Hotels in Guarda

Imposing old city centre with its medieval cathedral. Shame that 2 old houses on main square are left neglected and in disrepair. Strolling through the old meandrous streets in the ancient Jewish quarter is a must

The old square with the cathedral is wonderful. There are many restaurants around the narrow cobblestone streets. It also has a modern side with a Huge shopping mall a few minutes walk. Parking interesting but not impossible

Well worth the visit to this charming medieval town with a historic centre that's small and compact and hard to match. The cathedral is breathtaking and so are the views from it's bell tower. Visit the castle and the Jewish quarter, also fascinating. We were there at the beginning of August and the atmosphere was remarkably calm and relaxing. Everything in the centre was very reasonably priced, the people very friendly and the town is extremely well looked after. Very stylish and easy to get around on foot, none of the streets are too steep. I would recommend Guarda to anyone travelling in Portugal.

We like to walk into the cathedral square and explore the old streets surrounding it. The cathedral itself is 14th? Century and truly imposing. It would make a good setting for Game of Thrones! You have to pay for admission nowadays, 1 euro for the inside and an extra euro for the roof terrace. Worth the modest price. Guarda is on one of the routes of the Caminho da Santiago Compostela . There are plenty of cafes and restaurants around the town. Like most Portuguese cafes, the prices are reasonable and the food portions generous, whichever one you choose. Guarda is set high on a hill and the views over the countryside from here are stunning. Clear air, clean streets, calm atmosphere - To us Guarda has a timeless quality. If you want to explore the Portugal which lies away from the Algarve, it's an excellent place to start.

It is a beautiful place to visit if you want to get away from other tourists and enjoy a traditional Portuguese setting. You can climb the Cathedral tower and get wonderful views of this old walled town.

Tourists: avoid the crush of Lisbon and go to the North of Portugal! Guarda and the surrounding area is a must visit to see authentic Portugal. Just under 3 hours' drive by modern toll high-speed highway, you can make Guarda "home base" and then take day trips to visit the surrounding historic, picturesque castle-crowned villages and Roman ruins, as well as drive into the bordering Serra da Estrela park with hairpin mountain roads, laid-back clear-water river beaches, more quaint villages and marvelous views everywhere you look. I went mid-April, Easter weekend with spring flowers in bloom, cedar and eucalyptus scented air, warm-enough days and pleasantly cool evenings. Guarda is a gem: explore narrow streets lined with stone houses, Gothic cathedral, small but well-curated city museum, castle walls, and historic Jewish quarter. The views from everywhere make Guarda understandable as one of the key protection points for thirteenth-century Portugal. Traveling as a solo 50-ish female is no problem. Driving is easy although Portuguese drivers do drive faster and a bit closer than in some places. But if you slow down, they go around you without honking or glares. There are SOS phones along the main highway every 3k or so. Amazing. Even the country roads are not totally isolated in this area. There's always a farm house or small village within 5-10k so in case of a car breakdown, there would always be help nearby. I've lived in Lisbon for 5 years and this was a new area for me. A three-day weekend wasn't enough time to see everything in the area. I'm already planning another trip.