In this hiking programme we're going to Canha, the largest parish in the municipality of Montijo. Canha, a former Villa Nova de Cayna, According to notes and parchments found, it is a village as old as Portuguese nationality. Situated on the left bank of the Ribeira de Canha or Ribeira de Almansôr, it is the furthest parish from the current county seat. With its rural characteristics, it is endowed with a natural and scenic beauty of great attractiveness. People say that there used to be a castle and a well here, and that according to legend, whoever approached it at midnight on a moonlit night would find a treasure. Legends or fantastic stories! We don't know. But one thing is for sure, the town of Canha is undoubtedly a treasure to be discovered!

Canha

Canha was the land of farmers and landowners who developed agricultural activity here, bringing prosperity to the town. In the centre of town, on Rua do Castelo, you'll find Casa Piteira, designed by architect Hermínio Vaz Barros, a building with the picturesque appearance of a “Portuguese house”, with an eaves roof and a veranda with a porch. Further on, there's the Chapel of S. Sebastião or Misericórdia, founded in the 16th century and subsequently remodelled. There is also the Ethnographic Museum of Canha, located in the former home of a late local doctor. Here you can visit exhibitions and other cultural events.

Half-walled by the Alentejo, the layout of the town's whitewashed houses, most of them on the ground floor, features a characteristic element here and there - the large Alentejo chimney, where holm oaks burn in winter and sausages are smoked. Also noteworthy is the bell arch of the old town hall, now the GNR post.

In Rua de Santo António, the Church of Nossa Senhora de Oliveira is worth mentioning. Founded in the 13th century, the church we see today is a 17th century building. In the atrium before the entrance, the symbolic Oliveira invites us to enter and discover this well-guarded treasure. Its rich interior is not revealed by the simple and austere exterior, whose rich tiling surprises us. A magnificent gilded altarpiece adds to the richness of the whole.

Also noteworthy is the Fonte Velha, which, although old, still refreshes us with new and good water. People say that it used to be a meeting place for lovers. The Ribeira de Canha is also an excellent place for observing flora and fauna. We should keep an eye on the sky and the fields, as it is possible to spot white storks, kites, eagles and other interesting birds that cross the open space of this dehesa as far as the eye can see.

- Ribeira de Canha - Fonte Velha - Igreja Sra. da Oliveira - Casa Piteira - Dehesa area - Chapel of S. Sebastião - Natural landscapes -