Capital of one of the biggest and least populated counties of Portugal, Beja is a city where I only entered three times:
1st - In 1971, just to have a look, without any special remark.
2nd - In 1996 only to sleep, in a group visit to Pulo do Lobo
3rd - Last week, coming from Algarve, and after reading in the book that its castle was interesting.
Yes, the castle is interesting, yes, the spirit of Alentejo is present everywhere, yes, it is being made an effort to embelish the city, preserving its authenticity, yes, my brief contact with locals was nice and warm. But in our small Portugal, Beja keeps being a secondary visit, until the day that anything special invites me to see it with different eyes.
Let's wait! |