A weekend in Guarda: 2-day itinerary
Many people drive through Guarda on their way to Serra da Estrela and never stop. That is a shame. Portugal's highest city has one of the country's finest cathedrals, a centuries-old Jewish quarter, proper food and, all around it, the district with the most Historic Villages in Portugal. This is the itinerary we give anyone who asks us what to do on a weekend in Guarda, without going up the mountain.
Key takeaways
- Day 1 in the city: the cathedral, the Jewish quarter, Torre dos Ferreiros and the Mondego boardwalks
- Day 2 in the district's Historic Villages: Almeida, Castelo Mendo, Castelo Rodrigo or Sortelha
- Guarda sits at 1,056 metres: even in summer the nights are cool
- For day 2 without driving, Between Castles and Wines picks you up in Guarda
Day 1, morning: the historic centre
Start at the Sé, the Gothic granite cathedral that towers over the city. Inside, the stone altarpiece has more than a hundred carved figures. From there, walk down into the old Jewish quarter, around Rua do Amparo and Rua de São Vicente, where you can still see marks on the doorways. Pass the Porta d'El Rei, one of the old wall gates, and climb to the castle keep, all that remains of the castle, at the highest point of the city.
Before lunch, go up the Torre dos Ferreiros: it is the best viewpoint over the city and, on clear days, you can see the mountains in the distance. Tickets are sold at the tourist office.
Day 1, lunch: eat like a local
Guarda is a place to eat well. Order Guarda morcela, cured meats with rye bread, Serra cheese and, if it is on the menu, bacalhau à Conde da Guarda. For dessert, the Dom Sancho pastry, named after the king who granted the city its charter in 1199.
Day 1, afternoon: the Mondego river
After lunch, swap the city for the river. The Mondego boardwalks follow the river for about 12 km between Videmonte and the Caldeirão dam, through a valley of granite and oak trees. You do not have to do it all: an out-and-back section is enough for the afternoon. In Videmonte, try the rye bread baked in the village oven.
If you would rather stay close, the Museu da Guarda, in the old Bishop's Palace, tells the story of the city and the region.
Day 1, end of the day: Castelo Mendo at sunset
About half an hour from Guarda, Castelo Mendo is a small walled Historic Village on a hill above the Côa river. In the late afternoon there is hardly anyone around and the stone turns golden. It is the right place to end the first day.
Day 2: the district's Historic Villages
The Guarda district has 7 of Portugal's 12 Historic Villages. In one day you can see three properly.
On your own, do Almeida in the morning, with its star-shaped fortress and walls you can walk along, have lunch in Castelo Rodrigo, high up with views into Spain, and finish in Marialva, with the ruins of the medieval town in the late afternoon. If you prefer the south, swap in Sortelha, one of the best-preserved villages inside its walls.
Without driving, Between Castles and Wines picks you up in Guarda and visits three Historic Villages with a local guide, a winery with a Beira Interior wine tasting and a regional lunch. There is a full-day and a half-day option.
If you have an extra day
Everything is close. To the north-east, the Côa Valley has rock engravings thousands of years old, a World Heritage Site, and the Côa Museum in Foz Côa, already among the Upper Douro vineyards. To the west, Trancoso and Linhares da Beira, two more Historic Villages. And Serra da Estrela starts right next door: see our guide to where to stay in Serra da Estrela.
When night falls, the sky here is one of the darkest in the country. In the Villages & Stars package we combine the villages in the morning with stargazing at night.
