A handsome quarter of cobblestone lanes and huddled houses, Guarda's hilltop centre fans out from Praça Luís de Camões. This sloping square is flanked by 16th- to 18th-century mansions and the town's dramatic cathedral. Plenty of medieval atmosphere survives in the narrow lanes to the north of the cathedral around Rua de São Vicente.
Of the old walls, towers and gates, the stalwart Torre dos Ferreiros is still in good condition, rising to the east of the cathedral. To the north, you'll find two surviving gates, Porta d’El Rei and Porta da Erva. A walk between these two gates takes you through the heart of Guarda’s historic judiaria (Jewish quarter). Sharp-eyed visitors will notice crosses and other symbols scratched into door frames: these identified the homes of marranos (Jews forced to convert to Christianity who continued to practice Judaism) during the dark days of the Inquisition.
