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Guarda

Guarda is the highest city in Portugal, situated at an altitude of 1056 meters, between the Guarda-Sabugal Plateau and the Montejunto-Estrela mountain range, where we find the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, the largest protected area in Portugal, with the highest mountain in continental Portugal at 1993 meters altitude, a winter attraction for ski and snowboard sports. The Guarda region is known for the quality of its smoked meats and artisanal cheese production. Here in Serra da Estrela, we can visit the springs of the Mondego River; the Zêzere River; the Alva River; and the Alvôco River. Guarda is a district capital, located in the Central region of Portugal, and the Beiras and Serra da Estrela sub-region, located 199 km from Porto and 318 km from Lisbon. Guarda is a historic city, founded in 1199. The historic center of Guarda shows the presence of the Jewish community throughout history.

Places to Visit in Guarda

Praça Luís de Camões or Praça Velha

Praça Luís de Camões or Praça Velha: is the busiest place in the city. Here we find the Guarda Cathedral, the old City Hall, palaces of ancient noble families, such as Solar dos Póvoas, the Guarda Welcome Center, and the Balcões building with a 17th-century architectural ensemble.

Guarda Cathedral

Guarda Cathedral: is a Romanesque cathedral built in the 14th century, notable for its chancel altar carved in Ançã stone depicting episodes from the life of Jesus Christ. It is the most important monument in Guarda.

Rua Francisco de Passos

Rua Francisco de Passos: known as Rua Direita, it is the main axis of the medieval area of Guarda. On this street, commercial establishments are housed in buildings with rich and varied architectural features, with 16th-century facades in the architectural style of the reign of King Manuel I, and buildings with architecture from the Spanish King Philip I, who ruled Portugal during the 16th century.

Sabugal Castle

Sabugal Castle: is a medieval castle classified as a National Monument, situated on top of the hill overlooking the town of Sabugal, of great importance in antiquity for controlling the Côa River. Tradition has it that it was in the square of this castle that the famous miracle of the roses took place, with Queen Saint Elizabeth and King D. Dinis as protagonists.

Rio Diz Urban Park

Rio Diz Urban Park: is a green park located in the center of Guarda, highly sought after by families with children due to its playground and green spaces that allow for outdoor life and play. It is also popular with young people for sports and people of all ages for walking and enjoying nature. In the Rio Liz urban park, we find a café with a terrace and large grassy areas with large trees.

Torre de Centum Cellas

Torre de Centum Cellas: is a Roman building from the 1st century, approximately 12 meters high, classified as a National Monument, located on Santo Antão hill.

Guarda Castle

Guarda Castle: is a 12th-century Gothic castle built of granite. With the expansion of the city, part of the castle walls were demolished; however, we can still visit parts of the castle throughout the city, namely the Porta d`el Rei, one of the circulation gates of the medieval defensive complex; the Porta e Torre dos Ferreiros, built to defend the city in the 12th century; the Porta da Erva, one of the city’s circulation gates dating back to the 13th century, also known as Porta da Estrela; the Torre de Menagem (Keep), built in the 13th century to be part of an imposing military and residential structure, the Alcáçova, where the chief warden and his family lived, while also serving as a military garrison; the Torre Velha (Old Tower), located in the northern part of the city, is the remaining structure of the primitive castle ordered to be built by the Portuguese King D. Sancho I; and the Jewish Quarter, a Jewish settlement located in the Parish of São Vicente within the walls, including Rua de São Vicente, Rua Direita, and Largo de São Vicente. The main building of this Jewish community is the Synagogue. There are records of Jewish presence in Guarda since the 13th century.

Termas do Cró

Termas do Cró: is a hotel with thermal treatments, part of a project by the Association of Portuguese Spas aiming to promote the spa resorts that are part of the network comprising Termas de Alcafache, Termas de Almeida – Fonte Santa, Termas de Águas – Penamacor, Termas do Bicanho, Caldas da Felgueira, Caldas da Rainha, Termas do Carvalhal, Termas da Curia, Termas do Cró, Termas da Ladeira de Envendos, Termas de Longroiva, Termas de Luso, Termas de Manteigas, Termas de Monfortinho, Termas da Piedade, Termas de Sangemil, Termas de São Pedro do Sul, Termas de Unhais da Serra, Termas de Vale da Mó, and Termas do Vimeiro.

Guarda Museum

Guarda Museum: is an archaeological museum housed in the former Episcopal Seminary built in 1601, with a permanent exhibition where we can find two Bronze Age swords, a Hispano-Roman fibula from the 5th/6th century BC, a collection of Roman numismatics, a Roman Imperial torso from the 2nd century, a biface (the earliest prehistoric cutting tools) dated 100,000 years ago, and the Manueline charters of the city of Guarda.

Castelo de Castelo Mendo

Castelo de Castelo Mendo: is a historic medieval walled village, where we can visit parts of the castle, namely the citadel, the keep, the village walls, and the Porta da Vila. From the castle, we can view the entire Côa River valley.

Castelo de Vila do Touro

Castelo de Vila do Touro: is one of the five castles built in the Municipality of Vila do Touro. A large part of the castle is in ruins, but it is nevertheless a historic site with a medieval setting. From the top of the castle walls, we can enjoy a panoramic view of the neighboring villages of Abitureira, Arrifana, Baraçal, Guarda, Martim Pêga, Pega, Sabugal, and Seixo do Côa.

Castro do Jarmelo

Castro do Jarmelo: is an ancient settlement classified as an Asset of Public Interest, dating back to the Iron Age, Roman period, and Medieval Christian era. It is a walled hill fort situated on an elevation of the Guarda Plateau, in the place of the ancient village of Jarmelo. Access to the hill fort is via a Roman paved road.

Ponte de Sequeiros

Ponte de Sequeiros: is a fortified medieval bridge, supported by three full arches over the Côa River, likely built in the 13th century.

Convento de São Francisco

Convento de São Francisco: is a historic convent built in the 13th century outside the city walls to provide support to the resident population. Currently, the convent houses the Guarda District Archive. Inside this building, we highlight the church, an enclosed courtyard, and the cloister.

Chafariz de Santo André

Chafariz de Santo André: built in the 18th century, it is one of the largest fountains in the city of Guarda.

Igreja da Misericórdia

Igreja da Misericórdia: is one of the most important Baroque buildings in the city of Guarda, a church built in the 18th century, notable for the royal arms of the Portuguese King D. João V and the image of Our Lady of Mercy.

Igreja de São Vicente

Igreja de São Vicente: built in the 13th century within the walls, it is distinguished by its two bell towers, its tiles, and its frames depicting episodes from the lives of Our Lady and Jesus Christ.

Paço Episcopal e Seminário

Paço Episcopal e Seminário: commissioned by the Bishop of Guarda D. Nuno de Noronha in the 17th century, it is the current location of the Paço da Cultura.

Antigo Sanatório da Guarda

Antigo Sanatório da Guarda: the Antigo Sanatório Sousa Martins is a building classified as a Conjunto de Interesse Público (Ensemble of Public Interest), built at the end of the 19th century, marking the beginning of the fight against tuberculosis in Portugal.

Solar dos Póvoas

Solar dos Póvoas: is a historic manor house built in the 18th century, notable for its architecture and good state of preservation, one of the most beautiful buildings in the city of Guarda.

Places to Visit Near Guarda

Serra da Estrela

Serra da Estrela: is the highest mountain range in continental Portugal, including the first natural park created in Portugal, with approximately 101,000 hectares, on July 16, 1976. Serra da Estrela is where we find the lowest temperatures in Portugal during winter, with regular snowfall during winter, and where we find Portugal’s only ski resort, at a maximum altitude of 1993 meters at the Torre, spanning the three municipalities of Covilhã, Seia, and Manteigas. The Guarda region is well-known for its gastronomy, particularly Serra da Estrela cheese, carqueja rice, juniper liqueur, honey brandy, and Manteigas trout, and for the breeding of Serra da Estrela dogs, characterized as guard and herding dogs. In Serra da Estrela, we find the sources of the two largest exclusively national rivers: the Mondego River and the Zêzere River. It is in the Vale do Côa, in the Guarda district, that the most astonishing collection of open-air rock engravings in the world exists. There are twenty-five lagoons that we can visit.

Celorico da Beira

Celorico da Beira: is a town located at approximately 550 meters altitude in the northernmost part of Serra da Estrela, with approximately 7100 inhabitants. In Celorico da Beira, we highlight the Church of Santa Maria, the Church of Mercy, the Solar do Queijo, and the Farmer and Cheese Museum. This locality is known as the “Capital of Serra da Estrela Cheese”. The most emblematic locality in this municipality is Linhares da Beira, classified as a Historic Village. The heritage of this village includes the castle, the pillory, and the Mother Church of Our Lady of Assumption. With stunning landscapes, it is a prime location for paragliding and hosts regular free flight championships.

Covilhã

Covilhã: is a city located southwest of Serra da Estrela with approximately 52,000 inhabitants. We highlight a visit to the Royal Cloth Factory of Covilhã, the Wool Museum of the University of Beira Interior, the Chapel of Santa Cruz, the Chapel of São Martinho, the Church of Our Lady of Conceição, the Church of Mercy, the pillory, the city walls, and the Roman Temple of Senhora das Cabeças in Orjais. Near Covilhã, we can visit the thermal resort of Unhais da Serra, with waters at 31ºC, indicated for the treatment of rheumatism, respiratory problems, and skin conditions. In terms of landscape, we highlight Covão do Boi, the Cascalheira of Alto da Pedrice, the Glacial Valley of Alforfa, Piornos, and the Varanda dos Carqueijais. The highest point of Serra da Estrela is the “Torre”, shared by Covilhã, Seia, and Manteigas.

Fornos de Algodres

Fornos de Algodres: is a small town comprising the 12 parishes of Algodres, Casal Vasco, Cortiçô and Vila Chã, Figueiró da Granja, Fornos de Algodres, Infias, Juncais, Vila Ruiva and Vila Soeiro do Chão, Maceira, Matança, Muxagata, Queiriz, and Sobral Pichorro and Fuinhas.

Gouveia

Gouveia: is a city located in the western part of Serra da Estrela with approximately 15,000 inhabitants. Gouveia is at an altitude of approximately 700 meters. In this municipality, we highlight the Municipal Museum of Modern Art Abel Manta, the Vergílio Ferreira Municipal Library, the City Hall, the Casa da Torre, the Church of São Pedro, and the Church of Mercy. Near the city is the Convent of São Francisco. Regarding natural heritage, we highlight Casais de Folgosinho, the Santinha plateau, the Penhas Douradas rock formations, the Rossim Valley, and the Sumo do Mondego. Cabeça do Velho: is an imposing rock in the shape of a human head, located by the side of the N232 road connecting to Gouveia. Cabeça do Velho is a landmark for photographs with the landscape of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park.

Manteigas

Manteigas: is a town located in the heart of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, with approximately 3500 inhabitants. The town of Manteigas is at an altitude of approximately 775 meters. Regarding built heritage, we highlight the Casa das Obras, a noble manor house built in the center of this town. Near Manteigas, there is a thermal resort, considered suitable for treating respiratory problems, bone conditions, and skin issues. Manteigas boasts rich natural heritage, including the Magro, Raso, and Gordo jugs, Rua dos Mercadores, the Fragão do Corvo viewpoint, the Nave de Santo António, the Poço do Inferno, the glacial valley of the Zêzere River, the Seixo Branco, the Vale das Éguas, and the Covão da Ponte.

• Poço do Inferno: is a waterfall located near the village of Manteigas, in Serra da Estrela, with a water drop into a small pool of transparent water surrounded by rocks and nature.

Mêda

Mêda: is a city located at approximately 670 meters altitude in the heart of Serra da Estrela, known for its great scenic beauty and wine production. Among its historical heritage, we highlight the 16th-century Mother Church, the Clock Tower, the Fountain in Praça da Igreja, the Fonte do Espírito Santo, the Municipal Museum, and the 18th-century Solar das Casas Novas. Near Mêda, we highlight the historic village of Marialva, the Archaeological Site of Vale do Mouro, and the Termas de Longroiva.

Seia

Seia: is a city located in the southwestern part of Serra da Estrela, with approximately 25,000 inhabitants. In the city of Seia, we highlight the Mother Church, the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Chapel of São Pedro, the Solar dos Botelhos, the Church of Mercy, the Casa do Despacho, the Solar of the Miranda Brandão family, the Toy Museum, the Bread Museum, and the Fonte da Casa das Obras, where the Municipal Council is located. Regarding natural heritage in Seia, we highlight Lagoa Comprida, Lagoacho das Favas, the Caniça Valley, Covão do Urso, the Fervença waterfall, the Loriga gorge and pools, and the Alva River.

• Museu do Pão: is a private museum with over 3,500 m2 of covered area in a building with a southern view.
• Buraco da Moura: is a river beach with a natural granite rock bottom and sides, surrounded by vegetation. Here we can find a small support bar.
• CISE – Serra da Estrela Interpretation Center: is an entity dedicated to promoting knowledge and dissemination of the environmental heritage of Serra da Estrela, including the promotion of nature activities, scientific research, environmental education, and nature tourism.
• Seia Natural Museum of Electricity: is a museum with the collection of the former Senhora do Desterro hydroelectric power plant, one of the oldest hydroelectric power plants in Portugal, inaugurated in 1909.
• Barragem do Vale do Rossim: is a dam in the Rossim Valley, amidst nature, a very pleasant area for walks. This place is highly sought after in the summer as a river beach. Near the dam, there is an eco-resort and a restaurant.
• Lagoa Comprida: is a natural lagoon set in an idyllic landscape, next to Serra da Estrela. The river beach is very popular during the summer.

Trancoso

Trancoso: is a city located at approximately 900 meters altitude, part of the Historic Villages of Portugal route. In Trancoso, we highlight the Trancoso Municipal Park, the Hermitage of São Bartolomeu, where the wedding of Portuguese King D. Dinis and Queen Saint Elizabeth was celebrated in 1282, the Church of Santa Maria de Guimarães, the Church of Mercy, the Church of São Pedro where the Portuguese poet/prophet Bandarra is buried, the English General Beresford’s headquarters house, the Ducal Palace, the former Jewish quarter, and the castle. Near Trancoso, we can visit the Anthropomorphic Necropolis (a prehistoric cemetery), the Chapel of Santa Luzia, the Church of Our Lady of Fresta, the Chapel of Senhor da Calçada, the Fonte da Vide, the Fonte Nova, and the Convent of Frades.

Vila Nova de Foz Côa

Vila Nova de Foz Côa: is a city located in the Guarda district with approximately 3,000 inhabitants. Vila Nova de Foz Côa is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its open-air rock engravings in the Côa River valley, one of the largest archaeological centers of rock art in Europe. In Vila Nova de Foz Côa, we highlight the Chapel of Our Lady of Conceição, the Chapel of Santa Luzia, the Chapel of Our Lady of Veiga by the Douro River, the Chapel of Santa Bárbara, the Chapel of São Pedro, the Chapel of Santo António, the Pocinho Dam and Station, the Associative Hunting Reserve, and the Miradouro dos Aflitos. The gastronomy of Vila Nova de Foz Côa includes typical dishes such as wild boar, roasted kid, almond cakes, súplicas, fish migas, smoked meats, and wild asparagus omelets. Foz Côa is the production site of “Barca Velha” wine, one of Portugal’s most renowned wines.

Economy of Guarda

The district of Guarda lives mainly from the automotive, food, textile, and wood processing industries, livestock farming with cattle and goats, and the cultivation of potatoes, cereals, wine, and olive oil. With an economy structured into three main sectors: commerce with 41% of activity, manufacturing industry with 23%, and construction industry with 15%. Among the manufacturing industries, the food sector, textiles, and the transformation of natural resources into energy, particularly wind energy, stand out. Wine production plays an important role in the economy and has been increasing its export capacity: an additional 620,000 bottles of wine, approximately 21% of production, are destined for markets such as Poland, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Angola, Brazil, China, and the USA, according to the Regional Wine Commission. Another typical product that is increasing its export capacity is cheese, with seventeen certified cheese producers, including seven Serra cheese producers, who are increasing their sales to various markets, with a special emphasis on the Chinese market. The Polytechnic Institute of Guarda plays a central role in the economy of this Portuguese region, as it helps retain young people, increase business competitiveness, and promote investment in Research and Development. This educational institution contributes 72% of the knowledge in this area. Guarda has strong growth potential, located in a strategic region that includes the main railway and road routes of the Iberian Peninsula. This region serves as a strategic positioning for companies looking to expand into the Iberian and European markets.

Handicrafts of Guarda

The handicrafts of the Guarda region are very rich and ancestral. The main products, agricultural and artisanal industries of this Portuguese locality are:

• Olive Oil: with a production of millions of liters of olive oil practically dedicated to export to Italy, Spain, and the USA;
• Chestnuts;
• Sausages: in the municipality of Guarda, blood sausages, farinheiras, chouriças, presunto (ham), and buchos are produced;
• Queijo da Serra: is a cured cheese made artisanally for hundreds of years from the milk of sheep fed on free-range pasture, one of the most appreciated cheeses in Portugal, with EU DOC (Protected Designation of Origin) certification. Serra cheese was named one of the 7 Wonders of Portuguese Gastronomy in 2011.
• Campainhas de Maçainhas: are bronze bells artisanally produced in the village of Maçainhas since ancient times. Campainhas de Maçainhas are used around the necks of sheep to signal the shepherd regarding the grazing animals.
• Gonçalo Basketry: is an ancient activity from a period before Roman occupation, consisting of the artisanal production of baskets made from willow and wicker as everyday utensils.
• Cobertor de Papa: is a traditional Portuguese artisanal blanket from the Guarda region, created from the artisanal production of blankets made from churra wool extracted from the native Portuguese Mondegueira sheep, originating from the Guarda region. Textile production was boosted in the 18th century by a Portuguese government project initiated by the Marquis of Pombal.
• Cutelaria de Facas do Verdugal: is an artisanal activity of producing knives with steel blades and wooden handles.
• Communal Oven: is a tradition still present in some localities in Portugal, where the presence of a communal oven allows resident families to gather and bake bread produced from flour milled from their rye, wheat, and corn crops.

Gastronomy of Guarda

The gastronomy of Guarda is traditional, varied, and intense. Typical dishes of this region include specialties such as: Caldo de grão (chickpea soup); Chestnut soup; Bacalhau assado à Lagareiro (roasted cod); Bacalhau à Conde da Guarda (cod à Conde da Guarda); Bacalhau assado à Lagareiro (roasted cod); Trout; Morcelas (blood sausage); Roasted Kid; Wild Boar Chops with Chestnuts; Cherries; Apples; Peaches; Rice pudding; Pumpkin sweet; Filhoses (fritters); Serra Cheese; Requeijão (whey cheese).

Fairs and Pilgrimages in the Guarda Region

In the Guarda district, several festivals and pilgrimages are noteworthy:

• Pilgrimage of Senhora do Mileu, held annually in August;
• Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Mercy, held annually in September;
• Pilgrimage of São Pedro, held annually in April;
• Feira de São Francisco, held annually in October;
• Festival of Senhora do Açor.

Guarda, the City of the Five F’s

Guarda is known as the city of the 5 F’s, characterized as Forte (Strong), Farta (Abundant), Fria (Cold), Fiel (Faithful), and Formosa (Beautiful): Forte: due to the defensive position of the castle, and the granite stone that characterizes the natural and urban landscape of Guarda; Farta: due to fertile subsoils and the large amount of watercourses that ensure the region’s sustainability; Fria: due to the climate caused by the altitude and proximity to Serra da Estrela; Fiel: due to the historical fact that its people have been loyal, upright, honest, and hospitable since ancient times; Formosa: due to the beauty of the landscapes, heritage, gardens, and natural parks.

History of Guarda

The city of Guarda received its first charter in 1199, granted by D. Sancho I, the second Portuguese king. The city of Guarda is the capital of the district of the same name, being one of the largest Portuguese municipalities in terms of the number of parishes, physical area, and population. This city in the central region of Portugal is depicted as high, mountainous, historic, and monumental. This Portuguese locality has over 800 years of history and unique heritage in the country, with two ex-libris: the Keep, from where one can view a landscape of rare beauty stretching as far as Spain, and the Cathedral. The district of Guarda has been distinguished by the quality of its air since the 19th century, reflected in the construction of a sanatorium dedicated to the cure of tuberculosis by order of Queen D. Amélia in the 19th century and by the award of “Iberian Bioclimatic City” in 2002 by the European Federation of Bioclimatism.

Administrative Organization of the Guarda District

The district of Guarda borders the districts of Bragança, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, and Viseu. This region is crossed by the Douro, Mondego, Zêzere, and Alva rivers. The district of Guarda is organized into 14 municipalities: Aguiar da Beira, Almeida, Celorico da Beira, Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Fornos de Algodres, Gouveia, Guarda, Manteigas, Meda, Pinhel, Sabugal, Seia, Trancoso, and Vila Nova de Foz Côa. And into 43 parishes: Adão, Aldeia do Bispo, Aldeia Viçosa, Alvendre, Arrifana, Avelãs da Ribeira, Avelãs de Ambom e Rocamondo, Benespera, Casal de Cinza, Castanheira, Cavadoude, Codesseiro, Corujeira e Trinta, Faia, Famalicão, Fernão Joanes, Gonçalo, Gonçalo Bocas, Guarda, Jarmelo São Miguel, Jarmelo São Pedro, João Antão, Maçainhas, Marmeleiro, Meios, Mizarela, Pêro Soares e Vila Soeiro, Panoias de Cima, Pega, Pera do Moço, Porto da Carne, Pousade e Albardo, Ramela, Rochoso e Monte Margarida, Santana da Azinha, Sobral da Serra, Vale de Estrela, Valhelhas, Vela, Videmonte, Vila Cortês do Mondego, Vila Fernando, Vila Franca do Deão, and Vila Garcia.

Facts and Curiosities about Guarda

• A native of Guarda is called egitaniense or guardense.
• Paio Soares de Taveirós wrote one of the first texts in Galician-Portuguese in 1189.
• Municipal Holiday: November 27th.
• Population of the city of Guarda: approximately 26,000 inhabitants.
• Population of the municipality: approximately 43,000 inhabitants.
• Population of the district: approximately 175,000 inhabitants.
• Area: 712.1 km².
• Year of foundation of the city of Guarda: 1199 by D. Sancho I.
• Region of Portugal: Center.
• District: Guarda.
• Former Province: Beira Alta.
• Economy: 41% in the commerce sector, 23% in manufacturing, and 15% in construction.
• Municipal Holiday: November 27th.