Village of Marvao (Portugal) – Photos + Visit Tips

Marvao, Portugal is considered one of the most spectacular villages in the country. 
Set up on top of a hill with a protection wall, white houses and a castle, this historical location offers splendid views of the region.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit.

This article contains affiliate links (Disclosure page). If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.

Why visit the village of Marvao in Portugal? Video

Marvao is one of the most impressive villages in Portugal.
It offers:

• a hilltop location
• white houses
• a castle
• fortified walls
• stunning views of the region

Below is a short video to give you an idea of what a visit can look like:

How to get to Marvao

• In the Alentejo region, at the Eastern border with Spain, roughly aligned with Obidos
• Lisbon to Marvao - 2h45 drive
• Porto to Marvao - 3h15 drive
• The region is sparsely inhabited, so you will see only trees for a long time before reaching the village.

This location with its GPS coordinates and planning info is included in my eBook:

Arriving at the village

Marvao is really perched on top of the hill. There is a large car park near the gate entrance which is very practical. If you are not spending the night in Marvao don't drive inside the village. The streets are narrow, and parking spaces are limited!

Marvao Portugal has become famous because it was listed in the New York Times bestselling book 1000 places to see Before your Die.

Not sure if it deserved to be on that list, there are many beautiful villages in Portugal, but the white houses, small churches and views are certainly worth the visit.

As you can see below, it is not the most photogenic village from the distance - Compared to Obidos, for example where the town is spread downhill.

Inside the town, you can find a miniature representation of the hill, the village, the wall and the castle. Not as good as flying over it, but it helps you get an idea of the lay of the land. It is really like an eagle nest perched at almost 900 meters.

Best views from the village

My favorite view of the place is from the top of the town on the castle garden side, from the wall. This was just next to my hotel the Dom Dinis. I love how you can see the fortification mixing with the rocks of the hill.

It offers stunning views of the Sao Mamede Mountains. The village is actually located in the Natural Park Serra de Sao Mamede.

Built during the 13th century by King Dinis, the Marvao Castle sits slightly higher than the village at one end of the hill. As we will see further in the article, it can be visited. But the best view is from the outside, with the well-maintained labyrinth garden.

The Marvao Wikipedia page has a lot of information about the history of Marvao Portugal but here are a few facts about Marvao:

There are not that many streets, so you can really explore them all and discover the Marvao castle from different angles.

Along the cobbled streets, you can discover churches, the old town hall, the Governor's house...

Igreja de Santiago

At the top of the village, at the opposite end from the castle, you can visit Igreja de Santiago. It is one of the oldest parishes belonging to the Order of the Hospital, later known as Order of Malta. It was renovated in the 17th and 18th century with a Baroque Chapel of marble and glazed tiles.

Climb on the rock behind it for some great views

Igreja de Santa Maria

At the top of the stairs, the oldest catholic church of Marvao stands quietly. It is now the home of archives from the region and a small museum presenting religious art, archeology and ethnography pieces.

Igreja do Calvario

The Calvario Church is quite surprising as you tour the village. It is a polygonal temple built in 1904

Exploring the Marvao Castle

The Marvao Castle (Castelo do Marvao) as it stands today was mostly built under Dom Dinis in the 13th century.

Located at the highest point on the plateau, it overlooks the whole village and controls the entry. As you can see it has medieval austere granite walls.

In the middle is a tall central keep tower and many defensive features including the triple gate to create killing zones.

There is not much to see in the castle apart from more views. But one of the most interesting features of the Marvao Castle is the cistern. Close to the entrance you can walk down the steep staircase to access the vast area. It allowed to keep water for 6 months in case of an attack.

Fortification walls of Medieval Marvao

The whole village is surrounded by a fortification wall. You can climb on it at various points, but it is nothing like walking the walls of Obidos.

Outside the wall

On your way down, outside of the wall of the Marvão Village, you can stop at the motorhome parking. There you can have nice views of the villages and discover the church and Convent of Nossa Senhora da Estrela with its painted stones from the 16th century.

Want to see more of PORTUGAL?