Church of Saint John – Castelo de Vide loop from Castelo de Vide

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Portalegre

Santa Maria Da Devesa

Church of Saint John – Castelo de Vide loop from Castelo de Vide

Moderate

5.0

(1)

hikers

Church of Saint John – Castelo de Vide loop from Castelo de Vide

02:16

7.90km

170m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 21, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

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6.29 km

Church of Our Lady of Joy

Highlight • Religious Site

Convento de Santa Catarina / Convento de Nossa Senhora da Alegria / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Alegria / Igreja do Castelo
Inside the fortress, in the Terreiro da Senhora da Alegria, is the Convent of Our Lady of Joy (or St. Catherine), next to the Church of Our Lady of Joy, which remains unfinished to this day. It is said that its construction was suspended in 1755 by order of the military governor due to the proximity of the Powder House, and that the work was never completed. The Church of Our Lady of Joy, in the Baroque style, was rebuilt in the early 17th century.
A visit is almost a must, if only for the beautiful interior decoration with magnificent azulejos.

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6.39 km

View of Vila de Vide

Highlight • Viewpoint

This viewpoint was a wonderful discovery.
As we walked around the back of the castle and along R. Direita, we came across a flower-filled alley that piqued our curiosity and led us through clotheslines to finally reach the spot from which we can admire this beautiful city. It's truly worth it.

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6.47 km

Entrance to Castelo de Vide Castle

Highlight • Castle

Castelo de Vide Castle, locally known as Castelo de Vide Castle, is located in the town of the same name in the Alto Alentejo region of Portugal.
When the settlement and castle of Castelo de Vide were founded is unknown, but they were first mentioned in 1232, when it was in Portuguese hands. Afonso III of Portugal donated the town and castle, along with the towns and castles of Arronches, Marvo, and Portalegre, to one of his young sons, also called Afonso, around 1272. ...
...The destruction caused during the last two Spanish wars led to the abandonment of Castelo de Vide's fortifications in 1823, after which it fell into disuse...
castles.nl/castelo-vide-castle

Due to the small, insignificant castle and access restrictions, we decided not to visit the actual castle.

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6.91 km

Church of Santa Maria da Devesa

Highlight • Religious Site

Construction of the Church of Santa Maria da Devesa began in 1789 on the site of a small chapel of the same name, founded in 1311 by Loureno Pires and his wife. It was completed around 1873. It is a large temple, perhaps the largest in the Alto Alentejo.

The invocation to Santa Maria da Devesa is unique in our country, and it may be related not only to its location, which...
castelodevide.pt/2000/igreja-de-santa-maria-da-devesa

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7.00 km

Church of Saint John

Highlight • Religious Site

Built in the 14th century, it is one of the oldest churches in Castelo de Vide. It belonged to the Order of Malta and was a commandery of nuns from Estremoz, who presumably founded the church. After several renovations over the centuries, it features Gothic and Baroque architecture. It consists of a single nave and a rectangular choir with a bell tower and sacristy. The main altarpiece is Baroque.

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7.05 km

Castelo de Vide

Highlight • Settlement

Far in the northeast of Alentejo lies Castelo de Vide, just a few kilometers from the border with Spain. The town is often called Cidade branca (white city), which is primarily due to the pretty whitewashed houses of the town. The highlight of the town (besides its great location in the Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede) is the 14th-century Castelo de São Roque. From the castle, you have a fantastic view of the old town. Other sights in Castelo de Vide include the old Jewish quarter with the oldest synagogue in Portugal and the numerous churches and chapels of the town.

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7.16 km

Dom Pedro V Square (Castelo de Vide)

Highlight • Settlement

Main square of Castelo de Vide.

"Urban centre and municipal headquarters. Town situated on a hill on the border of Alentejo. Medieval town under the jurisdiction of a religious-military order (Order of Christ) with castle and urban enclosure. 17th-century war square integrated into the defence line of the Alentejo border."
in monumentos.gov.pt/Site/APP_PagesUser/SIPA.aspx?id=10463

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7.31 km

Statue of King Pedro V

Highlight • Monument

On October 7, 1861, King Pedro V visited Castelo de Vide and called the town the "Sintra of the Alentejo."
It was the monarch's last visit, as he died a month later.
In honor of this visit, the residents erected a statue of the king, which was placed in the center of the square. He was the last king to visit Castelo de Vide.

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7.90 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types