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Almeida – About the Village

Situated 214km from Porto (376km from Lisbon) in the border region, near Vilar Formoso in the district of Guarda.

It is believed that this county is populated from the Paleolithic, so the traces found also as in other municipalities of this district was under Roman influence, and Arab. It was conquered by D. Sancho I in 1190. D. Dinis assigned it charter in 1296, which would later be confirmed by D. Manuel I.

To visit

  • Aldeia de Castelo Mendo- It is a parish of the municipality of Almeida, with 21.72 km² area and 87 inhabitants (2011). Density: 4 inhab./km².Currently, the parish of Castelo Mendo is composed of the village of the same name and the small town of Paraizal. It is one of the Historical Villages of Portugal.
  • Castelo Bom Castle- It was rebuilt by D. Dinis
  • Praça de Almeida Fortress (XVII / XVIIIth Century) – Located in the village, parish and municipality of the same name, in the Guarda District, in Portugal.
  • Alongside the Fortress of Valença and the Fortress of Elvas, this is considered as the most monumental of the squares of the country. It faced the Real Fuerte de la Concepción, on the opposite side of the border.
  • Church of Mercy (18th century)
  • Palace of Wisdom (XVIII century)
  • Pillory of Castelo Mendo
  • Rabbit Valley Pillory

Festivities and Pilgrimages

  • Commemoration of the Battle of Bussaco – Last weekend of September – That which is considered one of the hardest battles between the Portuguese army and Napoleon’s troops. The confrontation took place in July 1810 and became known as the ‘Siege of Almeida’.
  • Lord of the Barca- Pentecost Sunday
  • Our Lady of the Snows- Last Sunday of August
  • Municipal Holiday- July 2

Craft

The chairs and the galritos are typical of the county

Gastronomy

Sausages and products derived from pork, roast kid and ears of Dom-Abade, as well as the ginga liqueur, besides the famous Serra cheese.

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