Historical Alentejo: rural trails

Farm: Herdade Santo Isidro

Today’s walk is a little about megalithic times. In a few miles you will face with the biggest Menhir in the entire Iberian Peninsula. The route today serves the purpose of discovering megalithic sites, especially when you enter in the Coureleiros Megalithic Park.

House: Casa Amarela

The area of Alentejo is known to be that of a region in harmony with nature, where humans explore for millennia what the land offers in what it is commonly known as Montado Alentejano. It is immediately noticeable the not so urbanized landscape, in a mixture of nature and agriculture exploration. There are two main hills to cross on this day’s walk, which will lead to Marvão. This little town is located on top of hill, which makes this walk peak at 820m, while starting at 520m. There is a mixture of all types of terrain. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: The medieval castle of Castelo de Vide, the synagogue of Castelo de Vide, Santa Maria da Devesa’s Mother Church, Marvão’s castle and the convent of Nossa Senhora da Estrela.

Hote 4*l: Dom Dinis Marvão

Being this walk extensively more downhill, since it has to get from Marvão, at the top of a hill, down to Ribeira de Nisa, it allows for a good view point across the entire region. It mainly crosses farmed land. All types of terrain are to be expected, however the majority of it will be on asphalt roads. If with enough time, there is an old roman city on the waiting to be visited, called Ammaia, which is likely from the 1st century BC. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: The wonderful view of Marvão at Portagem, its roman bridge and Ammaia, an ancient roman city further down the day.

Hotel 4*: Convento da Proença

The common and widely known cork trees from Alentejo are easily spotted during this day. Look for a sponge like tree bark, usually cut up to the upper half of it. The walk today is going to be mainly in paved roads with very low traffic. Take a walk around Fortios to see how the people live in rural areas.

Farm: Tapada da Eira e Chaça

This walk is the day of the Montado Alentejano. It crosses areas of this well known natural structure which represents, in its purest form, the equilibrium between humans and the natural world. The final destination of this walk is Flor da Rosa. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: The landscape along the day, and the Monestary of Flor da Rosa, that will also be the pace where you sleep.

Hotel 4*: Monestary of Flor da Rosa

Most of the path is made in unpaved roads. 3 km after your walk Crato village will be found.The name of the town, Crato, comes from the title that was concede to the chef of the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in Portugal, commonly known in Portuguese as Ordem do Hospital There is a small old dolmen called Anta de Crato which requires a two kilometer deviation from the course in order to visit. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: The landscape along the day, the Crato’s castle and the museum house of Padre Belo. The dolmen of Crato, a megalith construction guessed to be around 5 thousand years old, Alter do Chão’s castle and pillory.

Hotel 4*: Convento D´Alter

Similarly to the previous day, this walk will be relatively flat, using mainly dirt paths in the middle of the Montado Alentejano. For the first quarter of the day it goes uphill towards Alter Pedroso, only to start progressively descending and ending at Cabeço de Vide. This town was stage for investigations from NASA, because according to this agency, this region has hydrogeological characteristics that are believed to be identical to those found in Mars in the past and possibly still in the present day. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: Remainings of Alter Pedroso’s Castle, the river beach of Jardim das Termas de Sulfúrea, Cabeço de Vide’s Castle and pillory.

Farm: Quinta do Cabeçote

Another practically flat day. The early uphill and following downhill are practically unnoticeable on this day’s journey. A big portion of this walk is in unpaved terrain in the middle of an area highly know for Olive tree farming. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: Torre de Palma, the place of your overnight stay which in the past was the area of a roman Villa owned by a roman family called Basilli.

Hotel5 *: Torre de Palma