Stand on the cliff face and look off to sea, enjoying the fresh breeze. The surf below competes with the noise of the traffic along the Avenida Marginal. Look down: there surrounded by a circular wall and covered by vegetation are the vestiges of caves that were carved into the rock over 4,000 years ago. …
Portuguese name: Grutas de Alapraia or Grutas Artificiais de Alapraia. Also known as: Necrópole Eneolítica de Alapraia Walk around the neighbourhood of Alapraia, and look into the yards of the houses, read the menu from the restaurant, look at the notices of the clinic. Little glimpses of life in this suburban area surround you. Then …
Also known as: Povoado Pré-Histórico de Santa Vitória Climb the metal staircase which spirals 4 meters above the hilltop. Look around at the surrounding countryside: the farms, the nearby town, the water works behind you. Then look down at the hilltop surface. Look closely. There, carved into the ground are curving ditches and holes. They …
Walking through the fields in this Alto Alentejo countryside, horses gambol around you. Splash across the small stream and look up at the hill before you. A towering eucalyptus tree near its top stands out in the landscape, and you make for it. As you climb the hill, the trees clear out and you see …
Also known as: monumento megalítico de Monte Serves The wind blows gently through the tall grass on the hillside as you look out over the broad estuary of the Rio Tejo. Squint and you can see the Vasco da Gama bridge stretching across the water. Every few minutes you can see an aeroplane taking off …
Also known as: Tholos do Outeiro das Mós August 2024: The site is currently undergoing repairs and cannot be visited. In the Neolithic era, about 4,000BC, an artificial cave was dug on this site. It had a corridor and central burial chamber with side niches. Later, a large tholos was built. The site was used …
Also known as: Anta de Vale Beiró & Antas (Grande & Pequeno) de Caminho da Fanica Driving along the N2, Portugal’s iconic “National Road #2,” you experience the richness of the country’s geography and history. Driving along the long stretches of Alentejo countryside, you might be tempted to speed up and get to the next …
Also known as: Anta do Outeiro de Santa Clara An anta (or dolmen) with a polygonal chamber, seven uprights and an intact capstone. Its corridor has two existing uprights and a covering stone to the side. It’s on private land the capstone is lined with small stones, probably from the nearby field. Perhaps the most …
Also known as: Antas da Tapada As you drive out of Pavia, heading towards Estremoz, it’s tempting to put the boot down and save time. But slow down and look to your left. Less than a kilometer out of town, lies a beautiful example of prehistoric architecture. Nestled under a tree, on a small hill, …
In the quiet countryside of the Alto Alentejo, the water of the Santa Margarida stream flows slowly down to the Montargil reservoir. Along its banks, if you look carefully among the trees and bushes, lie two prehistoric tombs made of schist. They’ve endured some rough handling through the ages since they were built, both by …