Serra da Portela (Anjo da Guarda)
The hill right next to the house. Its windmill is one the parish council describes as unique in the world: made of wood, much smaller than traditional ones, set on a stone circle with two wheels that let the sails turn with the wind — and it still works. A few metres away is the Ciclo do Pão (Bread Cycle): a space that tells the story of grain, from sowing to freshly baked bread and broa corn bread, with local produce. The viewpoint looks out over the Serra de Sicó and has a sundial. By the Anjo da Guarda chapel there are public bread ovens and picnic tables; the Anjo da Guarda swing; stone sculptures and the wind farm. To visit the Ciclo do Pão, check opening times with the Pousaflores parish council (+351 236 655 464).
Valle D'Encanto — Disc Golf
A disc golf course in the middle of the oak wood, right next to the Marzugueira chapel — a one-of-a-kind experience in Portugal.
Marzugueira Chapel
Right next to Valle D'Encanto, among the oaks, stands a chapel that is home to Our Lady of Help (Nossa Senhora do Amparo), a saint with a mind of her own. Locals say the statue was found in the woods close by — and that ever since, she has known exactly which way she wants to face. Ask the village elders: they all know remarkable details about the place and the stone where she appeared, and some swear they have been there — yet no one can say exactly where it is. The one and only time anyone tried to turn her, she swung back towards her usual path and fell to the floor. Nobody has tried again. Look closely: you can still see where she was glued back together. Every year, on All Saints' Day (1 November), Marzugueira holds its festival in her honour.
Walking trails in Alvaiázere
About 150 km of waymarked trails certified by the Portuguese Camping and Mountaineering Federation — several pass close to our houses: PR1 Por trilhos de Al-Baizir, PR2 Encantos do Vale da Mata, PR3 Grande Fórnea, PR4 Megalápias, PR5 Ribeira do Tordo, PR6 Ramalhal, PR7 Rota Dona Maria, PR8 Rota dos Cântaros e das Rodilhas, plus the long-distance GR26 Terras de Sicó route and GR35 Grande Rota de Alvaiázere. Before you go, check the municipality's website to make sure the trail is open.
Serra de Alvaiázere
The highest point of the Sicó massif, at 618 metres, with trails and wide views. There is a lot to see at the top: the Alvaiázere swing, overlooking the town; the take-off point of the hang-gliding and paragliding centre; the Sundial at the hilltop viewpoint; and the lookout post next to the wind farm. All open at any time. Near the summit are the Castro da Serra de Alvaiázere, an Iron Age hillfort, and many caves — high up in one of them there is water. Only visit the caves and sinkholes with a guide: they can be dangerous.
Alminhas
A wayside shrine (alminhas) built by Acácio Carvalho, grandfather of Pedro, one of the hosts, whom we fondly remember here — a stop on the Way of St James, by the CM1063 municipal road in Alvaiázere.
Pé da Serra
Picnic park with stone tables, a children's playground and views over the town, next to the São José chapel. Open all day — a good spot for a picnic after the hill.
Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Covões
On the Serra de Alvaiázere, right against a grotto, stands a sanctuary with a story handed down from grandparents to grandchildren. A girl found the statue of Our Lady there, in the lapa, and took it home. During the night the statue vanished — and the next morning, there it was again, back in the grotto. They took it home again; again it slipped away, more than once. The villagers understood the message and built the chapel on the spot Our Lady had chosen. It is also known as Our Lady of Memory (Nossa Senhora da Memória). According to Alvaiázere Municipality, the apparition probably dates from the 15th century and, in the 17th century, the hermitage was one of the most sought-after Marian shrines in Estremadura, alongside Nazaré, with pilgrims coming from afar year after year. Next to the chapel there is a small chapel and a spot where candles are still lit today. The PR1 walking trail passes by.
Templar Alvaiázere
In the early 14th century, King Dinis gave the Knights Templar the patronage of Alvaiázere's parish church, dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene. When the Order was dissolved, the church passed to the Order of Christ, heir to the Templars in Portugal, based in Tomar. The Templar cross can still be seen on the pediment above the doorway, with the date 1819. Nearby, in Pussos, the Templar Master granted the land in usufruct in 1231, on condition that it would later pass to the Convent of Tomar; the Order of Christ later made it the Commandery of Saint Stephen of Pussos. The Fonte do Paço fountain in Pussos shares the same heritage.
Fossils of the Serra de Alvaiázere
The hills are made of Jurassic limestone, formed on the floor of an ancient sea — so along the paths it is easy to come across shells and other fossils set in the rock. Alvaiázere is also where the oldest dinosaur footprints in the Iberian Peninsula were found, about 195 million years old (study published in 2023). One rule for everyone: take photos, not fossils — leave them for the next person to discover. Below are three approximate areas where we have already found fossils — the rest is up to you.
Santiago da Guarda
Monumental complex with a Manueline tower and a Roman villa, a national monument since 1978.
More ideas in Experiences — and 1, 2 and 3-day itineraries, with everything on the map.