Monsanto – Portugal

Like most Medieval towns, Monsanto sits on a hilltop, presiding over a landscape of cultivated fields and valleys carpeted in wildflowers, vineyards, and villages.

What makes Monsanto unique is that the village is built into massive granite boulders. Blending nature with man-made structures, the boulders became walls, roofs, floors, and ceilings.

Narrow, steep lanes wind their way uphill, flanked by the remains of ancient stone walls and red-roofed houses interspersed with an occasional refurbished façade, such as Pires Mateus, the charming boutique hotel, where we spent the night.

Fragrant climbing roses and bougainvillea cling to the walls, and a handful of stores and cafes balance on the steep hills.

We broke our journey in Monsanto—a memorable, one-night stopover.

Our mini Suite At Pires Mateus.

Morning view from our bedroom balcony.

I awoke the next day to the call of roosters at the break of dawn, an alarm clock that brings a smile to my face.

Onwards to Marvao.