Agro-pastoral communities have lived in the area around Ourique since the Neolithic period. Ourique lies between the Alentejo plain and the Serra Algarvia; the Mira and Sado rivers are also part of the regional context. Archaeological evidence ranges from communal burial sites to a fortified settlement that remained inhabited until the late Middle Ages.

A Long History at Cola

The Cola Archaeological Circuit preserves evidence of the lives and deaths of earlier communities. Among its notable sites is Castro da Cola, classified as a National Monument since 1910. The fortified settlement was inhabited from the Bronze Age until the late Middle Ages. It lies on a hill beside the Ribeira de Marchicão, near the Rio Mira. The archaeological sites in the circuit were shaped, among other things, by their proximity to the Rio Mira and by mineral deposits exposed at the surface. These deposits were exploited from the Chalcolithic period until probably the Middle Ages.

Necropolises and Traces of Everyday Life

The archaeological site of Atalaia reveals a different period: this multi-part necropolis comprises six areas and was used from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age. While settlement at Castro da Cola continued into the late Middle Ages, Atalaia is chiefly associated with the Bronze and Iron Ages. Important for planning: Atalaia is not accessible to wheelchair users or pushchairs, and no guided tours are offered on site. Bear these conditions in mind when including Atalaia in your itinerary.

The Fernão Vaz 1 tomb monument is a communal burial site dating to the 4th millennium BC, built during the fully developed Neolithic period. The artifacts from the Cortadouro site highlight another aspect of everyday life: they show that the Chalcolithic community there engaged in weaving and copper metallurgy. Nora Velha 1, in turn, is a Chalcolithic tholos tomb monument with a circular interior measuring 3.5 metres in diameter.

The CACMB – Centro de Arqueologia Caetano de Mello Beirão – also inventories, researches, preserves, and presents the region’s archaeological heritage. Its first programme of activities focused on extensive material from the second Iron Age votive deposit at Garvão.

Processions and Cultural Events

The Romaria de Nossa Senhora da Cola combines religious devotion with singing, merriment, and convivial toasts. It usually takes place on 7 and 8 September at the Santuário da Cola in Ourique; check the dates before planning a visit. During the Festas de Santa Maria, hundreds of people process through the streets of Ourique. The Procissão do Enterro do Senhor begins at the Igreja de Santa Maria, the parish church, and proceeds through the town’s main streets. While these two processions pass through Ourique, the romaria takes place at the Santuário da Cola.

The Cine-Teatro Sousa Telles in Ourique was inaugurated in 1899 and regularly offers a current cinema programme as well as other culturally significant events. Cinema and events complement the processions and religious celebrations with another form of cultural life.

Discover more destinations: Ourique, Garvão, Moita, Zambujeira Do Mar, Beja, Corte Do Pinto, Aljustrel, Vidigueira.

Go to the main travel overview: Beja.