Southeast of
Serra da Estrela in Portugal, perched on the side of a mountain, is a lonely
and enchanting village of Monsanto. The village is built among rocks, with houses
squeezed between gigantic boulders, and tiny streets carved through the rocks.
Monsanto’s appearance hasn't changed in centuries. Some of the granite houses
have Manueline doorways and the ruins of a castle that started as a Lusitanian
fortified settlement, affords magnificent views stretching as far as Serra da
Estrela.
In 1938
Monsanto was voted "the most Portuguese village in Portugal" in a
national contest, and since then building restrictions have allowed it to
remain a living museum. It is not easy to reach Monsanto by public
transportation, but its atmosphere and immense panorama is worth a drive from
the towns nearby or Serra da Estrela.
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