Marvão, at the top of a mountain, Portugal

Visible from many kilometers away, Marvão is an impressive sight.

As you approach, you first notice an immense quartzite monolith topped with a walled village.

The castle walls follow the mountain’s crest, encircling the village within.

Marvão’s Jewish heritage

At the mountain’s base lies Portagem, a village with historical significance. Between 1492 and 1496, approximately 30,000 Jews crossed the border here, fleeing Spanish persecution.

They waited for their turn to enter Portugal, where they could live peacefully.

The name “Portagem” means toll, a reference to the fee they paid to cross the border—a common procedure at the time.

Although they later faced persecution in Portugal as well, many managed to integrate into society or find passage to other places. I will delve deeper into this Jewish heritage in a future article.

Approaching Marvão

The road from the base to the mountain’s summit winds through the slope, leading to the castle wall’s entrance.

The open entrance through the wall does not align with another inside entrance, a strategic design for military defense.

This feature conjures images of Hollywood films with castle attacks, swords, arrows, and boiling oil.

Passing through the walls, you’ll find well-maintained old buildings.

The newer structures respect the old architectural lines, creating a pleasing harmony throughout the village.

The cobbled streets feature wider, smooth stones in the center, marking the sewer infrastructure, seamlessly integrated into the village’s context.

Special points of interest

While the village is a major point of interest, I recommend visiting the castle for its extraordinary views.

Like in Castelo de Vide, Marvão has houses with arched warhead doors, characteristic of Jewish families’ homes. Photographing these houses is almost mandatory.

The environment in Marvão will likely be your strongest memory.

The village seems to have been preserved from medieval times to today.

For more information, I suggest reading the fascinating Wikipedia article on Marvão.

Lodgings

I have stayed in various accommodations in Marvão, and they all offer a good quality/price ratio.

Generally, more expensive accommodations provide higher quality, while cheaper options are simpler. This consistency in quality and price is not always found in other places but is prevalent in Marvão’s small village.

I frequently take my clients to the Pousada of Marvão.