Attractions and Places To See around Salvada - Top 20

The Castle of Beja, a central point of Beja

The iconic gatehouse of Beja Fortress

The castle walls of the fortress of Beja. The central point of the city

From this tower, we have a spectacular view of the Alentejo landscape. The fields are now full of olive and almond trees, but in the past, they were cultivated with wheat.

Dominating the skyline with an imposing presence, the Castle of Beja stands as a testament to the city’s resilient past. Dating back to the Moorish period, this ancient fortress has witnessed the ebb and flow of history, from medieval battles to tranquil periods of peace. As you ascend its weathered steps, you’re greeted by panoramic views that stretch across the Alentejo landscape.

Pulo do Lobo. This is the largest waterfall in southern Portugal and is located on the Guadiana River, upstream from Mértola. The waters fall from a height of over 20 metres and, surrounded by a sea of foam, descend the rocky gorge to the bottom, emptying into a lake between the rocks. The banks of the waterfall are so narrow that, according to legend, even a wolf could cross them in one leap. Hence the name Pulo do Lobo. The landscape of Pulo do Lobo is spectacular, the riverbed after the waterfall is completely exposed, in rock, between which the Guadiana River meanders, in a groove created over thousands of years. Access to Pulo do Lobo can be from the east or west. To the east, take a detour on the road that connects Serpa to Mértola. Access to the waterfall is difficult and you have to walk, crossing the rocky riverbed to reach the waterfall. We recommend caution. To the west, take a detour on the road that connects Beja to Mértola and continue to the village of Amendoeira da Serra, following the signs to Pulo do Lobo. You will then reach Herdade de Pulo do Lobo, open the gate and it is about 1000m on a dirt road to the waterfall. Access is prohibited to heavy vehicles. Access to the waterfall from the west is easier, and there is even a structure to better observe the waterfall.

Beja Castle is a National Monument. A medieval fortification that is the city's most emblematic monument. Its Keep Tower, almost 40 metres high, is considered by some authors to be the tallest military tower in the country. Beja Castle, and its Keep Tower in particular, is the city's best-known and most emblematic monument. It is a Gothic fortress whose construction began in the 13th century, shortly after the Christian conquest of the city, and continued through the 14th and possibly 15th centuries. Standing out from the fortress complex is the imposing Keep Tower, almost forty metres high, considered by some experts to be a masterpiece of European Gothic military architecture. In addition to the castle, the walls that, dating from the same period, surrounded the medieval city are still visible, with twenty-eight towers and their respective sections of the wall remaining.

The Church of Misericórdia in Beja is a National Monument. Built in the 16th century by order of Prince D. Luís, it is a unique building in the panorama of Portuguese architecture. When, shortly after 1530, Prince D. Luís, Duke of Beja, ordered the construction of the current Church of Misericórdia, the idea was to build a butcher's shop at the top of the city's main square. The building followed the Italian loggia style, deeply influenced by the Italian Renaissance. The building was so magnificent that D. Luís himself considered it unsuitable for its original purpose, and offered it to the brotherhood of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia to house their church, which was adapted for this purpose. In the 1940s, the building recovered part of its original appearance.