Castro Verde

Castro Verde is a municipality settled in the heart of the vast, rolling plains of the Baixo Alentejo. Its identity is defined by the immense scale of the landscape-a region of dry, sparsely populated steppe that is one of Portugal's most important agricultural and ecological areas.

The towns itself is a quiet, grounded settlement, historically central to a region where life revolves around cereal farming and sheep raising. Its history is tied to the mythic Battle of Ourique in 1139, where the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, is traditionally believed to have secured a pivotal victory against the Moors.

Castro Verde is notably a part of the Zona de Proteção Especial do Campo Branco, a protected area for steppe birds. The town strongly emphasizes its natural surroundings and ecological preservation. Its most significant cultural treasure is the Basílica Real de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, famed for its astonishing collection of blue-and-white azulejo panels that graphically depict the legendary Battle of Ourique. The overall feel is one of deep history, quiet pastoral life, and a profound connection to the open land.