Attractions and Places To See around Alvito - Top 20

The Castle of Alvito (Castelo de Alvito) is a historic fortified residence located in the Alentejo region of Portugal, which since 1993 has hosted the Pousada Castelo Alvito, a luxury hotel belonging to the prestigious Pousadas de Portugal network.

Alvito Castle is a military monument and an inn, located in the village of Alvito, in the Alentejo region, in Portugal. It is considered an example of a fortified palace, which combined the functions of a fortress and a wealthy house. It also stands out for its combination of styles, with several Gothic and Manueline elements, and Islamic inspiration. (Source: Wikipedia) Alvito Castle is currently an inn.

Situated at a high point in the midst of the Alentejo plains, and offering extensive views over the distant horizons, the graceful town of Alvito has grown around its palatial castle, where the Pousada de Alvito is now housed. The white houses give Alvito the distinct and unmistakable appearance of an Alentejo town, many of them having doors framed by Manueline-style arches, revealing their seventeenth-century origin. The settlement of this town dates back to the early days of the Portuguese monarchy. The town was granted its first charter by the king D. Dinis in 1327, later confirmed by D. Manuel in 1516. The Alvito Castle, whose construction began in 1494, is undoubtedly one of the most curious buildings of its kind in Portugal. Visiting it helps to evoke memories of the town´s historical past. The long Moorish presence in this region left its distinctive marks in the Mudejar architecture clearly visible in various monuments (which laymen can easily recognise through the small cupolas and white-painted conical pinnacles). The parish church of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, dating back to the early sixteenth century, has certain exterior decorative features that clearly identify it as an example of Mudejar architecture. A modest Renaissance doorway leads to the interior, its walls covered in azulejo panels whose beautiful patterns are a harmonious blend of blue and yellow. In the upper choir, there is a large seventeenth-century altarpiece of carved and gilded wood. The same Mudejar influence is also to be noted in the small fortified chapel of São Sebastião, crowned by an array of chamfered merlons. Inside, painted on the vaulted Gothic ceiling are frescos depicting musical angels. Attention is also drawn to the town hall with its picturesque clock tower, a typical feature of Alentejo architecture. Two almost adjoining churches, the Igreja da Misericórdia and the Igreja da Senhora das Candeias (the latter housing a museum of Sacred Art), are equally interesting buildings of some architectural merit, as is the small chapel of Santa Luzia on the outskirts of the town, which was originally a Muslim oratory.

The Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Assunção de Alvito, as it is officially known, was built in the late 13th or early 14th century and was dedicated to Santa Maria de Alvito at the time. Between 1485 and 1535, it underwent extension work, with almost all of the walls being knocked down. Archaeologist Jorge Feio assures us that “it is still possible to see architectural elements from the first phase. The extension is identical to the Igreja Matriz de Viana do Alentejo, so it may have been designed by the same architects (the Arrudas family, architects of the Court)”. Dom João Fernandes da Silveira, the first Baron of Alvito (and of Portugal), is buried in this church. Its greatest wealth is fundamentally in its interior, through the gilded carved altars (the one on the main altar was placed between 1692 and 1705) and the tiles: those in the main chapel were placed before 1625, and others, “Persian carpet type”, some of them using only yellow and white, “very rare”, which decorate the body of the church, dating from 1647.

Built on the bed of the Odivelas river and located near the village of the same name, the Odivelas dam is one of the largest dams in the Baixo Alentejo. Approximately 5 km long, 3 km wide, and with a flooded area of approximately 970 ha, the Odivelas reservoir is an important gathering point for a variety of aquatic birds. Here you can fish for bass, practice water sports or simply relax and enjoy a light meal in the picnic area in the leisure area.

The Odivelas Dam was the first Zagope project work, it is located in Baixo Alentejo, in the municipality of Ferreira do Alentejo, in Portugal. It was built on the riverbed of Odivelas River and came into operation in 1972. The water stored in the dam is mainly used for irrigation. The dam is 48 meters high and has a capacity of 96 million m³.

In Praça da República, in the center of Alvito, you will find this bandstand, which was once the stage for philharmonic band concerts. The lower part currently houses public and accessible toilets.👍🇵🇹

Very interesting bandstand, located in the center of Praça da República.