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 mountain villages in the entire Natural Park, such as the village of Cabeça, Casal do Rei, Lapa dos Dinheiros and the area of Sra. do Desterro, very close to Seia, not forgetting Poço da Broca! We'll end our event with a suggested lunch in a restaurant. 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: 20TH JUNE 2025

Saturday 5th July

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)

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 July (Sunday)

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

Walking in Aldeia da Cabeça, Casal do Rei and Poço da Broca

Distance: 8 Km

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

Village of Cabeça

The village of Cabeça, nestled in a valley with steep slopes dominated by schist, sits atop a granite hill and is particularly well adapted to the local terrain. The old residential centre is structured around the church of São Romão, the former parish church, along two concentric main streets, interconnected by staircases and narrow alleys. Most of the houses were built in schist stone and many still have the traditional slate roof, forming a group that is one of the best examples of a typical schist village in the Serra da Estrela.

Revealing the innovative character and dynamism of its inhabitants, in 2007 Cabeça was the first parish in the country to offer free internet access to its residents. wireless. In 2011, it was awarded the title of Portugal's 1st LED Village, for being the first village to adopt LED technology in its street lighting. Since 2013, during the Christmas celebrations, the people of the village have been busy organising Head - Natal Village, The decorations created with natural materials collected from the fields around the village contribute greatly to the success of these festivities.

Landscape of terraces

The terraced landscape is an example of a cultural landscape, the result of man's efforts and ingenuity to make better use of it for farming. In fact, over several generations the people of the valley have carried out an extraordinary job of building terraces of arable land supported by stone walls, as well as various structures to support agricultural activity, such as haystacks, threshing floors, wine presses, water mills and weirs and levadas to water the fields.

Village of Casal do Rei

A village located in the parish of Vide, on the northern slope of the Loriga stream, between the Estrela and Açor foothills. It is one of the most typical schist villages in the Serra da Estrela Natural Park. Nearby there is a forest with traces of primitive vegetation. Highlights include the olive oil press, the dams, the mill and the levadas. Serra cheese and sausages are part of the region's rich gastronomy, along with roast kid, pickled trout and salmon trout.

Drill Pit

The Poço da Broca waterfall stands out for its unrivalled beauty. It is located on the Alvôco stream, more specifically in the village of Barriosa, in Vide. This small waterfall forms a pleasant river beach known for its tranquillity. It's impossible to remain indifferent to this place resulting from human intervention.

13.30 - Lunch in a restaurant

- Bed and breakfast in a 3-star hotel with swimming pool
- 3 Walks
- The proposed accommodation option includes various room types
- Guided Walks
- Compulsory insurance

Prices with transport

Price in double room: 180€
Price in single room: 205€

Values without transport

Price in double room: 120€
Price in single room: 145€

Booking fee: 50€

- Poço da Broca - 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 - Aldeia de Cabeça - Ribeira de Loriga - Aldeia de Casal do Rei - Ponte do Porto - Lagar - Ponte da Caniça - Natural landscapes -