ペネラのおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

Penela Castle stands atop the rocky outcrop that gave it its name (peñela, "small stone hill"), dominating the town with imposing walls and towers dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. Founded in the 11th century by D. Sesnando Davides, it formed part of the Mondego defensive line, and its walls still reach 19 meters in height today. From the original fortress arose the castle that later served as a keep. On the walls, facing the Serra da Lousã mountain range, stand out arrow slits and loopholes, marks of its long military life, from arrows to firearms. Penela preserves three historical entrances: the Porta da Vila (Town Gate), the evocative Porta da Traição (Gate of Treason), with its double opening and Moorish inspiration, and the Porta do Relógio (Clock Gate), a reminder of the old breach where two towers collapsed in the 1755 earthquake. In short, a castle small in form, but enormous in history.

The landscape here holds ancient stories, from anthropomorphic tombs to the vestiges of Casal do Melhorado, where the limpets still whisper the legend of the famous "golden cave". In the heart of this setting lies UXA Paraíso: a pet-friendly stay deeply connected to nature. Between the silent valley and the distant mountains, this open-air hotel combines traditional camping with the comfort of welcoming glamping spaces.

✨ Circular route with landscapes of rare natural beauty; 🏞️ Lapiaz, dolines and unique rock formations in Portugal; 🌿 Buracas do Casmilo and Bosque do Vale dos Covões were the highlights of the day; 📸 Ideal for photography, geological observation and contemplation; 🍂 A perfect trail for autumn, with the valley painted in golden tones.

✨ Landscapes of rare natural beauty; 🏞️ Lapiaz, dolines and unique rock formations in Portugal; 🌿 Buracas do Casmilo and Bosque do Vale dos Covões are the highlights; 📸 Ideal for photography, geological observation and contemplation; 🍂 Perfect for autumn, with the valley painted in golden tones.

Penela Castle is a medieval fortress with an irregular plan and winding outline, stretching from north to south taking advantage of the natural cliff, so that the walls vary in height between 7 and 19 metres. It was part of the Mondego defensive line during the Christian Reconquista.

detail of one of the holes

The Vale dos Covões Trail is part of the route to explore the impressive Buracas do Casmilo. Most hikers start their adventure in the village of Casmilo, just a 30-minute drive from Coimbra. The landscape alternates between vast open vistas and trails shaded by dense forests, creating a diverse and captivating route.

The Lapiás do Casmilo are an impressive geological formation carved by water erosion over limestone. Known as "stone cemeteries", they emerge from the karst landscape of the Buracas do Casmilo valley, creating a landscape of exposed rocks, full of grooves and sharp edges. Time and water have shaped this unique relief, infiltrating the rock and creating striations that reveal the path of the runoff. In steeper areas, the marks on the stone become even more evident, testifying to the power of nature in this mineral spectacle.