monsanto

This lovely little village is simply astonishing. Houses are squeezed between boulders, rocks are made into roofs, staircases, walls, stables... It's wonderful. Lose yourself in the stone and moss streets in the city and find your way up to the castle with a magnificent view.It was once voted as the most Portuguese village in Portugal.

A old village to view house build under very BIG rocks many many tons, specially the batlles between Portuguese warriors and the Spanish warriors

Nice village, carved in between the rocks. Worth a visit, getting a little bit commercial tough.....

Monsanto is not for those looking for the obvious. It's for those who enjoy the walk, those who divide two days into the moments they can build them with.Monsanto isn't easy to reach and will require at least one morning, one afternoon and one sunset. This will allow you to take in the landscape and the ambiance of a village that seems carved into stone, slow down your pace into the landscape's and gather in the timelessness of a place that seems at times to have forgotten itself.It's a wonder for hikers and walkers (those with reduced mobility may find it a challenge), as the steep mountainous area was the reason for its conception. Tucked deep into the Portuguese Beiras, Monsanto retains most of its beauty unspoiled by tourism or modern times - for good and for not the best reasons. You may find it a ghost village after dusk, as most elderly inhabitants will stay home and local youth tends to live in the surrounding towns.Nonetheless, it's a perfect romantic getaway, terrific for photography and simple exploring. Be sure to stay at a local 'pensao' - it'll save you a ping drive after dinner (which you'll want to have there, overlooking the mountains. Really. You will).

Definitely worth a trip or detour... 50 minutes from Fundao. So at least a 3 hour round trip. Walks up and around can be challenging... Excellent views. Walk to castle also looked difficult and as it was about 32 degrees centigrade we gave it a miss!! But houses built into boulders amazing.Parking was limited at the top of the hill, but a few cafes and bars for well needed refreshments...

Close to the border with Spain this very small town perched up in a hilltop has great views of the surrounding countryside. It is a steep drive up the mountain, and even a steeper climb to the castle which is at the very top of the mountain. definitely worth the short hike to appreciate the tremendous views.

Our first day, we arrived an hour or so before dusk, so we saw only enough to know we had to return. The next day, we made the 65 km drive again, this time to spend the day hiking, literally in the clouds, complete with sleet, but we still had a great time. The third day, it was still worth the drive yet again-get the point? With beautiful weather, we had a great time exploring and the town of houses built into the granite boulders and hiking in and around the ruins of the old castle. It is a town not to be missed! Great for families and couples and hikers of all ages.

We visited the village at the end of the day, left the car at the entrance and walked all the way up to the castle. The views are breathtaking and the houses are unique. It is beautifully restored and full of history. We found it a very romantic place, surely worth a visit!

Monsanto is virtually ignored by all the tour books and Eye Witness only notes that it was voted "most Portuguese town in Portugal." Nothing could be less true. This place is utterly unique. This is incredible given that this is the most breath taking town I have ever seen. The midieval town sits atop a black granite crag that rears up out of the valley like something out of a fairy tale. The houses are embedded in giant boulders leading up to the castle at the peak. The vistas from this peak were stunning. If you can only visit one midieval town, this would be my choice. Second choice would be Sotelha. Third choice Marialva. Weirdly, we visited in mid October and all three were virtually deserted.

Monsanto is a small village with mostly old people living there (The young generation left). Build in the rocks, many of the houses are simply dug into the rocks. A steep walk to the old castle with an interesting story how it survived. (after months of siege they through in despair the last calf they had to eat - the surrenders understood that it means that they still have a lot to eat.. and left).Monsanto is considered "The most Portuguese village in Portugal".

We arrived to this enchanted little village just befrore sunset. The sky was barely clouded, and as we strolled along the narrow alleys, sun rays painted everything in gold.The village is built near, and into huge boulders. Some of the houses are merged into the stone.The view is breathtaking and our visit remained as a vivid, golden memory.

Nested on the slope of a rocky mountain, Monsanto was once classified as "The most portuguese village of Portugal". Its medieval center is perfectly preserved and geting lost on its narrow streets among stones houses is a marvellous experience. No cars allowed inside the village, wich is great.This was my second visit to Monsanto and this time I went up to the castle (about 20 minutes walking up) to admire its magnificent 360 degrees view. You can even see Spain from there. I must recommend the "Pestiscos e Granitos" restaurant with an esplanade built around giant rocks and an inspiring view. Inside the village there several places thar have rooms to rent. and 10 kms form Monsanto, you can refresh yourself at Penha Garcia natural river pool.

Local Único na Montanha onde a natureza formada por pedra granítica eleva-se pela montanha de forma escarpada. No ponto mais alto, um castelo Medieval construído com a pedra, denota a presença humana desde os Romanos, Mouros, Árabes, Visigodos. Em 1815 um grave acidente provocado por um raio destruiu o paiol de munições do castelo. Monsanto nos últimos anos é conhecida como a aldeia mais portuguesa de Portugal.

Adorei a aldeia histórica de Monsanto! Mantém a traça original das casas e das ruas e as pessoas são muito simpáticas! A vista do castelo é magnífica! Custa a subir mas vala muito muito a pena.

Paisagem maravilhosa. Aldeia historica cheia de recantos com historias. Habitantes simpaticos. Pequenos restaurantes e locais para dormir muito agradaveis. Levar sapatos de caminhada confortaveis.