In the north of the province of Alentejo in Portugal stand more than 100 hunebeds (or dolmens) and menhirs. They are older than the hunebeds in the Netherlands. Most are very difficult to find and lie inside farmers’ fields. A few can be found by carefully looking out for the small signboards, but they vary from a disappointing pile of stones to some excellent examples. This article describes a group of monuments close to Castelo de Vide, in the middle of the national park, Parque Natural da Serra de S. Mamede.
Above Castelo de Vide stands a group of hunebeds close together which, according to local legend, formed a prehistoric city of the dead. The area is called Necropole Megalitica dos Coureieros. To find it you must go to the north of Castelo de Vide and take a narrow path on the right.
More than 8 kilometres from the previous location (to the north) stands a famous menhir, the menhir of Meada
The menhir of Meada
To the west of Castila de Vide lies the hunebed of Melrica (Anta da Melrica). A short way outside the town is a small path to the right (marked by a sign with a drawing of a dolmen). Then go right again and you reach another sign and a small fence. From here you follow the edge of a field until you can see the hunebed in the distance. Climb over the fence and there you are!
To the south of Castile de Vide towards Portalegro stands another hunebed called Sobral. Follow a little path to the right by a small sign, as shown in the photo below.
