Sortelha

Sortelha sits at about 760 metres on a hill covered in granite boulders, and the village was built among them - houses fitted between and against outcrops, walls continuing where rock stops, so it is often unclear where the geology ends and the building begins. The walls date from the thirteenth century when Dinis fortified this frontier against Castile, and they survive complete, with two gates, a keep, a wall walk that can be followed round most of the circuit, and views over the Serra da Estrela and the plateau. Inside are the parish church, a pillory, and a few dozen granite houses, some restored as accommodation. It is one of the Aldeias Históricas de Portugal, a network of twelve fortified villages in the interior. Sortelha is quieter than Monsanto or Marvão and the rampart walk has no railings at all, which is unusual and worth knowing.

Highlights

• The intact walls - a complete thirteenth-century circuit with two gates and a keep.
• The boulders - houses built among and against granite outcrops.
• The rampart walk - most of the circuit walkable, with no railings.
• The historic villages network - one of twelve fortified villages of the interior.

When to go

April to June and September to November. Half a day. Winters here are cold and summers hot on the plateau.

Before you go

The wall walk is genuinely unprotected with real drops - it is not suitable for children or anyone unsteady. Rough uneven granite underfoot everywhere. Very few services in the village. A car is essential.

Nearby

Belmonte and its Jewish museum are north-west; Sabugal is east.

Key facts