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Other attractions

Aigra Velha

Things to see

Penedo de Góis
In a predominantly schist landscape, in some zone there appear quartzic flowerings, of harder and thus less apt to erode rock. Penedos de Góis (1040m), sculpted, are one of those cases, close to the Aldeia do Xisto de Pena, that form unique slopes, with waterfalls and impetuous rivers. It’s an amazing place, with belvederes over the landscape; one can see Serra da Estrela, Serra do Açor and Trevim (Santo António da Neve) from there. Many paths exist, as do many opportunities to climb.

Orvalho Belvedere
The parish of Orvalho is built on the northeast limit of the council of Oleiros, bordering the council of Fundão. One of its principal points of interest is the Mosqueteiro belvedere, from where one has a most beautiful panoramic perspective of the surrounding landscape. The space has been very well built and it has equipment that guarantee a happy day with the family: a children’s playground, a barbecue and tables in the shade.

The Oitava forest
The Oitava Forest, in the Lousã mountain range, occupies 470 hectares of the Góis municipality, completely inserted in the “Natura 2000” network. Since the 70s, this forest has seen many initiatives of planting trees perfectly adapted to the area and of landscape and environmental interest. Here one can find chestnut trees and other trees of interest like black pine and wild pine and sub-tree species like the arbotus and holly.
Inside this forest we can find a park, close to a waterline with a dam, built on purpose to combat forest fires. Here you can picnic and, outside the forest fire season, you can even use the existing barbecue since it is completely adapted to forest use.

St. Anthony of the Snow
In the old Cabeço do Bereiro, Coentral parish, council of Castanheira da Pera, there exists a chapel honouring St. António. As it was built on the orders of Julião Pereira de Castro who was the crown’s responsible for preserving ice, therefore the chapel came to be known as St. António da Neve – St. Anthony of the Snow. In the past, as snow fell, it was gathered up and stored in specific places where it transformed to snow. When the well was full, the snow was covered with straw and fern, to store it until the summer. The wells were built facing east so that the sun wouldn’t melt the snow. When warm weather came, ice was cut and it was transported in big blocks to the royal courts of Lisbon so that the kings and their court could eat ice cream in the summer. Transporting them was done by dragging them on carts to Constância and, from there, on boats to Lisbon, where they were delivered to Café Martinho da Arcada. The network of Aldeias do Xisto has re-created this tradition, as it was done in the past.

Routes & Trails

Coimbra route
This route covers 11 Schist Villages and takes us on a discovery of wonderful areas of this region, such as the protected area of the Açor Mountain range, the intriguing curves of river Zêzere, in its complexity with the villages and the lush landscape of the Lousã mountain where the deer are hiding. In this route we discover that the Schist Villages can also be white, that its heritage says more about Portuguese history than meets the eye, that its ancient traditions are reinvented at the wise hands of craftsmen and that the flavour of traditional cooking still is what it used to be. And you needn’t do the whole tour in one day: take your time to feel the comfort of superb accommodation and get to know the people while taking part in their traditions.

Praias fluviais

Canaveias

Peneda

Rocas