PDR 2020      Leader      Alentejo 2020      Portugal 2020      Fundo Social Europeu      Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional      Fundo Europeu Agrícola Desenvolvimento Rural

Barrancos

Is the smallest municipality of the region. It consists of one single town.

Watched from the Cumbres, after almost endless road, the town suddenly appears like an enchantment, with single flated houses, painted on a bright white colour.

Near the Spanish border, at half a dozen metres from the narrow bridge which connects the two countries, this community’s affinity with the Spanish culture is well recognized. The Barranquenho (local people) is positively an easy to deal with person.

The Praça (Central Square) is the town meeting point. Here are located the two local clubs which separated rich from poor. It is also in this square that takes place the famous August festivities, but also the giant bonfire in Christmas Eve whose construction begins on December the 8th and involves the whole population.

In the town’s narrow streets you can almost breathe a kind of magic, as they suddenly open to large staircases, or even when passing under arches. Everclean and white houses, in whose chimneys storks breed.

It was based upon this reality that local history was made: the labour in the fields; raising pigs in order to produce the very famous Presunto de Barrancos (ham made from a local pig breed, Porco Preto); its ancient military importance, as the ruins of Noudar Castle certify.

Miguel Rego

Last update
Sunday, 8 de August de 2010
The information on this page was useful to you?
Yes No