Approved Path - Camping and Mountaineering Federation of Portugal
Route
Starting and finishing at the same point, this circular trail covers a large part of the parish from which it takes its name. It is a rural itinerary with several centuries of history and remarkable cultural and geological richness.
The famous Poço Mourão, a must‑see landmark—especially during the rainy season—is, for many visitors, the emblem of this route. However, there is much more to discover, beginning with the Serra da Amêndoa and the nearly twenty villages scattered around it.
Covering an area of almost 40 km², the parish of Amêndoa boasts a unique biodiversity and offers an irresistible invitation to a leisurely exploration of the ancestral Terras de Amíndula.
Natural Heritage
With maritime pine dominating much of the natural landscape, alongside species such as eucalyptus and acacias, the area still preserves cork oaks and strawberry trees, as well as rockroses and shrubs such as heathers, broom, mastic trees, and the unusual common centaury, recognizable by its blue flowers. Depending on the season, several species of bulb plants, wild orchids, butcher’s broom, and sargasso can also be found.
As for fauna, walkers may encounter species such as the red fox, booted eagle, badger, common wood pigeon, Spanish festoon butterfly, common blue butterfly, woodlark, crag martin, Dartford warbler, and, among amphibians, the fire salamander.
Cultural Heritage
With an extensive historical and cultural heritage, reflecting the harmony between land and people since ancient times, the Amêndoa Route transports walkers to other periods and ways of life, some dating back to the Iron Age. A fine example is the Castro of São Miguel, whose remains have survived to the present day and constitute invaluable heritage.
Also noteworthy along the route are the bell tower of the Church of Our Lady of the Conception and the Cruzeiro, both located in the village of Amêndoa, as well as the Chapel of Santo Isidro, in Chão de Lopes.
Nearby, visitors can explore the community bread oven in the village of Monte Fundeiro, the Chapel of Martinzes, and the impressive water mine at Pé da Serra.
In this territory crossed by multiple Roman roads, special mention should be made of two outstanding viewpoints, one of them named Terras de Amíndula, both clearly marked along the trail.