Xistopedia

Mountains of water

Mountains of water
nature and leisure
This is a territory where water is queen. It furrowed these mountains and inscribed many of the stunning landscapes we see. It feeds animals, lends its vital force to human agriculture and refreshes their leisure.

The Ceira River rises in the Serra do Açor at an altitude of 1118 m, and flows into the Mondego 100 km later when it reaches Coimbra. There are eleven Aldeias do Xisto within its catchment area.

The Alvoco and then the Alva, although they originate in the Serra da Estrela, are also fed on their left by the Serra do Açor. After meeting at the Três Entradas Bridge, near the Aldeia do Xisto Aldeia das Dez, the Alva will also meet the Mondego near Penacova. There are three Aldeias do Xisto within its catchment area.

After rising at 1900m in the Serra da Estrela, the River Zêzere, now more serene, passes through Belmonte and Covilhã. From here and almost until it flows into the Tagus - in its section called “Fosso do Zêzere” - it is fed, on both sides, by this sea of mountains.

In these valleys, dug out by the waters in a hurry to become streams and rivers, humans have built dams to transform the force of the flow of the waters into electricity.

Near Cambas (Oleiros), between Janeiro de Cima and Álvaro, the Zêzere ceases to be a river and becomes a calm reservoir. If it did not run through a valley from here to Constância, it would be possible to see that all the reservoirs of the 3 dams (Cabril, Bouça and Castelo de Bode) form an immense artificial lake, with more than 5800 hectares. There are ten Aldeias do Xisto within its catchment area.

Sometimes the waters of these rivers rest before continuing their journey.
Human beings did not want them to run wild, as they have always done so. So today, the tranquil surfaces of several reservoirs mirror the landscapes that surround them.

With the construction of the Santa Luzia Dam (1942), the Ribeira de Unhais ceased to roar in the gorge of the Serra do Vidual. The Ceira only stumbles at the Alto Ceira Dam (1949). But not even the gigantic Castelo de Bode Dam (1951) is able to store the huge amount of water that these mountains produce. The Cabril Dam (1954) took its name from the strangulation of the Zêzere River near Pedrógão Pequeno. At the end of it, as if the Zêzere wanted to be wild again, the Bouçã Dam (1991) prevents it from being so. These form an immense lake of about 6100 hectares, which is almost continuous. A mountain of water rcontaining 2 billion cubic metres of fresh water.

explore

restaurants
Callum
Callum
Oleiros
restaurants
Fugas Restaurant
Fugas Restaurant
restaurants
Museu da Chanfana
Museu da Chanfana
Miranda do Corvo
restaurants
Bem-Me-Quer
Bem-Me-Quer
Martim Branco
restaurants
Fiado
Fiado
Janeiro de Cima
restaurants
Varanda do Casal
Varanda do Casal
Casal de São Simão
restaurants
Casa da Ti Augusta
Casa da Ti Augusta
Figueira
restaurants
Sabores da Aldeia Restaurant
Sabores da Aldeia Restaurant
restaurants
As Beiras
As Beiras
Pampilhosa da Serra
lodging
Casa Cova do Barro
Casa Cova do Barro
Janeiro de Cima
lodging
Casa Lausus
Casa Lausus
Talasnal
lodging
Aldeia Oliveiras
Aldeia Oliveiras
Proença-a-Nova
lodging
Casas de Água Formosa
Casas de Água Formosa
Vila de Rei
lodging
Aqua Village Health Resort & SPA
Aqua Village Health Resort & SPA
Caldas de São Paulo
lodging
Mountain Whisper
Mountain Whisper
Gondramaz
lodging
Casas da Serra do Açor
Casas da Serra do Açor
Casal Novo, Arganil
lodging
Casa do Caminheiro Hostel
Casa do Caminheiro Hostel
Talasnal
lodging
Casa do Talasnal
Casa do Talasnal
Talasnal
village
Ferraria de São João
Ferraria de São João
offer
Passeio Geológico de Foz do Cobrão e Sobral Fernando
Passeio Geológico de Foz do Cobrão e Sobral Fernando
village
Figueira
Figueira
offer
Geological Walk in Sobral Fernando
Geological Walk in Sobral Fernando
village
Sobral de São Miguel
Sobral de São Miguel
heritage
Alvoco das Várzeas Medieval Bridge
Alvoco das Várzeas Medieval Bridge
tour
Schist Walking Trail of Aldeia das Dez 3 – The Footprint of the Ermit
Schist Walking Trail of Aldeia das Dez 3 – The Footprint of the Ermit
Hotel Rural Quinta da Geia
tour
Panoramic Road: Álvaro - Pedrógão Pequeno
Panoramic Road: Álvaro - Pedrógão Pequeno
offer
Night Canoeing on the Santa Luzia Dam
Night Canoeing on the Santa Luzia Dam
heritage
Church of São Bartolomeu
Church of São Bartolomeu
heritage
Roman Villa of Rabaçal
Roman Villa of Rabaçal
tour
Panoramic Road:   Aldeia das Dez - Sobral de São Miguel
Panoramic Road: Aldeia das Dez - Sobral de São Miguel

next events

event
A VER Figueiró dos Vinhos: Tradições Populares, Costumes e Eventos Festivos
A VER Figueiró dos Vinhos: Tradições Populares, Costumes e Eventos Festivos
23 nov 2024 - 12 jan 2025, 11:00
Figueiró dos Vinhos
event
Natal e Ano Novo nas Aldeias do Xisto
Natal e Ano Novo nas Aldeias do Xisto
29 nov 2024 - 06 jan 2025, 10:00
event
Colecionismo de Natal
Colecionismo de Natal
29 nov 2024 - 31 dec 2024, 10:00
Oleiros
event
Oliveira do Hospital - Concelho Natal
Oliveira do Hospital - Concelho Natal
29 nov 2024 - 05 jan 2025, 18:00
event
Natal é na Aldeia das Dez
Natal é na Aldeia das Dez
30 nov 2024 - 05 jan 2025, 10:00
Aldeia das Dez
event
Retratos de Natal em Góis
Retratos de Natal em Góis
30 nov 2024 - 31 dec 2024, 18:30
Góis
event
Natal em Vila de Rei
Natal em Vila de Rei
01 dec 2024 - 06 jan 2025, 10:00
event
Natal da Fantasia 2024
Natal da Fantasia 2024
01 dec 2024 - 31 dec 2024, 14:00
Figueiró dos Vinhos
event
Natal no Fundão
Natal no Fundão
01 dec 2024 - 06 jan 2025, 15:00
event
Natal com Arte na Covilhã
Natal com Arte na Covilhã
01 dec 2024 - 06 jan 2025, 15:00
event
Natal em Castelo Branco
Natal em Castelo Branco
06 dec 2024 - 31 dec 2024, 17:00
Castelo Branco
event
Na'tal Aldeia
Na'tal Aldeia
07 dec 2024 - 08 dec 2024, 15:00
Figueira
event
Concertos de Natal em Proença-a-Nova
Concertos de Natal em Proença-a-Nova
07 dec 2024 - 20 dec 2024, 16:00
event
Penela Presépio 2024
Penela Presépio 2024
08 dec 2024 - 05 jan 2025, 10:00
Penela
event
Natal na Aldeia
Natal na Aldeia
08 dec 2024 - 12 jan 2025, 15:00
Castanheira de Pera
event
O Natal do Xisto
O Natal do Xisto
08 dec 2024 - 23 dec 2024, 18:00
Aigra Nova
event
Natal Serrano 2024
Natal Serrano 2024
11 dec 2024 - 22 dec 2024, 18:00
Pampilhosa da Serra
event
Moonlight Talasnal
Moonlight Talasnal
13 dec 2024, 20:30
Talasnal
event
Passeio Pedestre Natal Rota Gourmet
Passeio Pedestre Natal Rota Gourmet
15 dec 2024, 08:00
Proença-a-Nova
event
Desafio Picos do Açor
Desafio Picos do Açor
15 dec 2024, 08:00
Arganil
event
Mercado dos Sabores de Natal
Mercado dos Sabores de Natal
21 dec 2024 - 22 dec 2024, 15:00
Proença-a-Nova
event
Ciclo pelas igrejas
Ciclo pelas igrejas
28 dec 2024, 20:30
Aldeia das Dez