Walking tour in the Portuguese Schist Villages
Taste the delicious local cuisine and be surprised with the natural and cultural heritage. Stay in a restored stone house and get refreshed at the river beaches. Walk village to village passing by 10 Schist Villages and 3 fluvial beaches in one week!
An 8 days walking village to village passing by 10 Schist Villages and 3 Fluvial Beaches, a multi-day traverse of the Schist Villages of central Portugal. Our lodgings are stone houses renewed for comfy rural tourism inns, surrounded by pure nature. An unforgettable time travel experience!Villages: Casal de São Simão, Ferraria de São João, Gondramaz, Chiqueiro, Casal Novo, Talasnal, Vaqueirinho, Catarredor, Candal and Cerdeira.
Day 01 - Coimbra - Ferraria de São João
Transfer from Coimbra train station to Casal S. Simão;
Walking Tour 1: Walking loop of Casal de São Simão (6 km | 3.7 mi / 247 m | 810.4 ft) and Trip Orientation; The walk takes place in the surroundings of Casal de São Simão. It goes through Fragas de São Simão's river beach and passes through the villages of Além da Ribeira, Ponte do Brascurado and Saonda. The water lines that abound in this area, like the Alge and Fato streams, are full of old water channels and watermills, evidence of the human presence over the centuries. Transfer back to Ferraria de São João.
Dinner and overnight at Ferraria de São João.
Day 02 - Walking Tour 2: Walking loop of Ferraria São João (11.3 km | 7 mi / 544 m | 1784.8 ft)
Short version: (5 km | 3.1 mi / 238 m | 780.3 ft)
In the morning you will have a Workshop of Fresh Goat Cheese. Later on the local walking trail, you will have the chance to appreciate how the schist and quartz merge in a harmonious way at the beautiful village of Ferraria de São João.
Dinner and overnight at Ferraria de São João.
Day 03 - Walking Tour 3: Ferraria de São João | Gondramaz (20 km | 12.4 mi / 850 m | 2788.7 ft)
Today's walk will take you to the beautiful village of Gondramaz, passing by Louçainha Fluvial Beach. This is indeed a land of craftsmen whose skilled hands create charismatic figures that are the hallmark of the region and take the name of its master and village beyond its borders.
Dinner and overnight at Gondramaz.
Day 04 - Walking Tour 4: Gondramaz | Talasnal (12 km | 7.2 mi / 705 m | 2313 ft)
Today you will walk from Gondramaz to Talasnal village, passing by Chiqueiro and Casal Novo. Discovering these Schist Villages represents to immerse yourself in the magical world of Lousã mountain, with its splendid vegetation where you can see deer, boars and many other species, some of them rare and protected. Here nature is sovereign! Transfer back to Gondramaz.
Dinner and overnight at Gondramaz.
Day 05 - Walking Tour 5: Talasnal | Cerdeira (10 km | 6.2 mi / 970 m | 3182.4 ft)
Transfer to Talasnal.
Walk from Talasnal to Cerdeira passing by Vaqueirinho, Catarredor, and Candal. You will follow the ancient trails used in the past by local inhabitants to reach Lousã.
Dinner and overnight at Cerdeira.
Day 06 - Cerdeira Free Day
Workshop making of Schist House Miniatures and a free afternoon.
Optional: workshops or hike.
Cookery lesson dinner (Portuguese traditional food).
Overnight at Cerdeira.
Day 07 - Walking Tour 6: Cerdeira | Lousã (7 km | 4.3 mi | 280 m | 918.6 ft)
Walk from Cerdeira down by the Levada (waterway) to Lousã Castle and Sra. da Piedade fluvial beach.
Dinner and overnight at Cerdeira.
Day 08 - Lousã | Coimbra
Transfer to Coimbra.
Optional: visit to Coimbra UNESCO heritage site.
Services
7 accommodations with breakfast
6 Box lunches
Briefing and DebriefingWorkshop of goat cheese
Workshop of shanty houses
Workshop/ Cookery lesson of Chanfana (Portuguese traditional food)
6 dinners
Transfer from Coimbra to Ferraria de São João
Transfer from Cerdeira Village to Coimbra
Luggage transfers 1 bag per person - up to 20kg/bag
Local transfers
Maps and GPS tracks (using the app "Ride with GPS" on your phone)
24 hours support line
Insurance
A2Z offer
Extra Services:
Guided visit to Coimbra UNESCO heritage site: on request
Guided visit to Aveiro, the Portuguese Veneza: on request
Extra night in Coimbra: 60€ per person (sharing a double room)
Extra night in Lisboa or Porto: 80€ per person (sharing a double room)
Airport transfers: On request
Coordinates
Portugal A2Z Walking & Biking
2415-524 Leiria
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