Our acquaintance with Portugal started in the iconic village of Monsanto. It is a very popular place and one of the most Portuguese villages of Portugal. Its narrow stone streets and the buildings between the big boulders are very picturesque, and the view from the most popular viewpoint is breathtaking.
Even though we have been there in winter, the village is pretty crowded with the tourists, and there was not so much place to park our car. But with the help of friendly locals, we found a free lot and went for a walk.
The village is built on the slope of a steep mountain Monsanto (758 m). The giant boulders are the walls, floor and sometimes the roof.
Monsanto is quite an ancient place. People lived there since the Stone Age. On the top of mountain Monsanto in 12 century was built a castle. We had no problems to walk to the castle with kids. But I am not sure it would be a comfortable walk with a stroller.
Kids had fun in this unusual place all the way up.
There left some of the walls and buildings in the castle. Like São Miguel Chapel with the graves excavated in rock.
Even though the stone is everywhere, there is some greenery on the streets.
There are some nice restaurants, a hotel, and airbnbs. The memorial plates and route directions are placed almost on every building.
The coolest thing about the village it is that it is actually a village, not a museum. People still live there. And they have a fantastic view.
