Discover Montemor-O-Novo

In Montemor-O-Novo, historic buildings, archaeological heritage, cultural events and wine come together. The monumental castle complex is a tourist attraction and leisure space. When planning your trip, you can decide whether you are mainly interested in discovering architecture and history, experiencing cave art, or exploring wine and regional cuisine.

Castle, museums and sacred art

The Centro Interpretativo do Castelo is housed in the former 14th-century Church of São Tiago. The Núcleo Museológico do Convento de São Domingos houses an archaeology museum as well as collections and exhibition spaces devoted to ceramics, sacred art, ethnography and bullfighting. The different subjects offer insights into archaeology as well as art and everyday culture. If you are planning a museum visit, check opening hours in advance.

The Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Visitação, a 16th-century chapel in the Manueline-Mudéjar style, offers a distinctive blend of architecture and devotion. Its 18th-century tiled panels depict scenes from the life of Mary. The sacristy contains around 200 votive offerings, including painted retables, photographs, wax representations of body parts, ribbons and two taxidermied animals. The oldest votive offering dates from 1799. The chapel can also be explored through its various forms of religious remembrance.

In the nave of the Igreja e Convento de São Francisco, blue-and-white tiled panels depict scenes from the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. The convent bears witness to the development of Franciscan Observant monasteries in the 16th and 17th centuries. The church and crypt of São João de Deus belonged to a former monastery of the Hospitaller Brothers, built as the Portuguese headquarters of the order. Together, these buildings reflect different historical aspects of religious architecture.

Cave art and cultural programme

The Gruta do Escoural preserves rock paintings and engravings from the Upper Palaeolithic. During the Neolithic, the cave was used as a necropolis. It therefore brings together evidence from different prehistoric periods. Visits must be booked at least 48 hours in advance, and group size is limited to a maximum of ten people. Check the booking conditions before planning your visit.

The Ciclo da Primavera takes place from March to June, has been running for more than 20 years, and continued in 2026. Across most of the municipalities and localities in the Concelho, the programme includes more than 30 multidisciplinary cultural and artistic events. If you would like to combine a trip with the cultural cycle, check the specific event dates.

Literature also offers a way to connect with the region: the “Levantado do Chão” route links Montemor-O-Novo with Évora and Lisbon. Literary routes and landmarks draw on the historical context of the work, as well as the life of José Saramago and his stay in Lavre.

Wine and regional cuisine

Montemor-O-Novo is part of the Rota dos Vinhos do Alentejo. It introduces visitors to wines, vineyards, wineries and the people behind wine production. For visitors who would like to learn more about the journey from vineyard to production, Quinta da Plansel offers vineyard experiences, insights into winemaking and wine tastings in the Alentejo.

With “Wine&Dine,” Quinta da Plansel adds menus pairing its wines with local cuisine to its offer. Queijo de Évora D.O.P. is also part of the region’s culinary identity: the Concelho lies within its protected designation of origin area. This aged sheep’s milk cheese has a hard or semi-hard, paste-like texture. Wine tastings, menus and cheese-making traditions offer different perspectives on flavour and production.

Montado and nature

The Monfurado area is highly important for the conservation of several bat species, which inhabit caves there. If you are also interested in hiking, you can include the PR04 Olivais e Montados de Montemor route in your travel plans. The landscape is characterised by green pastures, olive groves and extensive areas of montado.

When looking for a holiday rental in Montemor-O-Novo, consider what kind of holiday you prefer: historic buildings and collections, archaeological heritage, cultural events, or wine and cuisine. The destination offers something for a range of interests; however, advance booking is essential when visiting the Gruta do Escoural.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Montemor-O-Novo, Lavre, Cabrela, São Cristóvão, Olheiro, Amendoeira, Foros de Vale Figueira, Mourão.

For the broader travel overview: Evora.