Marketplaces

The mineral waters of the Almeida thermal complex spring from the slopes of the hills that form the valley through which the Côa River flows at an altitude of 560 m, about 3.5 km northwest of the village of Almeida, in the district of Guarda.

Surrounded by green countryside, it is a great destination for escaping the stress of everyday life and recharging your batteries through the well-being that a thermal program can offer.

The thermal complex consists of a treatment area (balneotherapy), gyms, sauna, Turkish baths, massage rooms, and a medical area consisting of a waiting room, medical office, doctor’s office, and clinical director’s office. In addition to well-being and stress relief, its main purposes are the treatment of respiratory, rheumatic, and musculoskeletal diseases.

In addition to health and wellness offerings, the region also offers cultural and natural resources to be explored, such as the Almeida Military Museum, the historic center of Almeida—which has one of the best-preserved fortresses in Europe and one of the only casemates in the world—the Center for Military Architecture Studies, and the Memorial to Refugees and Consul Aristides Sousa Mendes. There is also the possibility of going on a bike ride or walking tour in the surrounding area, playing tennis, horse riding, and swimming.

The Picadeiro D’el Rey is located in the Baluarte de Nossa Senhora das Brotas, patron saint of equines, also known as Baluarte do Trem. The reconstruction dates back to 1996 and was carried out under the restoration project of the Historic Villages of Portugal. It owes its name D’el Rey to the invocation of the various Portuguese monarchs who passed through the castle of Almeida, next door to this building dedicated to leisure. Access to the Picadeiro is facilitated by its proximity to the Portas de Santo António, which were greatly revered by the military of Almeida, who used them to transport the necessary material for defence. The grandiose construction, with its large dimensions and irregular polygonal plan, was begun in the 17th century and completed in the second decade of the 18th century. It was the Artillery Depot and Arsenal, and its functions included the storage of artillery, the manufacture of gunpowder, the repair of weapons, and the storage of ammunition and military equipment. The mule troughs that transported the artillery pieces to the gun emplacements in case of war still remain from the original construction. The forges and the artillery barracks disappeared as a result of the various bombings that took place during the 19th century. The central courtyard distributed the various areas essential to the life of the Trem and, currently, the Picadeiro, where the stables, storage rooms and other facilities accommodate 21 horses – 17 stalls and 4 boxes, giving new life to the old stones. Outside, the renovation of the surrounding area has recreated an open riding arena and a lunging ring. The royal coat of arms (to be painted with the national castles and colours) stands out on the main gate, while on one side, the creases of the old guardhouse, where the sentry controlled the entry and exit of military personnel, are still visible. Today, it is a space dedicated to horse riding, playing an important role in tourism by offering charrette or horse rides through the historic centre of Almeida and its walls, opening up new dreams and new paths towards equestrian tourism.​Picadeiro D’el Rey is an Equestrian Centre affiliated with the Portuguese Equestrian Federation, the only one with two stars in the District of Guarda, with Colonel Santos Correia as Technical Manager.

Almeida is one of the 14 municipalities that make up the district of Guarda. It is located at an altitude of around 760 meters, in the central region of the country, more specifically south of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, north of Sabugal, east of Guarda, and west of Spain.

Located underground at the Bastion of St. John of God, the Casamatas, or Old Barracks as they were also called due to the lack of barracks to house the infantry, are twenty underground houses with a perfect vaulted ceiling, only three of which do not have a ventilation tunnel.

The Tourist Office is located inside the Portas de S. Francisco, formerly the Antiga Sala da Guarda, and is now an exhibition space open to art in its various forms of expression. The numerous temporary exhibitions organized by the Almeida City Council, through its Tourism Department, demonstrate a clear commitment to cultural dissemination and promotion, with the following objectives:

• To promote the arts;
• To support artists and creative talent;
• To offer a tourist and cultural program to tourists/visitors and the community.

In another vein, the Tourism Department promotes and publicizes other initiatives in favor of:

• The appreciation/awareness of historical heritage (Peddy-papers);
• The appreciation and promotion/publicization of gastronomic heritage (exhibition of agri-food products);
• Encouraging reading (Book Fair);
• Sociability (sightseeing tours).

In addition to these services, the Tourism Office provides personalized assistance to tourists/visitors who seek information and guidance, providing all kinds of information about the Historic Center of Almeida and the municipality.

The Tourism Office offers a range of promotional material that tourists/visitors and the community can purchase here, including medals, pins, pennants, and guides, as well as a series of publications about the Historic Center of Almeida and the municipality.

With the main objective of promoting the history and heritage of Almeida, the Municipality of Almeida, through its Tourism Office, promotes and organizes guided tours. The tours are supported and guided by Tourism Department staff on weekdays and weekends, upon prior request. This type of initiative has been very popular with teachers, students, schools, tour operators, and people interested in learning about the true history of the country and our region.

Considered one of the most important fortifications in the country, Almeida welcomes thousands of tourists every year, with a marked upward trend with each passing year. In 2005, the Tourism Department recorded 70,932 tourists/visitors, making Almeida a tourist destination par excellence.

The number of tourists/visitors is expected to increase in the coming years, given that Almeida is increasingly becoming a tourist reference point on national and international circuits.