5 Things You Must Do When You’re in Castelo Branco

When I was little on a family holiday, on our way to Algarve – Portugal, my father told us we would stop in Castelo Branco . The name of the city means white castle and as a little girl I made up all these stories about an amazing white castle. Well, I was disappointed because the castle is not white, but this city is indeed amazing.

Even though I’m not from Castelo Branco, I’ve been living here for 11 years and I want to tell you what to do if you come and visit.

So, let’s go:

1. Chill in the Parks

Castelo Branco is a green city, we have lots of parks/gardens. The ones that you can’t miss are: Parque da cidade, Barrocal and Zona de Lazer – Lagoa. All free and amazing to spend time with friends and family. If you don’t mind spending 2€, it is also worth it to visit Jardim do Paço Episcopal with a lot of statues and hidden secrets.

*_{Parque da Cidade – I}*_{mage by Clara}

2. Drinks in Docas

Docas is the place where you meet people. During the day, you’ll see lots of people enjoying the esplanades, while at night, all the bars have music and you can enjoy dancing and drinking with friends.

_{Docas – I}_{mage by Clara}

3. Walk in the Old Part of the Town

When I have friends over I always take them for a walk in the old part of town. I love it because you have all the history of the city in the buildings that surround us. If we go up the streets of the old town, we will reach the castle. It’s worth the climb 😉

_{Old part of the Town – I}_{mage by Clara}

4. Sunset in the Castle

Coming to Castelo Branco and not visiting the castle is like going to Rome and not seeing the pope. The view from the wall is breathtaking and you can see Spain on the horizon since the border is only 50km away.

_{Park´s View to the Castle – I}_{mage by Clara}

5. Castelo Branco “Spot”

The view from the castle is amazing but for me, the best view is to the castle. The best spot to take a great picture in Castelo Branco is at the “Castelo Branco” sign.

_{Castelo Branco Sign – I}_{mage by Clara}

Extra: Monsanto

I love to show the city of Castelo Branco but I have a special place in my heart for Monsanto. Monsanto is the “most Portuguese village in Portugal”. In this little village, it’s like time stopped and we can immerse ourselves in all the legends. Fun fact: the new series of “Game of Thrones” – “House of the Dragon” was filmed there recently.

*_{Monsanto Village – I}*_{mage by Clara}

How about the food, you ask? Well, guys, I’m vegetarian so I’m probably not the best person to advise you on that. But I can tell that the wine and the cheese are to die for.

Hope to see you soon in Castelo Branco – where the castle is not actually white.

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_{Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of SPEAK}

Author: Clara Aidos

Clara is a graduate in radiology working in Bank of Portugal contact centre. She is Portuguese and has lived in 3 different places in Portugal and did Erasmus in the Czech Republic. She fell in love with multiculturalism. The past 5 years of her life have been dedicated to it.