Chasing Stones: A Road Trip to Portugal’s Megalithic Past
My fascination with giant stones began early. As a child, I read the Asterix comics, where Obelix—strong, stubborn, and always carrying a menhir—sparked something in me. It wasn’t just the humor or the drawings. It was the stones.
When I was a child, my cousins, brothers and I would spend hours playing near a cave by the beach. We shouted into the echoing entrance, explored its cool interior, and climbed the rocks. That childhood curiosity never left me.
And now, here I am in Portugal, surrounded by the very stones that had once stirred my imagination.
Megalithic stones are large prehistoric rocks, often placed standing alone or arranged in groups. They show up as menhirs, dolmens, cromlechs—some are burial sites, others may have been gathering places. The truth is, no one really knows exactly why they were built or how they were used.
Some say they’re sacred. Some call them portals. I haven’t stepped into another world yet, but I haven’t stopped trying.
At São Lourenço do Barrocal, I met archeologist Manuel Calado.
He explained how these stones might have been transported, placed, and aligned with the sun and stars.
There are no written records—only questions and possibilities. He spoke as we walked, pointing out formations and sharing theories. It felt like walking through time.
Near Évora is the largest stone circle in the Iberian Peninsula: Almendres Cromlech.
Ninety-five stones stand scattered across a slope, some marked with faint carvings.
They aren’t laid out in a perfect circle, and that’s part of the charm—you can walk among them, touch them, wonder.
One tip: visit during the dry season. The road in gets muddy and difficult after rain.
Just nearby is the Almendres Menhir, a single standing stone that attracts curious travelers—and sometimes spiritual seekers.
I once arrived to find a group chanting and swinging pendulums. Unexpected, but memorable.
Dolmens are burial chambers: upright stones with a flat one placed across the top.
Many have a small hole in one side—called the Buraco da Alma, or “soul’s hole.”
Some believe it allowed the soul to escape after cremation. Others aren’t so sure. Like most things with megaliths, the answer is unclear.
This burial site was my first in Portugal and I am so happy that I was able to see it up close.
One of my favorites was the The Anta da Herdade de Candeeira, near Aldeia da Serra.
It’s on private land and no longer open to the public due to damage from careless visitors. I was lucky to see it before access was restricted.
I loved this stone. I understand that these stones should be left untouched, but I couldn’t help but feel totally charmed by this scene.
It’s closed to visitors, but there’s a number on a sign to call if you want a tour. I called—no answer. Still, it was a quiet, strange moment. Sheep bleated in the distance. The air felt still.
Castelo de Vide has menhirs and dolmen stones throughout the outskirts of the city. I could only visit one of them because the others were in a fenced pasture full of angry bulls.
How do I know the bulls were angry? The property owner placed a warning sign written: Beware of angry bulls.
One site I kept returning to was the megalithic structure near Barbacena. It’s up a hill near a Roman bridge. Sometimes the hill was full of sheep, other times cows. Once it was bulls. I stayed in the car that day.
The dirt road to Barbacena is bumpy and neglected. It’s doable in dry months but best avoided when it rains.
When I set out, just trying to get to the stones is a fun adventure.
I always wonder what I’m doing when the roads get difficult or when I get lost, but when I arrive, I love it.
The megalithic stones are magical, and the journey is as memorable for me as the destination.
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Updated April 2025
Marguerite Beaty, Blogger, Photographer & Artist
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