Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
townspeople's misfortune is our luck, since they left the town virtually intact. Today a
small population of shepherds and farmers live amid the Roman, Visigothic and medieval
ruins.
Sights
Catedral
( 24hr)
Tucked into a corner of the walled town sits the 6th-century Visigothic cathedral,
surrounded by a jigsaw puzzle of scattered archaeological remains. The church has under-
gone heavy restoration, but its early roots are evident everywhere: foundation stones bear-
ing Latin inscriptions, Moorish brick arches, salvaged Roman columns and Visigothic ele-
ments such as the baptistry visible through glass near the entrance. Of the frescos within,
the best preserved features São Bartolomeu with a demon at his feet.
CATHEDRAL
Lagar de Varas & Museu
Epigráfico Egitaniense
( 9.30am-1pm & 2-5.30pm Tue-Sun Oct-Mar, 10am-1pm & 2-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep)
The Lagar de
Varas, near the cathedral, hosts an impressive olive-oil press made in the traditional way
with ruddy great tree trunks providing the crushing power. In the same complex you'll
find a narrow epigraphic museum densely packed with more than 200 stones from the
area bearing Latin inscriptions. Touch-screen displays explain the context of the collec-
tion, with in-depth studies of three noteworthy stones.
MUSEUM
Ruins
RUINS
The only evidence of the Knights Templar is the Torre des Templários, made of
massive chunks of stone and now surrounded by clucking hens. It sits on top of what was
likely the pedestal of a Roman temple. Other Roman remains include the gracefully
arched bridge on the east side of town and the old wall and gate on the north side.
Sleeping & Eating
Idanha-a-Velha has no tourist accommodation and only a couple of small cafes serving
snacks and drinks. Monsanto (16km northeast) and the pretty hill town of Idanha- a-Nova
(20km southwest) are your best bets for a hot meal and a place to bed down. The latter has
