In the very heart of central Portugal is a town with its roots firmly dug into the exotic Moorish past of this region. Ourem is best known for the fascinating Moorish castle and palace that sit atop a prominent hill overlooking the town. Although in ruins now, the compound can be explored by travellers who want to get a sense of the grandeur of life during the Moorish era in the 8th century. There’s a distinctive medieval flair to the town that fans out below the castle ruins. Visitors will find a decent array of places to eat and drink as well as some pleasant Ourem hotels around the centre of town. The Municipal Museum is the best place to get a history lesson before striking out to explore the town, which is a maze of narrow streets that wind up and around the base of the castle hill. Besides the castle, there isn’t much to see in Ourem but those with a car will find hours of memorable driving all around this area and the nearby coast, just a few kilometres to the west.

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