Natural secrets to explore and contemplate in the Serra da Estrela mountains

The route begins in the northern area of ​​the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, in the municipality of Gouveia, in Folgosinho. After a long visit on foot through the streets of the picturesque stone village, which is part of the mountain village networkfollow the forest path that connects Folgosinho to Videmonte, about 250 meters from the Galhardos Geodesic Vertice. Here you will find the amazing Pharaoh panoramic swing, from where you can admire the village and a landscape as far as the eye can see.

The swing owes its name to the granite rock that resembles the head of a pharaoh, a natural shape that results from the typical erosion of granite. Here passes the Grand Route 22 of Historic Villageswith the stage that connects Linhares da Beira to Vale do Rossim, in the municipality of Manteigas. The GR22 – Historic Villages, which connects the 12 Historic Villages of Portugal in stages, is a circular route of around 600 km.

Covão d’Ametade, in the municipality of Manteigas, is one of the greatest local treasures and even in the country, it is an ancient glacial lagoon of incomparable beauty that offers a romantic and bucolic landscape, given by the surrounding vegetation, mostly birch trees, which have the particularity of creating an ecosystem of great biodiversity. The place is very popular with winter and mountain sportsmen, who choose to start hiking and climbing in this inspiring area.

Just 9 km from the center of Manteigas is Poço do Inferno, a natural waterfall about 10 meters high and the water, on the coldest and most rigorous days, turns into ice. The “Rota do Poço do Inferno” passes through here, a route just 2.5 km long, but considered one of the best in Serra da Estrela.

Nearby you can walk the Rota das Faias, a pedestrian route that takes on added beauty in the autumn months. More than a route, the Rota das Faias is an unforgettable sensory experience. It is in autumn that the color palette becomes more impressive, but any season is ideal for traveling this path and discovering incredible landscapes.

It got its name because the route, on the slopes of São Lourenço, plunges into a dense beech forest – one of the largest in the Iberian Peninsula – planted by the Manteigas Forestry Services at the beginning of the 20th century, providing a walk full of surprises for those who want to get to know the mountains, the people and the customs. In addition to this species, there are also chestnut trees, broom trees, Oregon pine trees and the imposing monumental oaks that surround the Chapel of St. Lawrence.

The “PR13 – Rota das Faias”, which can be traveled on foot or by bicycle, starts at Cruz das Jugadas, about 7 km from Manteigas, and extends through a thick forest, where the smells of rosemary, wild mint, lavender and thyme merge with magnificent paintings that surround the eyes of those who observe them.

The Lapa dos Dinheiros river beach is an idyllic place, suitable for cycling trips, but also for immersion experiences in the woods, which lead to secret waterfalls. The river beach of Lapa dos Dinheiros is in full communion with nature, on the Ribeira da Caniça, a tributary of the right bank of the river Alva, set within a mountain landscape, dominated by the Lapa chestnut grove, a valuable group of centuries-old chestnut trees, and imposing granite outcrops.

With a mirror of clear water, the place is ideal not only for swimming, but also for walks. There are discovery trails around here, such as Rota da Caniça, where water has a constant presence. On this difficult 7 km route, special mention is made of the Lapa chest and the Caniça falls, the Cornos do Diabo, a peculiar rock formation, and the Sumo hole, a sector where the water course runs underground.