Monsanto, Portugal

In Portugal, there is the amazing town of Monsanto that doesn’t resemble any other site in the world. This historic town, which has been founded more than 800 years ago, was officially recognized as the most Portuguese one. The site is simply charming and has a lot of unique features. The main peculiarity of the town is the presence of huge granite boulders. They remind us about an intense volcanic activity that took place many years ago.

Today, enormous stones perfectly fit into the surrounding landscape. They replace a part of the walls or roofs in some houses. At first glance, several streets resemble ruins after a terrible catastrophe. In fact, homes of local residents have been built right in the middle of huge granite stones. Some houses have been carved just inside the huge boulders. To the date, researchers have not figured out why the first settlers decided to build a town in a complex geological area.

According to one version, settlers tried to build their homes in the most difficult and, therefore, the most secure locations. Even now, it isn’t easy to get to the charming town. You can walk along its hidden streets only accompanied by an experienced guide. No less remarkable feature of the town is that it hasn’t changed over time. No high-rise buildings are built there and no new roads paved. As many years ago, the only way of moving here is walking by feet. Next - Ha Long Bay