Attractions and Places To See around Serpa (Santa Maria) - Top 20

Azenha da Ordem is a true hidden treasure, a watermill that reserves a pleasant surprise for those who discover it. Situated in a privileged position, here the water flows with surprising power and abundance, creating a vibrant and vital atmosphere. This enchanting place is one of those beautiful, evocative and almost intimate places that Portugal holds. Still little known and little visited, Azenha da Ordem offers an authentic experience, allowing you to enjoy a rare privilege: the uncontaminated beauty and tranquility of a corner of the world where nature and history blend harmoniously.

The castle houses the Municipal Museum of Archaeology. The castle walls are accessible. The elevator was out of service at the end of May 2025.

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You can access Pulo do Lobo from either side of the river: from Aldeia da Amendoeira, on the Mértola-Beja road (left bank), or from Serpa, in the village of Vale de Poços, where you'll find signs indicating exactly where to turn right (right bank). Both paths are well signposted, and both have several viewpoints. The best view of the waterfall, however, is undoubtedly from the viewpoint on the right bank. Further ahead, you'll see Pego dos Sáveis, the spot where the water suddenly calms down again, forming a tranquil lake.

Reigning over the town, Serpa’s castle is a charming ruin after being sacked by the Spanish and lying abandoned since the 1600s. But that takes nothing away from the monument, as its battlements are still intact and you can scramble up to survey the town and the Alentejo countryside. There has been some kind of fortress up here since at least the Romans, but this castle’s timeline begins with the Moors in the 700s. During the Reconquista in the 12th and 13th centuries the it was besieged by both Christian and Moorish forces before Afonso III finally conquered the Algarve to the south. Get a good look at the fabric of the walls, as you might discover some recycled Roman funerary stones with inscriptions still legible.

Arriving at Azenha da Ordem you will be pleasantly surprised, a mill in a place with a privileged view and where the water flows with strength and commitment. It is incredible how there are beautiful, inspiring and almost private places. And this is one of them, a true treasure and still little known and visited. What a privilege, right? In "Saber Viajar"

The Hermitage of São Pedro in Serpa is a historic church located in the parish of União das freguesias de Salvador e Santa Maria, in the municipality of Serpa, in the district of Beja. This hermitage is an example of Manueline, Mannerist and popular religious architecture, with vernacular characteristics. The hermitage is known for its stone masonry walls, white and pink lime walls, gilded altar, stone baptismal font and images of the four apostles. The paintings and murals in the vault of the main nave are also notable...

Pulo do Lobo. This is the largest waterfall in southern Portugal and is located on the Guadiana River, upstream from Mértola. The waters fall from a height of over 20 metres and, surrounded by a sea of foam, descend the rocky gorge to the bottom, emptying into a lake between the rocks. The banks of the waterfall are so narrow that, according to legend, even a wolf could cross them in one leap. Hence the name Pulo do Lobo. The landscape of Pulo do Lobo is spectacular, the riverbed after the waterfall is completely exposed, in rock, between which the Guadiana River meanders, in a groove created over thousands of years. Access to Pulo do Lobo can be from the east or west. To the east, take a detour on the road that connects Serpa to Mértola. Access to the waterfall is difficult and you have to walk, crossing the rocky riverbed to reach the waterfall. We recommend caution. To the west, take a detour on the road that connects Beja to Mértola and continue to the village of Amendoeira da Serra, following the signs to Pulo do Lobo. You will then reach Herdade de Pulo do Lobo, open the gate and it is about 1000m on a dirt road to the waterfall. Access is prohibited to heavy vehicles. Access to the waterfall from the west is easier, and there is even a structure to better observe the waterfall.