Buy House in Guarda

Its proximity to the Spanish border means that this whole area of the Beira region is dotted with fortifications and hilltop villages, and Guarda is no exception. Indeed its very name is an indication of its 'guarding' role. It served its purpose well under the Duke of Wellington against the French in the Peninsular War of the 1800s. The highest town in Portugal, at over 1000 meters above sea level, its defending walls were put in place by the 12th century King Sancho I and much still remains to be seen today, including three original portals. Its location has also earned it the reputation of being one of the coldest towns in the country, its most famous son, the poet Mayo Gil, famously describing the arrival of snow in his poem 'Luar de Maio'.

Also perhaps owing to its important historical function and location, the overall feel of the architecture here is one of somewhat austere and solid simplicity. However, the cathedral does display some interesting Manueline flourishes incorporated comfortably into its overall Gothic style. The interior is even more attractive, with a decorative 16th-century altar carved from white marble. Praça Velha, the main square, has some ground level arcading typical of the area with robust granite pillars. The town's museum offers displays of local archaeological unearthings and connected to Mayo Gil.