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AROUND
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Amidst landscapes, history, and flavors, the Alentejo reveals itself. At Horta da Moura, time slows down and the gaze expands over a territory rich in nature, culture, and tradition. Our privileged location invites you to discover, with tranquility, all that the Alentejo has to offer around you.
The history of the CASTELO DE MONSARAZ
Perched on a hilltop in the heart of the Alentejo, Monsaraz is one of the best-preserved medieval villages on the Iberian Peninsula. Its walls enclose a world of cobblestone streets, whitewashed houses, and a stillness that seems to belong to another time. Conquered from the Moors in 1167 by Afonso Henriques, it became an important military stronghold in the Alentejo, entrusted first to the Knights of the Order of Santiago and, later, to the Order of Malta.
The 14th-century Monsaraz Castle dominates the landscape with silent grandeur. From its battlements, the view over the Alqueva and the Alentejo plains is unforgettable; at dusk, when the sky ignites with orange and lilac, it is clear why photographers from all over the world come here specifically to capture this moment. In the center of the village, the Mother Church of Santa Maria da Lagoa houses 14th-century Gothic murals and a Manueline altarpiece of rare delicacy, while in the main square stands one of the best-preserved Manueline pillories in the Alentejo.
The 14th-century Monsaraz Castle dominates the landscape with silent grandeur. From its battlements, the view over the Alqueva and the Alentejo plains is unforgettable; at dusk, when the sky ignites with orange and lilac, it is clear why photographers from all over the world come here specifically to capture this moment. In the center of the village, the Mother Church of Santa Maria da Lagoa houses 14th-century Gothic murals and a Manueline altarpiece of rare delicacy, while in the main square stands one of the best-preserved Manueline pillories in the Alentejo.
The beauty of ALQUEVA
The creation of the Alqueva dam transformed the landscape around Monsaraz in a radical and surprisingly poetic way. What was once dry land became an immense lake of quiet waters that reflect the intense blue of the Alentejo sky, giving Monsaraz the dimension of a suspended island. A few minutes from the village, the Alqueva river beach is one of the most beautiful and least crowded in the country, with calm waters, golden sands, and a view of the medieval village in the distance.
At night, Alqueva reveals its most precious secret: the sky. Recognized as a Dark Sky Reserve, one of the first in the world, the region offers a breathtaking stellar vault, where the Milky Way appears with a clarity impossible to find in almost any other part of Western Europe.
At night, Alqueva reveals its most precious secret: the sky. Recognized as a Dark Sky Reserve, one of the first in the world, the region offers a breathtaking stellar vault, where the Milky Way appears with a clarity impossible to find in almost any other part of Western Europe.
ANCIENT OLIVE TREES AND COUNTRYSIDE
In the fields that stretch around Monsaraz, Horta da Moura is the guardian of a remarkable collection of ancient olive trees, some over two thousand years old.
Their twisted trunks, rooted in the red Alentejo soil, are silent witnesses to the civilizations that have passed through here—Roman, Moorish, medieval—and continue, year after year, to produce an olive oil of exceptional quality.
Walking among these olive trees is an experience of serenity that is difficult to describe. The Alentejo light filters through the silvery foliage in a unique way, the silence is broken only by the wind and the singing of the cicadas, and the ancient olive grove integrates harmoniously into the vast mosaic of cork oak forest, vineyards, and plains that opens up to the horizon without obstacles. For those visiting Monsaraz, walking among these extraordinary trees is one of the most memorable moments of the visit.
Their twisted trunks, rooted in the red Alentejo soil, are silent witnesses to the civilizations that have passed through here—Roman, Moorish, medieval—and continue, year after year, to produce an olive oil of exceptional quality.
Walking among these olive trees is an experience of serenity that is difficult to describe. The Alentejo light filters through the silvery foliage in a unique way, the silence is broken only by the wind and the singing of the cicadas, and the ancient olive grove integrates harmoniously into the vast mosaic of cork oak forest, vineyards, and plains that opens up to the horizon without obstacles. For those visiting Monsaraz, walking among these extraordinary trees is one of the most memorable moments of the visit.
