Is summer synonymous with the beach? Yes, but why does it have to be salty water and sand strips full of beach towels? At the Historical Villages of Portugal, there are other options for your holidays and weekends. Freshwater beaches with extraordinary natural beauty and a disconcerting tranquility. But there are also hot springs and spas harmoniously integrated into nature and many activities for leisure and adventure. A territory that is much more than History. There are so many idyllic locations, fantastic accommodations, one-of-a-kind gastronomy, and festivities that can’t be missed.
Tradition doesn’t have to be about what once was. One needs to look for other destinations. Yes, because after a week or a year of work, what is truly enticing is being away from crowds, traffic lines, and lines at the supermarket and restaurant. And that paradise isn’t far… That’s why you should hit the road and prepare to be amazed and enchanted by a destination that will provide you with everything that you ever dreamed for your holidays.
Despite being 200 kilometers from the sea, the Historical Villages of Portugal also have just as inviting beaches, if not more, for baths and relaxing moments. Beaches with crystal clear waters (awarded by environmental entities), molded by intact nature and its deafening silence, which are in no need of excellent infrastructure for support.
The Leisure Area of Castelo Novo is one of these examples. Located near the Historical Village of the same name, right in Serra da Gardunha, it benefits from unique surroundings which are also inviting for long strolls or bike rides.
Another example is the River Beach of Piódão. As a backdrop, the steep mountainsides of Serra do Açor, with the shale homestead and rooves of the same stone that are so characteristic of the village, which extend to – what a nativity scene! – the slope of the ridge.
As for accommodation, there are more than enough offers that can’t be missed in the territory that contains the 12 Historical Villages of Portugal that are only separated by several kilometers between each other. For anyone who sees their holidays as an exclusive opportunity to rejuvenate the body and soul, there are three features: Cró Hot Springs, Longroiva Hot Springs, and Spa das Casas do Côro, with a rare view of the Castle of Marialva.
Feeling one with History and Nature is a common place in the 12 Historical Villages of Portugal: Almeida, Belmonte, Castelo Mendo, Castelo Novo, Castelo Rodrigo, Idanha-a-Velha, Linhares da Beira, Marialva, Monsanto, Piódão, Sortelha, and Trancoso That is why it is so easy to fall in love and give into their beauty and everything that they have to offer. Visits, walks, trail adventures, bike rides, or just simply resting, the choice is ours.
It’s also hard to choose something from the table… Cheeses, sausages, oils, goat, lamb are some of the most characteristic products and the basis for must-eat gastronomic proposals. And what is there to say about the wine? Opening a bottle is not “only” tasting a wine, it’s also tasting history and the specificities of an entire region.
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