Serra da Estrela Tour from Lisbon

Santarem a city of great antiquity, has a valuable geostrategic situation, with a mild climate and the surrounding landscape of great beauty, have made the place very coveted by pre-Romans, Romans, Barbarians, Moors and Christians.

Considered a “delightful paradise” by the Arabs, an idea that is not foreign to its geographical situation, in a plateau above the river Tagus, which Portuguese Nile is synonymous with abundance, because its floods flood the extensive muds around, making very fertile.In this city he is buried the Portuguese navigator that discoverer Brasil, Pedro Alvares de Cabral.

In the town square, ( the city center ) known as “Largo do Pelourinho”, where the Municipality building is part of a set that gathers examples of the typical architecture of the “Estado Novo” and which also includes the Municipal Theater of Covilha.

Covilha undoubtedly linked to wool, its abundant grass, healthy herds and plenty of water were the reason why the wool processing industry became the largest source of income in the city, even today, it is from Covilha that a lot of of the raw material that gives rise to creations of international fashion brands.

To realize this and more, let´s visit the Woolen Museum.

Through the streets of Belmonte on the facades of their houses you will discover the history of the last secret Sephardic Jews and admire the place that hosts the last Crypto-Jewish community of the Iberian Peninsula.

The Belmonte Castle of which remains the Tower of Menagem and a which leads down the Roman road to the old Jewish quarter, is the perfect starting point to discover this Historical Village, so rich in external influences. Peer through the Manueline window of Monte da Esperança, where the Castle is located, and admire the privileged location, overlooking Cova da Beira and Serra da Estrela.

Manteigas is located near the magnificent Valley of the River Zêzere, with high peaks and slopes covered by the forest of the mountain. It is the genuine “mountain village”, iIn the Moorish times, an agreement was made regarding the thermal spa waters.

A glacier valley in the area above the village, where you can discover meadows with stone houses and grazing herds. The region of Manteigas is more rural and old than the other regions of the Serra, that have developed towards the modernity of the present day.

A must-see when visiting Manteigas is the Well of Hell. It is a beautiful waterfall located in a steep gorge of the Ribeira de Leadres, located 10 km from the village. This place takes on a special beauty in the spring season.

The Tower is located at the top of the Serra da Estrela, at a height of 1993 meters. King D. João VI ordered a stone monument here to complete the altitude of the Serra up to 2000 meters high.

From this large belvedere one has a wonderful view of the landscape of valleys embedded in a zone of contact between schist and granite, cut by several water courses, famous for its snow sheets during the winter months, place where the lower temperatures of Portugal are recorded on the summit of the Sierra, even reaching -20 ° C in winter.

Here you can find shops offering regional products such as the famous Cheese of the Sierra, wool, honey, bread, among many others.