Plan Your Visit
How to get here, when to come, where to stay and what to do in 1, 2 or 3 days in Santa Clara-a-Nova and the Almodôvar municipality.
How to Get Here
By car: A2 motorway to the Almodôvar exit, then a local road to the village (about 15 km from the town).
From Lisbon
~200 km, 2h30A2 toward the Algarve, exit for Almodôvar, EN267 into town and the municipal road to Santa Clara-a-Nova.
From Faro
~100 km, 1h15A22 to the A2 junction, A2 north to the Almodôvar exit, then the municipal road to the village.
From Beja
~70 km, 1hIP2 south, follow signs to Almodôvar and continue to Santa Clara-a-Nova.
From Odemira
~50 km, 45 minEN263 and municipal roads via Santa Clara-a-Velha.
From Vila Nova de Milfontes (coast)
~70 km, 1hEN393 to Odemira, on to Santa Clara-a-Velha and continue to Santa Clara-a-Nova.
The nearest airports are Faro (~100 km) and Lisbon (~200 km).
GPS coordinates: 37.4833 N, 8.0167 W
Travel Tips
- •Fill up in Almodôvar before heading to the village
- •Municipal roads are in good condition but narrow
- •Mobile coverage can be limited in remote areas
- •Winter: watch out for morning fog
- •Free parking in the village
When to Visit
What to expect through the year
Spring
15-25°CMarch to May
Fields in bloom, mild weather, rockroses in flower. Fewer tourists.
Best for: Walks, photography, nature
Summer
25-40°CJune to August
Long days, clear skies, local festivals (Festa de Santa Clara on 12 August). Very hot: avoid the hours between 12:00 and 17:00.
Best for: Festivals, food, late afternoons
Autumn
15-25°CSeptember to November
Medronho season (October-November), autumn colours, pleasant temperatures.
Best for: Food, harvest, nature
Winter
5-15°CDecember to February
Absolute peace, lower prices, morning mists, Christmas traditions.
Best for: Rest, authenticity, comfort food
Our tip: Spring and early autumn are ideal, combining pleasant temperatures with the landscape at its best.
Where to Stay
Accommodation in the region
The region offers authentic rural tourism options, including quintas and montes (restored traditional farmhouses), independent country houses and agrotourism on working farms. In Almodôvar (~15 km) there are more options, including guesthouses and small hotels.
| Atmosphere | Rural, peaceful |
| Breakfast | Local produce (cheese, honey, homemade bread) |
| Wi-Fi | Available in most places |
| Air conditioning | Common (essential in summer) |
| Swimming pool | Common in rural tourism |
Booking: Book ahead, especially in summer (July-August), during local festivals and on long weekends.
Contact: turismo@cm-almodovar.pt | +351 286 660 600
Suggested Itineraries
1, 2 or 3 day itineraries
1-Day Itinerary
1 day
Morning
Manuel Vicente Guerreiro Museum
First stop, in the village centre: the archaeological and ethnographic context before heading up to the site. Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-18:00.
Mesas do Castelinho
About 2 km from the village. An Iron Age settlement with a Roman-era quarter and an Islamic fort; accessible walkways and views over the plain and the hills.
Lunch
Local restaurant
Alentejo cooking: migas, lamb stew or açorda.
Afternoon
Church and village stroll
The Parish Church of Saint Clare of Assisi and the whitewashed streets of the village.
MESA, in Almodôvar (15 km)
The Museum of the Southwest Script: stelae bearing the oldest script in the Iberian Peninsula and finds from Mesas do Castelinho. Open daily, 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00, except public holidays.
2-Day Itinerary
2 days
Day 1
1-day itinerary
Follow the full 1-day itinerary: museum, archaeological site, village and MESA.
Day 2, Morning
Walk in the montado
An informal walk through the landscape of cork oaks, holm oaks and rockroses around the village (there are no waymarked trails: pick your paths calmly and avoid the heat).
Day 2, Lunch
Picnic or Almodôvar
A picnic in the landscape or a restaurant in the town of Almodôvar.
Day 2, Afternoon
Almodôvar historic centre
Igreja Matriz de Santo Ildefonso (designed in 1592), the Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (now the Cultural Forum) and the tourist office.
Regional products
Medronho brandy, honey, cheese and local crafts.
Santo Amaro viewpoint
End the day at the chapel and viewpoint at the exit toward the A2; if the night is clear, stay on for the stars in the municipality's dark sky.
3-Day Itinerary
3 days
Days 1-2
2-day itinerary
Follow the 2-day itinerary.
Day 3, Morning
Santa Clara dam and reservoir
The reservoir on the Rio Mira, in the Odemira municipality, 4 km from Santa Clara-a-Velha (a different Santa Clara, which gives the dam its name). Canoeing, rowing, sport fishing and scenery.
Santa Clara-a-Velha
The village by the reservoir, in the municipality of Odemira.
Day 3, Lunch
Regional food
One last Alentejo meal before the trip home.
Day 3, Afternoon
Gomes Aires and the Serra do Mú
The neighbouring parish and the hill landscape on the way back.
Products to take home
A stop to buy medronho, honey and cheese before heading back.