Beja: Castle Keep and Convent Museum

Beja is the main town of the southern Alentejo: a quiet, whitewashed place with one of Portugal’s tallest castle keeps and a beautiful convent museum. The convent is linked to one of literature’s most famous love stories. It’s a calm stop between Lisbon and the Algarve.

Quick answer: Beja is about 2 hours from Lisbon and 1.5 hours from the Algarve. Climb the castle keep for views over the plains, visit the Convento da Conceição (the regional museum, with superb tiles), and wander the old streets. See places to stay in Beja.

Things to do

• The castle keep: a tall medieval tower with views over the Alentejo.
• Convento da Conceição: a convent turned museum, with tiles, gilded chapels and art. It’s linked to the 17th-century “Letters of a Portuguese Nun”, attributed to the nun Mariana Alcoforado.
• The old town: squares, churches and whitewashed streets.
• Roman remains: Beja was an important Roman town.

Nearby

• Serpa: see Serpa.
• Mértola: see Mértola.
• The Alqueva lake: see Monsaraz and Alqueva.

More: Alentejo food and the best road trips.

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