Northeast of Castelo Branco in the heart of the great Idanha Plain lies the small agricultural centre of Idanha-a-Nova.
The town features the ruins of a castle erected by the Templars and some two-storey bare stone houses built in the traditional style of the Beiras region.
Every year Idanha-a-Nova’s lively three-day festival takes place fifteen days after Easter.
What to see. Constructed in 1187 by Gualdim Pais, Master of the Order of The Templars, the ruins of Idanha-a-Nova Castle are idyllically situated on the right bank of the River Pônsul.
The town is also interesting for its elegant 18th and 19th century palaces and manor-houses such as the House of Marquês da Graciosa on the Praça da República and the Palacete das Palmeiras adjacent to the town hall.
Nearby. A short drive to the northeast of Idanha-a-Nova, on the other side of Idanha Dam, brings you to Monsanto, a pretty village composed of a huddle of granite dwellings crowned by an imposing castle. Nearby, the historic hamlet of Idanha-a-Velha features an ancient cathedral, Renaissance-style church and ruined the Torre dos Templários, a relic of the Templars.
