We continued our drive northbound along the eastern border of Portugal. After driving many hours now over several days, we continue to ask ourselves: where are all the cars? From the moment we left bustling Lisbon we felt like everything quieted. We seemed to pass only an occasional car on our drive which left the roads matching the landscape: barren.
The dry heat seems to stifle the growth of much greenery, leaving fields of rusty browns and oranges with occasional grasses blowing in the wind. Though we drove over many bridges with signs denoting the name of a river, no rivers were in sight. The bridges took us over dusty, dry land instead.
However, as we started to near the northern half of the country, trees started to increase in number and clusters of green forests began to appear. The roads remained calm and quiet, and we began to really enjoy our peaceful road trip north.
Our quiet countryside drive took us to the historic village of Monsanto: our most unique stay in all of Portugal. The village sits dramatically atop a small mountain poking out the middle of flat land. Though the more distinctive feature of this village are the homes, which are built entirely of local stone. Many houses are even set directly into the mountain rocks; some look like they are emerging out of a boulder, while others seem to be precariously balancing a rock on their rooftop. Winding paths through town and up the mountain take you through fields of scattered rocks, some of which require you to squeeze between or climb atop a rock to reach your destination.
This town of homes nestled into granite boulders has a mythical feel, and while staying in one of the local rock houses for the night, it felt as if we took a step into a folk tale. The house, with its numerous alcoves and staircases in every which direction, was magical and mystical. Sneak-peeks of boulders could be found everywhere. The bathroom wall was slanted inwards where a giant rock creeped into the shower. The primary bedroom floor was made of glass to appreciate the boulder underneath. With the low ceiling, few windows, and small arched doorways you had to stoop to enter, it felt like we were in a medieval land.
Apparently we weren’t the only ones to feel this way. The tranquil and quiet town of Monsanto was recently one of the filming locations of the TV series House of the Dragon.
Staying the night meant we were able to climb to the top of the mountain at Castelo de Monsanto for sunset. The panoramic views of the entire countryside below were stunning. The castle ruins are expansive and wide open; you can walk and explore wherever you dare to climb. Groups of teenagers huddled on precarious outcroppings of rocks, passing around a drink and seeming to get gratification in the thrill of dangling their feet off the edge, while young couples seeking romance nestled into cozy, secluded alcoves. A few others (like us) wandered with their toddlers, keeping them within arms reach at all times while maneuvering the crumbling stairs and narrow, wallless ramparts. Despite all the differing age groups with various reasons to be in the area, everyone seemed to settle in and quiet down as the evening came and the sun began to set.
This experience left us happy that we chose to stay the night in this little village. It felt special to experience this magical town after the tour groups left for the evening. We got to walk through quiet streets where grandma’s waved hello to our littles, and sleep atop this mountain while the wind whistled through our tiny windows and doors. We made friends with neighborhood cats, who tried to enter our home for the night, and with the lovely couple who rented their home to us and taught us about all about their lovely home town.
