Penedono is probably one of the most beautiful and best preserved medieval villages.
Rising at an altitude of 900m and located in the district of Viseu, this authentic stone town is surprising in many respects, one of them being the absence or low number of tourists.
That said, the Castelo de Penedono is a must visit! In addition to being free, it is fully delivered to those who visit it. There are no employees, surveillance cameras, or other impediments to a good exploration.
Likewise, there are no forbidden paths inside the castle either. However, we warn you that some passages are dangerous and require the utmost care and the least fear.
Penedono Castle is 900m above sea level.
The Castle of Penedono is perhaps one of the most imposing castles in Portugal. For those who pass by the national street that gives access to it, it is impossible to remain indifferent to its presence – so magnificent and grandiose, even from afar.
And that's exactly what happened to us, when we headed towards the Douro Wine Region. So we followed the sign announcing a Medieval Village – and we couldn't have been happier.
Having its origin associated with the date of 960, the Castle of Penedono takes on a hexagonal shape. As we mentioned, the visit is free. However, please note that the oppening hours can vary – although officially from 9am to 5pm, 6pm or 7pm (depending on the time of year), when we visited it it only opened at 10am.
The village of penedono has several other points of interest, many of which are medieval in origin.
In addition to the Castle, the village of Penedono has other attractions.
First, right at the entrance to the village, we find the Clock Tower, a tower of quadrangular shape and strong imposing, where there is a bell.
In the center of the village, we recommend walking through the streets, all in medieval traces, and diving in this period. Here, even the local commerce intensifies this sensation, with places like the Medieval Tavern Fornos do Rei and the Medieval Hotel of Penedono.
Scattered around the village, mainly next to the Castle and in the center of the village, there is a permanent exhibition of instruments of torture and weapons of war, like ballista and catapult.
Additionally, embracing its roots, Penedono performs a Medieval Fair, usually in the months of July, although it has not been carried out more recently because of the pandemic. However, they can follow it on the city's website to find out when it will be held again (here.). When we have the opportunitie, we will try, without a doubt, to live this experience.
Update (2022): We tried to visit the castle again in the summer of 2022 and were informed that it was temporarily closed for security works. Therefore, we recommend that you search if it has already reopened before visiting the place.
English 
Português