Lunch on your own (or an optional buffet lunch for an additional 20€).
Tour by tourist bus;
Entrance ticket to the Marvão Chestnut Festival grounds (included);
Travel insurance.
The Chestnut Festival – Marvão Chestnut Fair was born in the late 1980s through an initiative of the municipality and local producers, with the aim of valuing the agricultural heritage of the Serra de São Mamede and combating the abandonment of the rural world. Before becoming a major tourist event, the chestnut harvest season was already a time of mutual community support in the villages of the municipality, where families gathered in the autumn to make chestnut roasts and celebrate the end of the harvest.
The creation of the fair formalized this tradition and gave visibility to the Marvão Chestnut (recognized as a Protected Designation of Origin - PDO in the Marvão-Portalegre variety), which is distinguished by its sweet taste and easily removable shell. More than promoting the fruit, the event was named "Chestnut Festival" to honor the tree itself and the centuries-old chestnut groves that shape the region's landscape and guarantee the livelihood of several generations.
Today, the festival has evolved from a small local market into one of the largest themed fairs in the country, combining the formal blessing of the chestnut tree at the event's opening with shows, craft exhibitions, and the sale of chestnut-derived products—from craft beers and liqueurs to flours and fine sweets.
Marvão
Perched at over 800 meters altitude atop a granite escarpment, Marvão is a fortified medieval village that seems to hover over the landscape between Portugal and Spain. Its perfectly preserved walls and military fortress offer breathtaking 360-degree views, which is why Saramago described it as a place from where "the whole earth can be seen". Within the walls, we find a silent labyrinth of historic alleyways, traditional cobblestone streets, and well-kept gardens, establishing itself as one of the most impressive defensive and scenic destinations on the Iberian Peninsula.
Castelo de Vide
Located in Alto Alentejo, Castelo de Vide is a charming village known for its whitewashed houses, thermal springs, and steep streets framed by ornate Gothic portals. Crowned by an imposing castle dating back to the 14th century, the village combines a rich cultural and religious heritage with a verdant natural landscape that makes it one of the most picturesque locations in the region.
Our Lady of Penha
Located on one of the highest points near Castelo de Vide, the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha is a place of great devotion and one of the most impressive viewpoints in the Alto Alentejo region. The small chapel, built in the 16th century on rock formations, offers a panoramic view of the town, the castle, and the granite ridges of the Serra de São Mamede mountain range.
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