As we continue our tour of hiking to historic villages in Portugal, today we started in Idanha-a-Velha and ended in Monsanto for a 5.5-mile one-way trek. This picturesque hike was one of my favorites during our six-day adventure. Photographic opportunities abound in this slice of paradise in Central Portugal.
Idanha-a-Velha is part of the 12 Historic Villages of Portugal Program which the Portuguese government launched in 1991 with the goal of restoring and promoting a series of ancient villages important to Portugal’s history. The villages, located in the Beira interior region of Portugal, include the following:
- Almeida
- Belmonte
- Castelo Mendo
- Castelo Novo
- Castelo Rodrigo
- Idanha-a-Velha
- Linhares da Beira
- Marialva
- Monsanto
- Piódão
- Sortelha
- Trancoso