This Tentative WHS includes three fortified towns on the Spanish-Portuguese border proposed as an extension of the already inscribed Garrison Border Town of Elvas. Of these, I visited Almeida and Marvão on my trip to Portugal in May 2018. In both towns, the first fortifications date back to the Middle Ages, presumably built by the Moors. In the following centuries, the medieval castles were expanded to fortified towns. The bulwark constructions as they have been preserved until today date mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries. But that's where the similarities end. The two cities could hardly be more different. This is mainly due to their different locations: Almeida is situated on a high plateau and Marvão was built on the top of a high crag.

The defensive walls of Almeida form a perfect twelve-pointed star, similar to the fortified cities of Palmanova and Neuf-Brisach. But in contrast to the Italian and French examples, Almeida is not a planned town with a symmetrical layout. The fortifications have been built around the medieval town. The complete system of bastions, ravelins and casemates has been preserved. Within the walls, you can still visit the ruins of the castle. Apart from that the two massive gates, Porta de São Francisco and Porta de Santo António, are the most striking monuments.
About 50 kilometres from Almeida is its Spanish twin, Ciudad Rodrigo, a likely candidate if a transnational nomination will be compiled. And between the two towns, right on the border, is the Real Fuerte de la Concepción, a star-shaped fort that is now a 4-star hotel. I stayed there for one night.

Marvão Castle is located on the highest point of a granite rock and offers beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. It looks like you would expect a medieval castle to look: high granite walls with battlements and turrets, an austere central keep, a cistern to collect rainwater. The walled town of Marvão (photo) occupies the entire mountain ridge below the castle. It is a picturesque place with its white-washed houses, tiled roofs and small churches. There are no modern additions and no modern town outside the walls, simply because there is not enough space on this steep rock.

'A Raia' (the stripe) is the oldest separation line between two European countries and was the site of military conflicts for many centuries. A transnational nomination would have a good chance of inscription. The corresponding entry on the Spanish tentative list from 1998 is not very detailed and also includes fortified towns on the border with France. More focus would be required. And it would be necessary to identify enough outstanding and well-preserved sites in both countries to represent this historically important border in its entire length.
Almeida and Marvão are both worth a visit, but neither can compete with Elvas. Thus, a thumbs down from me for the proposal in its present form.