The Alentejo region has many surprising towns and villages, but few as surprising as Marvão. The journey begins at the foot of the Sapoio mountains, from where the village looks like a postcard. Located at 860 metres above sea level, set upon granite rocks, the views of the Alentejo and Spanish plains extend for miles.
Once beyond the ancient walls and inside the village, there’s a patchwork of narrow and maze-like streets. The ascent is a steep zigzag to the Marvão Pousada, but it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled for the different landscapes at every turn. A warning to drivers: it’s important to master your clutch control and keep calm during the multiple (and inevitable) stress points.
An odd layout? It makes sense once you know. The first version of this pousada was the result of an old inn, founded by Jeremias da Conceição Dias, who was inspired by local pride and a sense of injustice. In the 1940s, the State announced the construction of a pousada in Marvão. Work began at the top of the village, next to the old walls, but the project was abandoned. In 1952, annoyed at the lack of hotels in the village, Conceição Dias decided to open Marvão’s first hotel in his own home, with just five rooms, and a lounge. In 1962, it was expanded to allow for three new rooms and a restaurant, which was built on the old terrace. The inn was called Ninho de Águias (Eagle’s Nest)- one of the nicknames for the village – and was advertised as “the Alto Alentejo’s balcony” and “the closest to heaven”.
There were further extensions between the 1980s and 2000s, when buildings adjacent to the pousada were annexed, one by one. Currently, the hotel is made up of five buildings, with 28 rooms and three suites, as well as lounges, a bar and restaurant. The name – Marvão Pousada – is now less metaphorical and more self-explanatory. That said, it’s still the Alentejo’s best balcony.
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