Sabugal, municipality and city in Portugal
Sabugal is a city in the Beiras and Serra da Estrela region within the Guarda district and spans a mountainous area with the Côa River as its natural spine. The municipality covers about thirty smaller settlements with medieval villages, ancient churches, fortifications, and historical ruins from various periods.
Human settlement in this region dates back thousands of years to the Neolithic period, when early communities lived along the Côa River and began farming and metal mining. In the 13th century, King Dinis ordered the conquest of this border land from the Moors and built fortifications like Sabugal Castle to defend the frontier between Portugal and Castile.
Sabugal is a place where old traditions remain visible in everyday life, and visitors encounter them at every turn. People celebrate their patron saints in small villages, and traditional crafts like basket weaving and woodworking are still practiced and passed down through families.
Sabugal is easily reached by highway from major cities like Lisbon, Porto, or Covilha and has a tourist information center plus services like a health center and police station. Visitors find quiet walking trails and swimming spots along the waterways where you can spend time in nature during the day.
A famous legend tells of the Rocha do Beijo Eterno, two rock formations that lean together like an eternal kiss and are said to stem from a forbidden love between a castle dweller and an Arab prince. This romantic tale is still passed down by locals and visitors and adds to the special character of the place.
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