Visiting the Mondego River - Castelo Viegas (Coimbra)

The Mondego river, which flows into the parish of Castelo Viegas, is the fifth largest Portuguese river and the first of all that have its course entirely in Portugal. Born in the Serra da Estrela, it runs through the entire region of the Center (Beiras Region) and has its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean, next to the city of Figueira da Foz.

Visiting the Mondego River - Almedina (Coimbra)

The Mondego River is the fifth largest Portuguese river and the first of all that have its course entirely in Portugal. Born in the Serra da Estrela, it runs throughout the Center region (Beiras Region) and has its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean, next to the city of Figueira da Foz. It is the river that bathes the city of Coimbra, being the most sung in poetry and Portuguese songbook.
In the municipality of Coimbra passes by several parishes among which Almedina

Visit the Gazebo of São Gens - Castelo Branco

The Miradouro de São Gens, located in the parish of Castelo Branco, which was inaugurated in 1941, offers a beautiful panoramic view over the historical area of ​​the city. Located near the Castle, one goes up a long ascent to reach it, but the effort is rewarded by the beautiful landscape that is seen from there. The garden benches and the many shaded places invite you to rest.
Originally built to camouflage the water supply depots to the city, this space has been fully recovered.
From the Mirador de São Gens you can see a wide horizon: the Santa Agueda or Marateca Dam, the southern slopes of the Serra da Gardunha and, more distant, the Serra da Estrela, the Monte de São Martinho and, on days clean, a vast area that extends to the Raia.

Visit the Viewpoint of Cruz Alta - Luso

The Viewpoint of Cruz Alta, located in Luso Parish, perched Buçaco Mountain, provides stunning views. May be seen from the Atlantic Ocean, to the Serra da Estrela, through the Serra do Caramulo, especially the landscape to the Bussaco National Forest.

Visit the Serra da Estrela - Ovens Algodres

Not part of the geographical area of Serra da Estrela, the County Furnace Algodres she is intimately connected, and various points of view to the County Sierra is stunning.

Visit Ovens Algodres

Ovens Algodres is a Portuguese town in the district of Guarda, the Central subregion and the Serra da Estrela, with about 1700 inhabitants.

It is the seat of a municipality with 133.23 km ² and 5,368 inhabitants (2006), subdivided into 16 parishes. The municipality is bordered to the northeast by the municipality of Trancoso, the east by Celorico of Beira, on the south by Gouveia, west of Viseu and Penalva do Castelo and west by Aguiar da Beira.

The parishes of Algodres furnaces are: Algodres, Casal Vasco, Cork, Figueira da Granja Ovens Algodres, Weasel, Infias, Juncos, Maceira, Slaughter, Muxagata, Queiriz, Sobral Pichorro, Vila Cha, Blondie Vila, Vila Soeiro Chão

Regional Craft

With a huge variety of items and handicrafts with decorative function, this region also manufacture products with utilitarian function that is widely sold in the fairs which are held fortnightly in Ovens Algodres. From pottery to painting, the work of the tin baskets, you can also find points of sale of Handicrafts, lace and embroidery on linen and cotton fabrics, carpets and rugs of Arraiolos, and the traditional footwear of this region - the clogs.
The tin, striking features of this region for its important role in the production of proper containers and indispensable to the making of cheese, there is in rush, and in furnaces Algodres in Figueira da Granja.
The wicker baskets, also produced by craftsmen in the village of Kill, come in various sizes and formats and is commonly used to transport the cheese and other local products for local markets.

Regional Cuisine

Pleasures and unique flavors, the cuisine of the Serra da Estrela guard the ancient culinary traditions that are not limited to so famous Serra cheese. However, in furnaces Algodres, the highest honor is given to this great gentleman of our table.
Other culinary specialties are worth your consideration: a sausage furnaces, the sausage, the sausages and ham, served with homemade bread and wine of the "Dao", the sub-region of Serra da Estrela.
Then you can choose one of the typical dishes of this region: the goat or lamb roast, potatoes Caçoilo Stylish Ovens, cod in olive oil, fish the river, with mashed beans, among others.
For dessert, try not to let the rice pudding, custard, or cream cheese with pumpkin jam or honey accompanied, if you like, with jeropiga or spirit of the region.

What to Visit

In County:
Serra da Estrela
Mondego River

In Town Algodres:
Typical Village Algodres
Chapel of Our Lady of the Field
Church of Mercy
Church
Pillory
Three Crosses

Chapel Furtado

In Town Couple Vasco:
Chapel of Our Lady of the Incarnation
Chapel of Our Lady of Grace
Chapel of St. Sebastian
Chapel of Our Lord Loureiro
Fountain Couple Vasco
Fountain of Ramira
Rossio Fountain
Statue of Our Lady of Fatima
Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, Ramira
Church Couple Vasco
Anthropomorphic graves Couple Vasco
Solar dos Melos and Sa

In the Town of Cork:
Dolmen of Cork
Church of Saint Pelagius

In the Town of Figueira da Granja:
Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Copacabana
Church
Pillory

At Furnace Town Algodres:
Calzada Romana
Chapel of Our Lady of Remedies
Chapel of Our Lady of Grace
Bandstand Municipal
Monument to the Pastor
Panel Tiles of parishes Furnace Algodres
Pillory
Manor of Castelo Branco

In the Town of Fishers:
Capela de Santo Amaro
Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Caramel
Church

In the Parish of Infidels:
Source of St. Peter
Church
Pillory
Community Tank

In the Town of Reeds:
Sundial
Bridge of Reeds

In the Town of Maceira:
Fountain

In the Town of Kill:
Chapel of Our Lady of Miracles
Dolmen Killing
Church
Roman Bridge
Pillory

In the Town of Muxagata:
Calvary
Chapel
Chapel of St. Sebastian
Church
Ribeira de Muxagata
Sanctuary of the Lord of Remedies

In the Town of Queiriz:
Niche of Our Lady of Miracles
Pillory
Fraga da Pena

In the Town of Sobral Pichorro:
Forest Church

In the Town of Vila Cha:
Chapel of Our Lady of Good Tidings
Solar Family Soveral Pedroso


Where to Stay:
INATEL - Ovens Algodres
"Big House of Reeds"
"Neighborhood House of Stone"
"Quinta das Cortes"
Quinta da Fonte do Sapo "
Quinta da Laje High "
Quinta da Lameira "
Quinta da Ponte Nova "
Camping Maceira

Where to Eat:
Shelter Restaurant of Courelas
Restaurant Casa da Praça
Hill Restaurant's Castro
Flower River Restaurant
The Fishy Restaurant
Pot Restaurant
The United Restaurant
Restaurant Retreat Pin
Snack Bar Pizzamota
South Side Restaurant
The Wheel Restaurant

Visit the Rio Alva - Arganil

The Alva River is a tributary of the Mondego River, rising in the west slope of Serra da Estrela, covers about 106 km before flowing into the Rio Mondego.

In his bed traverses a path winding between the slopes of the Serra da Estrela and Serra do Goshawk, where he dug up his bed. Throughout the Municipality of Arganil where leaves magnificent landscapes. The river Alva is broken in St. Maarten to the Cork dam Pillowcases after covering 78 km This dam had a maximum reduction of around 500m3 / s.
It is a river known to have a very high variation in its flow as it has a very low flow in summer, and very high in winter.

Visit Gardunha - Fundão

The Gardunha is high with a 20 km long, 10 km wide and 1227 meters of altitude. Located in Beira Baixa, Municipality of Fundão, Castelo Branco District, the Gardunha, is also known for Guardunha (Arabic word meaning "refuge").

This area is the capital of cherry production in Portugal.
Several decades ago the production was the dominant brown, but in the 1930s, a disease attacked the majority of chestnut groves (sets of chestnut). The fires have aggravated the destruction. However, recent reforestation have not been sufficient.
There are several natural viewpoints, where you can observe the Cova da Beira and the Serra da Estrela, Covilhã and Belmonte (North) and plains area of Castelo Branco, Penamacor and Idanha-a-Nova (South and East).

Visit the Cova da Beira - Fundão

The Cova da Beira is a sub-region and a plateau forming part of the District of Castelo Branco. Has its limits: the north by the Serra da Estrela and the Beira Interior Norte, east to the Beira Interior Sul, south to Beira Interior Sul Pinhal Interior and the south and west to the Pinhal Interior Norte. It has an area of 1373 square kilometers and a population, according to the 2001 census of 93 580. Besides the Municipality of Fundão the pit border covers the counties of Covilhã and Belmonte.