Portugal’s medieval village Monsanto is among the “World’s 50 Most Beautiful Villages 2025” – a list put together by experts from Unforgettable Travel Company and featured in Forbes magazine.
The village, which several years ago received international attention for being selected as a filming location for HBO’s hit show ‘House of Dragon’, is the only Portuguese representative on the list, placing 21st.
“Carved into the granite spine of central Portugal, Monsanto clings to prehistoric boulders like a stone-forged mirage. Its medieval houses nestle beneath colossal rocks, their red roofs peeking out like terracotta petals—while narrow lanes wind past the Chapel of São Pedro de Vir-a-Corça and the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria, and scrambling goats graze near crumbling stairways,” the team from Unforgettable Travel Company write.
“At the summit, the ruins of the Castle of Monsanto perch atop the craggy heights like a stone sentinel—offering sweeping views over the Beira Baixa plains. As dusk falls, golden light spills across the granite, while locals sip Quinta dos Termos Reserva beneath the looming bulk of the Cabeço de Monsanto mountain.”
The list is led by England’s Bibury, followed by Hallstatt, Austria and Reine, Norway.
