If you are thinking about traveling to Portugal by car and you are crossing into the neighboring country from Extremadura, you have no excuse not to stop in Vila Viçosa and pay your respects to the ‘Princess of Alentejo’. It is difficult to be a princess and live straddled between the two high-lineage kingdoms that guard her: Évora and Elvas. It’s complicated to steal the spotlight from these two nearby cities, just a few kilometers from the Spanish border. However, this small town masterfully dominates the art of seduction and manages to enchant visitors as soon as they set foot in its charming narrow streets filled with orange trees.
With its scent of orange blossom, Vila Viçosa immediately intoxicates anyone who decides to get to know it and, through beautiful corners, asserts its right to be on the list of those charming villages of Portugal that you may not have heard of, but that you should definitely visit on your next trip to the Portuguese country. Why? Because there are plenty of places to see in Vila Viçosa that are well worth it and will ensure you don’t regret carving out some time during your more than likely visit to Évora and Elvas
Vila Viçosa what to see
It has the soul of a princess but a rural essence, a very attractive duality that is discovered with a simple stroll jumping from the pomposity of a palace, or a castle, to the serenity of its narrow streets with low whitewashed houses adorned with touches of blue and yellow. To dive deep into this small town, which does not reach 8,000 inhabitants, I will tell you everything you have to see in Vila Viçosa, home of the Braganza dynasty and one of the most prominent places for the extraction of Alentejo marble.
If you feel like it, a good way to start exploring this destination is with a free tour of Vila Viçosa during which you can learn the most prominent details of its history and get your bearings.
Paço Ducal or Ducal Palace
Without a doubt, the Ducal Palace is the crown jewel of Vila Viçosa. Just its magnificent marble facade, inspired by Mannerism, an Italian artistic style of the late Renaissance, impresses with its 110 meters in length and contributes to this building being one of the most prominent in Portuguese civil architecture.
Construction of the palace began in 1501 by order of James I, fourth Duke of Braganza, when the castle where he resided began to seem insufficient to him. And he wasn’t wrong to give himself importance, as the future of the Braganza dynasty ended up being grand when in 1640 Joao IV became King of Portugal. From then on, the Ducal Palace remained the seat of the House of Braganza but lost its prominence.
However, the palace continued to grow through construction and expansions until it became the imposing ensemble that can be visited today, which includes a chapel, cloister, oil press, dining room, library, gardens, and an impressive kitchen with a large collection of copper utensils and even a pond and a grotto in one of the gardens. During the visit to the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa, where by the way it is forbidden to take photos except in the kitchen, you will admire frescoes, tiles, paintings, sculptures, as well as ceramic pieces.
Upon leaving, turn around to admire the famous Gate of the Knots, symbol of the House of Braganza.
Visit the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa:
Price: The entrance fee is 8 euros and includes a guided tour in Portuguese. It cannot be visited independently.
Schedule: Wednesday to Sunday from 10 to 13 and 14 to 18h in summer (from October to May until 17h). Mondays and Tuesday mornings it is closed.
To enter the armory, the treasury and see the carriage and Chinese porcelain collections you must buy specific tickets for each site which range between 2.50 and 3 euros.
Tickets are purchased directly at the palace.
More info: Check the website of the Foundation of the House of Braganza.
Conventos das Chagas de Cristo
Adjacent to the palace is the Convent of the Wounds of Christ of Vila Viçosa, built in the 16th century with the intention of being the pantheon of the Duchesses of Braganza. However, it ended up being home to the Poor Clare nuns, as well as young noblewomen, some born from ‘sinful’ extramarital relationships.
Currently, it has become accommodation with a restaurant which has earned a place on the list of historic Pousadas of Portugal, similar to our Paradores. You can go in for a coffee in the cloister and also visit the interior of the church where services are still held.
Convent and Church of the Augustinians
In front of the giant square of the ducal palace, known as Terreiro de Paço, stands another convent and church combo, this time of the Augustinians, watched over by the equestrian statue of King Joao IV. Its origin dates back to the 13th century; in fact, it was the first convent in Vila Viçosa.
When the palace began to be built, D. James, fourth Duke of Braganza, gave the peculiar order to renovate the medieval construction and add another entrance facing the palace that would become the main facade. Finally, in the 17th century, the Church of the Augustinians, in Baroque style, ended up housing the pantheon of the Dukes of Braganza, a mausoleum where the remains lie, and in 1944 it received the distinction of being a Portuguese national monument.
To be able to visit it you must call in advance at 268 980 659. On the side, facing Largo 25 de Abril, there is a small pond with swans and a most delightful wooded area to sit and rest for a while before continuing with the rest of the things to see in Vila Viçosa.
Praça da República
From the monumental area of the ducal palace, start walking along Florbela Espanca street, named after a famous feminist poetess from Vila Viçosa, pass in front of the Museum of Sacred Art until you reach the middle of Praça da República. This large avenue, lined with orange trees, is the heart of the village and the link between the elevated castle area and the church of São João Evangelista.
Here you will find the Vila Viçosa tourist office, specifically at number 32, the charming Misericordia Church with its colorful blue touch and a multitude of cafes and terraces where you can recharge your batteries while having a drink in the sun. When I visited, just before Christmas, a beautiful life-size nativity scene had been installed.
São João Evangelista Church
Facing the walls of Vila Viçosa Castle, you’ll find this 17th-century religious temple, also known as the Church of Sao Bartolomeu. Its striking facade covered in regional marble stands out, with two square towers framing the clock installed in 1822. You can enter for free to admire its Baroque interior and contemplate its striking gilded main altar.
Vila Viçosa Castle
Put a medieval castle in a charming village and you’ll get a bonus of that desired charm, but if you also add a walled enclosure that embraces it, success is guaranteed. And so it is with Vila Viçosa Castle, built in the 13th century at the express wish of King Dinis and which today continues to dominate the town’s skyline and powerfully attract the attention of tourists.
Inside the fortification, which is accessed through four gates (there is a fifth walled up), you are greeted by a handful of charming narrow streets with small traditional houses that quickly add charm points. And among flower pots and fairytale roofs, another essential place to see in Vila Viçosa appears: the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Conceição.
But before that, you should see the castle from the inside, and for that you have to cross the moat surrounding it and enter to visit the Archaeology and Hunting museums installed inside after paying the 5 euro entrance fee. The archaeological collection is interesting, with pieces showing even prehistoric remains and illustrating the legacy left in the area by the Romans; remember that Mérida is not too far away.
Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora de Conceição
If you want to pay your respects to the patron saint of Portugal, you will have to do so in this sanctuary, which houses an altar dedicated to the Immaculate Conception where rests an image of the virgin brought from England in the 14th century by Nuno Álvares Pereira. Many devotees travel to this temple, especially on December 8th when pilgrims arrive from all over Portugal to worship their patron saint. On that day, you can also see the virgin in a procession through the streets of Vila Viçosa.
Pelourinho
Once you exit the fortified enclosure again, take a walk to contemplate the wall from below and get a close look at the Pelourinho just under the keep. This stone column is a very common architectural element in many towns in Portugal and is very similar to the Spanish ‘picota’. In Vila Viçosa, they are very fond of their Pelourinho, which dates from the 16th century, as it is one of the most outstanding in the country in its Gothic-Manueline style, especially because of the stone sphere that tops it.
Museums
Vila Viçosa Marble Museum
The Princess of Alentejo carefully boasts of its particular ‘precious stone,’ which enhances its monuments and streets and highlights the depths of its land. Vila Viçosa, along with its neighbors Estremoz and Borba, is lucky to possess an enviable geological heritage: marble, known here as white gold. Suffice it to say that Alentejo marble is the second most exported in the world, behind the famous Italian Carrara marble.
It’s no wonder, then, that Vila Viçosa has a space dedicated to highlighting this natural stone, which is the livelihood of many local inhabitants who extract, work, or market and export it. The Raquel de Castro Marble Museum, opened in the year 2000, reviews both the history of its exploitation—as the Romans already opened quarries here—and the process that spans from its extraction to its final transformation.
- You can complete the visit with the marble tour of Vila Viçosa which will take you to see a quarry first-hand and then a workshop to learn, with a guide in Spanish, a lot of very interesting facts.
Other museums in Vila Viçosa
But watch out, for as small as this Portuguese town is, you’ll be surprised to discover that it has more museums, such as the Apeles Coelho Tin Museum (Largo Mariano Presado, 25), an artist expert in this metal born here; the Agricultural and Ethnographic Museum (former train station); the Sacred Art Museum (in the Santa Cruz church, rua Florbela Espanca – temporarily closed as of March 2022); and the Bento de Jesús Caraça House Museum (Patio das Chagas) in memory of the famous mathematician, where you can walk through the home where he was born in 1901.
Two more on the list are the Hunting Museum and the Archaeology Museum, both located in Vila Viçosa Castle. You can visit both with a joint entrance ticket that costs €5 and is purchased at the castle’s own ticket office, inside the walled fortress.
Guided visit to Vila Viçosa
A great way to get to know the Princess of the Portuguese Alentejo in depth is by taking a guided tour of Vila Viçosa which, over the course of two and a half hours, will take you through the most prominent places and where you will meet the most important figures in its history, not only the members of the Braganza dynasty and other personalities I have already mentioned here, but also, for example, the painter Henrique Pousão. I wasn’t able to do it, but I really wanted to, so I’m making a note of it for next time.
Take time to stroll
The town that saw the birth of Catherine of Braganza, princess of Portugal and later queen consort of England, is full of delightful corners beyond those already named. Simply getting lost in Vila Viçosa without a rush is enough to breathe in its calm enveloped in orange blossom, listen to the echo of your own steps in its more deserted cobbled alleys, and find yourself, for example, with scenes as beautiful as that of the church of San Antonio (in the photo).
What to see near Vila Viçosa
As I mentioned at the beginning, this town has to compete with very famous neighbors that are perfect for visiting as excursions from Vila Viçosa. But I suggest you first discover others that are not as famous, but that honorably accompany our protagonist as marble cities: Estremoz, which also has a medieval wall, and the small Borba with curiosities as unique as the marble chess.
And if you want to go big, take note because less than fifty kilometers away you can take a guided tour of Elvas, take a free tour of Évora and, crossing into Spain, treat your palate with a gastronomic tour of Badajoz.
Where to stay in Vila Viçosa
In my case, I stayed one night and did so at the Solar Dos Mascarenhas hotel which I cannot recommend enough. The comfort of being right in the heart of the old town and sleeping in modern rooms are two of its advantages. Add to that a very varied buffet breakfast which is a real delight and is taken in a glass-walled room that provides access to the pool and the beautiful exterior of the 16th-century building where a family of Portuguese nobles once lived and which now houses a large part of the hotel’s facilities.
But besides having charm and a 10/10 location, the Solar Dos Mascarenhas hotel is perfect if you are going to travel to Vila Viçosa with children. In addition to family rooms and the pool, the little ones will have a great time on the trampoline and playhouse outside. But what’s more, inside, they have an exclusive room for them filled with toys and even a tipi. Many hotels should copy the idea.
If you don’t mind paying more money or being a little further away, you have other hotels in Vila Viçosa to choose from, from luxury hotels with a spa like Alentejo Marmòris Hotel & Spa to the tranquility of rural accommodation on the outskirts like Tapada do Padre Rosa. I confess that I was left wanting to sleep inside a convent and be able to have breakfast in the cloister! This is possible at the Pousada Convento de Vila Viçosa, in front of the Ducal Palace, and which I’m saving for my next visit.
Where to eat in Vila Viçosa
Get ready to lick your lips with the Portuguese gastronomy of Alentejo because the offer is quite varied, but above all, very tasty and hearty. In Vila Viçosa, there are several restaurants to choose from, but if you go on a weekend I advise you not to relax and book a table or you may find yourself without a spot.
The only dinner I had during my stay was at O Paco Ducal restaurant (C/Largo Mariano Presado, 14) where besides pizzas, of course, you can also try typical dishes from the region like Alentejo migas, made from bread and pork, in this case with ribs. A total calorie bomb, but also an explosion of flavor with certain reminiscences of our Extremaduran migas.
Pork, or porco in Portuguese, is once again the star of the kitchen in this area in a surf and turf recipe you can’t miss. It’s called carne de porco à Alentejana, although this time the pork shares the spotlight with some sought-after clams and modest potatoes, resulting in a well-rounded dish.
Although I was left wanting to try it because it was full, Taverna dos Conjurados restaurant (Largo 25 de Abril, 16) is one of the most recommended traditional restaurants in Vila Viçosa. And if you’ve already had enough of Portuguese gastronomy and want a good burger washed down with a craft beer, I advise you to book a table in advance at Craft BBS (Av. Duques de Bragança, 9) to enjoy not only its food and beers, but also a great atmosphere.
Travel safely to Portugal
Before embarking on your trip to the Lusitanian country, don’t forget to take out travel insurance to ensure someone is looking out for you. During my road trip through Portugal, I went with Mondo insurance, which stands out, among other things, for its 24-hour medical chat that allows you to consult with a health professional from your mobile thanks to its app. On this trip, for example, I had to use it for a small health problem with my baby. A pediatrician attended to me immediately and resolved the situation by telling me what over-the-counter pharmacy treatment I needed.
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