sights of the town, among them the medieval Jewish quarter and its synagogue, the church of Santa Maria da Devesa and the fountains that give the town its fame for water. The castle suits history lovers, photographers and families who enjoy climbing towers.