Portalegre is not a large city but it is important as the capital of the highest part of the Alto Alentejo area of Portugal. Historically it was a place associated with tapestry and there is a museum of tapestry as well as the main town museum.

The latter together with the cathedral are reached from the bus station by the ascent of a long steep hill and the castle is a short walk away across the top. [SOMEBODY EDIT PLEASE AS IT WAS SWAMPED BY REPAIR WORKS]

There are buses, albeit inconveniently timed, to most of the neighbouring villages - in particular Marvão and Castelo de Vide.