Attractions and Places To See around Vera Cruz - Top 18

A historic parish, very old, in 1257, when D. João Peres de Aboim arrived here, the Monastery of Vera Cruz probably already existed. It is the oldest monument in the municipality and owes its fame to the Relic of the Holy Wood, brought by a knight after the Seventh Crusade. Like the vast majority of inland Alentejo villages, it has been losing inhabitants. In 1960, it had over a thousand inhabitants; today, it has less than four hundred.

The "Esteva" (Cistus ladanifer, gum rock rose or cistus rose) covers the mountains and valleys in spring with millions of beautiful, sweet-smelling white flowers. The flower itself is delicate and beautiful, but the evergreen it grows on is tough and shaggy with sticky branches and leaves. It is a plant from the rock rose family (Cistaceae) that grows in dry, rocky places where nothing else wants to grow and can grow up to 2 meters high. The sticky resin is labdanum, a highly aromatic resin. This resin protects the plant from the harsh and dry climate and it also inhibits the growth of competing plants in its environment. Because of this last characteristic you often find entire hills overgrown with Esteva. Esteva grows on acidic, non-calcareous soils, made of shale, granite and quartz. It is a very fast-growing pioneer plant that is a good biological indicator of soil degradation due to, for example, overgrazing or constant fires, as it is one of the first plants to appear in the space where oaks once grew. In the past, charcoal was extracted from the root of the Esteva, which is extremely hard and woody. This wood was also traditionally used to fire bread ovens. It is still great good wood to start a hot fire with. In moist soil it is not so difficult to pry the plants root and all out of the soil. Because this plant is full of resin and oil, it's best to make sure it doesn't grow within at least 50 meters of your home and other buildings.

The Alqueva Dam, located in the heart of the Alentejo, is one of Europe’s largest dams. Constructed on the Guadiana River and completed in 2002, it creates the Alqueva Reservoir, Western Europe’s largest artificial lake. The dam plays a crucial role in regional irrigation, water supply, and hydroelectric power generation. Additionally, it supports local tourism and wildlife habitats and exemplifies a completely transformational engineering achievement.

The origins of the founding of the Church-Monastery of Vera Cruz de Marmelar are quite remote, since the current temple was built on previous foundations. The parish of Vera Cruz, previously called Marmelar or at least known as the place of S. Pedro de Marmelar in documents from the 13th century, is a very old and historic town, and this Monument has accompanied its steps over the centuries. According to various studies, a previous Visigothic or Mozarabic temple existed before this construction, of which there are still remains. In 1240, the knights of the Order of the Hospitallers founded the village and promoted the conversion of the Christian building into a monastery. The structure of the temple that has survived to this day generally dates from the Gothic period, although it underwent later works, particularly in the 17th century. The Church of Vera Cruz de Marmelar also went down in history for holding an important relic: a part of the cross on which Jesus Christ was allegedly crucified, the famous relic of the Holy Wood, probably collected in the Battle of Salado, thus making Marmelar one of the four temples in the kingdom where the memory of this glorious battle was evoked (Évora Cathedral, Lisbon Cathedral and Santiago do Cacém Parish Church).

Quiet (no cars) and amazing view.

It seems like an endless stretch over the reservoir. If you look to one side you have impressive views and if you look to the other…they are even better! Absolutely recommended.

Of the profane monuments in Vidigueira, the Torre do Relógio is one of the most interesting, not so much because of the tower itself, but whose construction date we ignore, as we did not find any reference to it that would elucidate us, but because of the bell it houses, commissioned by by Vasco da Gama in 1520, as stated in the inscription that reads: This bell ordered Mr. Count Dom Vasco Admiral of India. During the restoration work, the hands that had never been on the clock were placed on the clock, so that Vidigueirão residents can not only hear the familiar sound of its bells, but also know the time whenever they look at it. The tower is a quadrangular building, with a guard at the top, to which you can go up by a spiral staircase, with brick railings and ornaments in each corner, and in the middle, as a finishing touch, a guardhouse or spire, which houses the bell already mentioned and opens on each side by a look with an arch all the way around. in https://www.freguesiavidigueira.pt/index.php/patrimonio/torre-do-relogio accessed on 6/8/2023.

Road crossing the lake of Alqueva. You feel like you are flying over the lake.