One of the most beautiful towns in the Alentejo region is the small town of Estremoz. Even this town is relatively small, it has a lot to discover and there are many things to do in Estremoz. Therefore, we wrote this article where we share the secret places of Estremoz with you. You will be surprised how much this town has to offer!
The Castle of Estremoz
The castle of Estremoz is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval castles in the Alentejo region. It was built during the late 13th century between the reigns of three Portuguese kings. You can reach the castle by walking up the hill from the town centre of Estremoz.
As soon as you arrive at the main square of the medieval castle, you can see the high tower of the Estremoz castle. The tower, which is also known as the tower of the three crowns, is made of white marble and is 27 metres high. On the top of the tower, you can enjoy breathtaking views over the city of Estremoz and the beautiful surroundings of the Alentejo region. And if you have keen eyesight, you can even spot the castle of Evoramonte!
You can access the tower by entering the palace, where King Dinis I and his wife, Queen Isabel, previously lived. Just be aware that this palace is now run by a luxus hotel and that you’ve to pay at the entrance for climbing the tower. Only on Mondays the entrance is free of charge.
The Chapel of Queen Saint Isabel
The Chapel of Queen Saint Isabel is located in the northwestern tower of the Estremoz castle. This chapel was built in memory of Queen Isabel who was admired for her charitable acts and miracles. We were told that there is a famous miracle of the roses, which shows her kindness and compassion towards people in need. According to legends she brought frequently food to help poor people. One day, Queen Isabel was secretly carrying bread in her dress and her husband caught her in the act. He asked her what she was carrying and when Queen Isabel opened her lap, the bread turned immediately into roses. There’s also a statue of her at the square of the Estremoz castle, which is dedicated exactly to this legend.
However, if you want to enter the chapel of Queen Isabel, it’s necessary to ask the guardian of the nearby museum or church for permission. Once you’re in the chapel, you’ll be captivated by the beautiful tiles and paintings that tell the life of the queen. We were really grateful that we could visit this private chapel and according to us, it was one of most beautiful chapels we ever went!
Galeria Elapedra
The Gallery Elapedra is located nearly opposite of the Chapel of Queen Saint Isabel. It’s a small gallery where you can find beautiful and unique art pieces from marble. Although the marble gallery is very small, you can easily spend some relaxing hours to admire the marble sculptures and ceramic pieces.
The owner of this art gallery in Estremoz is Filipa André, who is a very sympathetic and open-minded person. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by her positive energy and kindness. Besides that, she can tell exciting stories about the history of Estremoz and the excellent marble artwork. Here, all the marble pieces are from a curated selection of local top artists and are also available to buy.
Atelier João Fortio
Only a few steps away from the gallery of Elapedra, you’ll come across another exciting space: the atelier of João Fortio. Here, you can discover his works of art as a designer, painter, ceramicist and writer. His creative mind ranges from typical Alentejo ceramic dishes, tiles art above to literature and paintings.
Besides that, you can watch João doing his next creative work. As we visited him, he was dedicating himself to the Bonecos de Estremoz, which are traditional clay figures of this town.
Museu Berardo
If you love colourful tiles, you should definitely visit the Berardo Museum in Estremoz. This museum tells you the story of the last 800 years of tiling. In fact, the tiles collection goes from the 13th to the 21st century and display the most extensive collection of ceramic tiles in Portugal.
The Berardo Museum consists of 3 floors and 35 rooms, which covers different artistic styles across several centuries and countries. Here, you can gaze at an impressive collection of Portuguese, Spanish as well as Dutch tiles. On the last floor, you even find some tiles from Salvador Dali.
At the end of the ceramic tiles tour, you can taste two wines from the Bacalhôa wine group. The wine tasting is already included in the entrance ticket. And if you’re lucky as we were, you’ve the complete museum for yourself!
Mercadinho de Estremoz
Every Saturday, there’s a wonderful market over the Rossio square in Estremoz. In fact, it’s the largest square market in Portugal. We were told that even many people from Lisbon are visiting this market every Saturday morning.
In the market, you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, honey, olive oil, herbs and so much more. The good thing about it is that all products are from small and local producers from the Alentejo region. But apart from the food market, there are also many stalls where you can buy unique ceramics, vintage furniture and jewellery as well as clothing.
It’s a kind of an antique or flea market and perfect for people who love thrifting. So, it’s not surprising that people from all over the region come every Saturday morning to visit this interesting market!
What to do in Estremoz
Even if Estremoz seems quite small at first sight, the town has a lot of things to discover. Apart from being a perfect daytrip destination, Estremoz also has the charm to be visited for more than a day. In combination with cities around like Évora, Elvas or Vila Viçosa, it’s a great place to stay for a few days and enjoy the calm atmosphere.
