Castelo Branco is a district in central Portugal, on the Spanish border. It is famous for medieval castles and small towns with stone buildings.
The capital of the Castelo Branco region is a city that in the past was one of the largest embroidery and lace making centers in Portugal. Today, the products of local manufactories can be admired in the local museum. It is located in the baroque Episcopal Palace, whose dazzling gardens are the most important monument of the city.
The majority of the district is covered by mountains. The highest peak of mainland Portugal, Torre (1993 m) is located here. The town closest to him, Covilhã is an active tourism center and ski resort.
The region is known for its castles from the Middle Ages, the period of fighting with the Moors and the wars with Spain. The most famous fortresses can be seen in Serta, Penha Garcia and Penamacor.
Monsanto, a stone town built with stone ruins and the Romanesque chapel of St. Michael. On the other hand, in Idanha-a-Velha you can see a church built in the 6th century by the Visigoths and visit the epigraphic museum.
