This activity proposal aims to provide a weekend where the tranquillity and beauty of the Serra da Estrela will go hand in hand, travelling through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire Natural Park, such as the village of Lapa dos Dinheiros, the area of Sra. do Desterro, the River Alva, Torre, Lagoa da Estrela, Cântaro Magro and Gordo, as well as a walk in Seia! Come and join us for another event not to be missed!

TIME: Departure from Lisbon at 6.30am
RETURN: Arrival in Lisbon at 7.30pm

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 10 MARCH 2025

Saturday 5th April

10.15 a.m. - Scheduled start time for the walk

Walking in Lapa dos Dinheiros

Points of interest:

- Cabeça da Velha
- Devil's horns
- Vale da Ribeira da Caniça
- Caniça Falls
- Sumo Well
- Lapa dos Dinheiros River Beach
- Sanctuary and walkways of Mrs do Desterro
- River Alva
- Dr Pedro River Beach
- Soutos, Pinhais and Lameiros

Distance: 15 Km

Difficulty: 3.5 (Scale from 1 to 5, 1 being the easiest)

Estimated duration: 5h30m

Lapa dos Dinheiros

Lapa dos Dinheiros is located on the top of a hill overlooking the River Alva and the Caniça stream, at an altitude of 700 metres, offering unobstructed views over the valley and the Mondego platform. Human occupation of the area dates back to ancient times, as evidenced by the archaeological work carried out on Cabeço do Castro, a hill near the village, which uncovered numerous finds dating from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages.

Surrounding the village, on an exposed slope to the north overlooking the Ribeira da Caniça, is a dense, verdant chestnut grove known as the Lapa souto. The wood contrasts with the surrounding pine forests and represents a source of chestnuts and wood for the inhabitants of Lapa. Its flora is extraordinarily diverse, including a large number of rare species such as the azereiro, the mostajeiro and the azevinho. At the Caniça bridge, the stream is dammed during the summer, creating a small river beach with calm, crystal-clear waters.

Devil's horns

The Cornos do Diabo (Devil's Horns) are a large granite rock about 6 metres high. At the top, due to erosion, there are two sharp stone points similar to horns, hence the name Cornos do Diabo (Devil's Horns). A mini dam was built on this site to capture water from the Caniça stream to the Jugais Bridge Loading Chamber

Cabeça da Velha

A Cabeça da Velha is one of the ex-libris that resembles the head of a toothless old woman. As with other blocks in Estrela, these curious shapes are natural and result from the alteration and erosion of the granite. What forms this block has the typical characteristics of Seia granite (with large white crystals). In the surrounding area you can see expressive aspects of granite morphology, particularly in Senhora do Desterro, where the formation of the cliffs is well expressed by the heap of blocky chaos.

Caniça Bridge

The Caniça bridge is located over the Caniça stream, in a green forested area immediately downstream from the Lapa dos Dinheiros river beach.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Desterro

This is a religious complex dating back to the 16th century, made up of 10 places of Catholic worship. Nine of the temples evoke the life of Jesus Christ and one chapel is an "ex-voto" of gratitude to Our Lady of Good Voyage.

6th April (Sunday)

9.30 a.m. - Scheduled start time for the walk

Walking in the Salgadeiras

Distance: 10 kilometres

Difficulty: 3.5 (Scale from 1 to 5, 1 being the easiest)

Estimated time: 5h00m

Salt shakers

This walk starts at Torre and heads towards Lagoa Comprida. When you reach Lagoa Comprida you can see the beautiful Lagoa Escura from here, where you'll take a picnic break and then turn back towards the Candeeira Hanging Valley. For those who don't already know, Lagoa Comprida is home to two tunnels: the 2,354 metre Covão do Meio tunnel, which diverts water from the slopes of Torre, and the 1,519 metre Covão dos Conchos tunnel, which diverts water from Ribeira das Naves. The main objective of this walk is undoubtedly to see the “hidden” Lagoa Escura and the Suspended Valley of Candeeira.

- Picnic lunch in a natural setting
- Stop at some tourist attractions

15.30 - End of activity and return to Lisbon

Equipment: Suitable footwear and clothing for nature walks

Registration fee:

Price includes:

- Transport by bus or coach from Lisbon to each of the places described above
- Transport to the locations of each walk and accommodation
- Accommodation with breakfast included - 3-star hotel
- The proposed accommodation option includes various room types
- Guided Walks
- Compulsory insurance

195€ (Price per person in double room)
220€ (Price per person in single room)
Entry fee for seat reservation: 50€

Prices valid until 28 February. From this date onwards the prices are 215€ and 240€ respectively.

Notes: 

a) Registrations are limited and accommodation options are limited to availability at the time of booking.

b) If you have a group interested in this trip, contact us, we have personalised solutions.

- Cornos do Diabo - Cabeça da Velha - Quedas da Caniça - Buraco do Sumo - Praia Fluvial de Lapa dos Dinheiros - Santuário, Mata e Passadiços da Sra. do Desterro - Praia Fluvial do Dr. Pedro - Vale da Ribeira da Caniça - Soutos, Pinhais e Lameiros - Seia - Torre - Lagoa Comprida - Lagoa Escura - Vale Suspenso da Candeeira - Cântaro Gordo e Magro - Natural landscapes -