Millions of paper flowers in different shapes, colours and patterns decorate the streets of Campo Maior during the town’s community festivals. Members spend nine months preparing the decorations. This lengthy collaborative preparation is part of the Festas do Povo tradition. Campo Maior lies in the Alentejo, near the Spanish border, amid a plain that stretches for more than 50 kilometres.

Festas do Povo and the history of the town

At Casa das Flores, you can learn more about the origins and history of the Festas do Povo, how they are organised and how the paper flowers are made. The house offers visitors an interactive experience. This makes it possible to discover the tradition not only through the decorated streets, but also through the work behind the decorations.

Another striking feature of the townscape is the 17th- and 18th-century bastioned fortification. Visitors can explore it on foot; signs along the route provide information about the historic complex. Campo Maior Castle was rebuilt during the reign of D. Dinis. A visit to CIFA takes in the walls and castle, as well as rooms that present various aspects of the town’s military history.

From an elevated position, there are views of the town and surrounding landscape. The ossuary chapel is also one of Campo Maior’s distinctive cultural and historic sites: due to its aesthetic uniqueness, it is considered an important and original example of Christian funerary art in Portugal. The chapel is associated with the explosion of the castle’s arsenal after it was struck by lightning, which destroyed a large part of the town.

Museums showcasing everyday life and art

The Museu Aberto takes you through the history of Campo Maior and its people, from prehistoric times to the present day, while also highlighting the town’s enduring connection with Spain. In an ethnographic presentation, it shows what houses and clothing were like, what occupations people pursued, and which customs and traditions shaped their lives. The focus is therefore not only on individual buildings, but also on people’s way of life.

The Museu de Arte Sacra displays around 150 paintings and images, as well as furniture and goldsmiths’ work, gathered from churches in the Município Campo Maior. The museum is housed in the Capela de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, built in 1801 and considered an example of popular Baroque architecture. The Igreja Matriz de Campo Maior offers a further perspective on sacred architecture: built between 1570 and 1646, it has nine Baroque altars and two galleries dating from the mid-18th century.

The Casa-Museu Santa Beatriz da Silva commemorates the life, work and spirituality of Portugal’s first female saint. Santa Beatriz da Silva was born in Campo Maior and founded the Order of the Immaculate Conception. Alongside architectural and art history, the focus also falls on a religious figure connected with the town.

Coffee, olive oil and vineyards

The Centro de Ciência do Café explains the coffee bean’s journey from planting and roasting to the finished drink in your cup. Its offerings include demonstrations and tastings of coffee drinks with baristas. Check the latest information about these offerings before your visit.

The olive oil museum focuses on the production process: it explains how olive groves are cared for, how olives are harvested and how they are processed into olive oil. A different agricultural landscape can be found at Adega Mayor on Herdade das Argamassas, surrounded by 55 hectares of vineyards.

Caia Reservoir and nature trails

Caia Reservoir is the largest body of water in the Município Campo Maior and offers scenic landscapes and good conditions for leisure activities. Part of the reservoir is designated an Important Bird Area (IBA). Birdwatchers in the Campo Maior area may spot great bustards, little bustards and wintering cranes.

For a hike, the moderately difficult circular PR4 Defesas de Campo Maior is a clearly described option: it is 7.5 kilometres long and takes about three hours. As trail conditions may change, check the route’s condition before setting out.

The linear PR2 Percurso dos Grous is about 4.7 kilometres long and has a birdwatching hide. It is particularly associated with watching wintering cranes between November and February. The trail is currently closed for maintenance and temporarily unavailable; check whether its status has changed before making plans for a later visit.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Campo Maior, Nossa Senhora Da Graça Dos Degolados, Avis, Arronches, Sousel, Santa Eulália, Monforte, Crato E Mártires.

For the overview of the wider region: Portalegre.