The entrance to the fortified village is a grand Gothic gate. From the square inside, a cobbled lane leads up to the heart of the village, with a pelourinho (stone pillory) signalling the remains of a small castle to the left and the parish church to the right. Higher still is the bell tower – climb it for bird's-eye views. For a more adventurous walk, take to the ramparts that surround the village, though beware precarious stairways and big steps.
As you walk, keep your eyes open for the weather-worn Arabic script over the door of the Casa Árabe at the top of the village. Outside the nearby gate, look out for the Old Lady's Head, a huge boulder with an uncanny resemblance to a sharp-chinned witch. And at the castle entrance, look for the mata-cães, the holes in the veranda through which hot oil was poured to repel the enemy.
