8 Best Things To Do In Beja, Portugal

things to do in beja
Andreia
Andreia 
Published
| 5 min read

Beja is a city located in the Alentejo region in Portugal. It’s situated high up on a hill and has great views over the plains of Baixo Alentejo. It is a place where many battles were fought and it took a long time until it recovered and finally became a city. Today, it is famous for its hot climate and for the very important remains of Portuguese history, that are still standing with all their mighty beauty.

Although it is not a big city full of entertainment and noise, Beja has many things you can do, including extraordinary experiences. Here are our best suggestions on things to do in Beja:

1. A museum in a church: Museu Visigótico

Beja (Portugal) - Santo Amaro
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Patrice78500 used under PUBLIC DOMAIN

After visiting Beja Castle, why not immerse yourself a little bit more in the history of the city? Museu Visigótico is just a few minutes’ walk from the castle, located in the former Igreja de Santo Amaro. The church dates all the way back to the 6th century when it used to be a Visigothic church and is one of the oldest buildings still standing in the whole country.

You’ll get to see mysterious carvings on the original columns and although the museum is very small, it can be very interesting, especially to art and history lovers. The admission fee includes entry to the Museu Regional.

Museu Visigótico

Address: Largo de Santo Amaro 26-27, 7800-274 Beja, Portugal

Website: Museu Visigótico (in Portugese)

Contact: +351 284 321 465

Opening times: Tuesdays 2 pm - 5 pm; Wednesdays to Sundays: 9:45 am - 12:30 p.m; 2 pm - 5 pm

Prices: from 2 USD

Visited this place?

2. Visit Queen Eleonor Regional Museum

Beja09
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Georges Jansoone used under CC BY 2.5

If you’ve visited Museu Visigótico, your admission fee will include entry to Queen Eleonor Regional Museum (Museu Regional de Beja). It is the oldest museum in Portugal and is located in Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição. The museum will charm you, with its tiled walls, beautifully painted ceilings and stunning engraved altars. It will give you a glimpse of the layers of culture and history that remain in different artistic forms around the country and it will certainly surprise you with its aesthetic beauty.

Queen Eleonor Regional Museum

Address: Largo da Conceicao, 7800 Beja, Portugal

Website: Queen Eleonor Regional Museum (in Portugese)

Opening times: Tuesdays - Sundays: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm and 2 pm - 5:15 pm

Prices: from 2 USD

Visited this place?

3. Enter a forbidden love story at Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição

Beja Nostra Senora de Conceiçao
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Patrice78500 used under CC BY-SA 3.0

When visiting Queen Eleonor Regional Museum, you’ll have the chance to explore Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição further. It dates back to the 15th century and it was here that a nun and a soldier fell in love. This forbidden love story inspired the novel ‘Letters of a Portuguese Nun’ by Mariana Alcoforado, so you’ve got homework to do before visiting the place where the story happened! The interior will fascinate you, with its romantic look and don’t forget to see the beautiful rococo chapel, too.

Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição

Address: Largo da Conceicao 3, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal

Website: Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (in Portugese)

Visited this place?

4. Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral Garden: A refreshing place

Images of the Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral Garden are currently unavailable.

Beja can get extremely hot during the summer, to the point that you won’t know where to go to get away from the sun for a while. This garden is a great option for those scorching days. It is very pleasant with its trees and flowers, and children will especially love it because it even has hamsters, birds, and fowl, housed in cages. It is a very calm place and you can choose to play a basketball or football game for free, in the specific area designed for sports.

Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral Garden

Address: Travessa do Salvador, 7800-080 Beja, Portugal

Website: Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral Garden (in Portugese)

Visited this place?

5. Museum Jorge Vieira: A hidden little gem

Museu Jorge Vieira Beja 2014 img 6933
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Manuelvbotelho used under CC BY-SA 3.0

This small museum is the right place to visit for contemporary art lovers. It has very interesting and original pieces, with great artistic and cultural value. The entry is free and you’ll get to know the work of one of the most famous Portuguese sculptors, Jorge Vieira. There are also temporary exhibitions by other artists, that you can enjoy.

Museum Jorge Vieira

Address: Rua do Touro 33, 7800-489 Beja, Portugal

Website: Museum Jorge Vieira (in Portugese)

Opening times: Tuesdays - Sundays: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm and 2 pm - 6 pm

Visited this place?

6. Dip into history at the Hospital da Misericórdia

Santa Casa da Misericordia de Beja
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Stegop used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Now, even if you hate hospitals, you will still be able to enjoy the beautiful architecture of this one. Besides, there is no chance of you getting sick here, as this hospital is just a historical place now. This 15th-century hospital serves as a witness of the change of artistic styles that happened in Portugal at the time – from Gothic style to Manueline.

Here you’ll be able to appreciate the stunning architecture, from the windows to the rooms with vaulted ceilings. The 19th-century tiles that fill the walls of the corridors and the old cemetery, only add to its unique charm. This is a place of great importance to the region and is somewhere you should explore without hesitating. After all, how many chances have you had to tour a 15th-century hospital in your life?

Hospital da Misericórdia

Address: 7800-285 Beja, Portugal

Website: Hospital da Misericórdia (in Portugese)

Visited this place?

7. Hot air balloon flight: An unforgettable experience


If you love heights and are adventurous, you probably have ‘flying in a hot air balloon’ scribbled on your bucket list. Why not scratch it off during your visit to Beja? “Emotion – Life on Adventure” is an outdoor activity company, that offers numerous activities where you’ll get the chance to discover the nature, culture, gastronomy, history and traditions of the Alentejo region. They offer hot air balloon rides and guarantee you an unforgettable experience. What are you waiting for?

Emotion – Life on Adventure

Address: Hotel Rural Vila Galé Clube de Campo, Herdade da Figueirinha, 7801-905 Santa Vitória, Portugal

Website: Emotion – Life on Adventure

Contact: reservas@emotionportugal.com

Prices: from 172 USD

Visited this place?

8. Beja Castle: See what’s left of history in the region


Beja Castle is an imposing military building, with Roman architecture. It features the tallest tower in the Iberian Peninsula and you can visit it for free – after gathering enough courage to climb a hundred steps to reach the top! Don’t worry, it will be worth it: from the top of the tower, you will get an amazing view, overlooking Beja and the chance to take amazing photographs of the region. Don’t miss it!

Beja Castle

Address: Rua Dom Dinis 3, 7800-263 Beja, Portugal

Website: Beja Castle (in Portugese)

Visited this place?

Beja: A place for a relaxing holiday

Beja is probably one of the best cities in the world for a quiet holiday away from the hustle and bustle of life in a big city. Here, you’ll have the chance to sit down and enjoy the amazing Portuguese cuisine and it will feel like you have all the time in the world in your hands. You’ll feel like your body has been released of all the stress that reality imposes on you and you will remember it for that special reason. It is the kind of place that will force you to feel grateful for having visited it. Go and have a great time in this beautiful Portuguese city.

Visited this place?
Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Andreia developed an affinity for words from an early age. Firmly convinced that individuals are shaped by the stories they live and the journeys they undertake, she aspires to embark on as many...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Beja (district)
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.