TRIP DOSSIER Undiscovered Portugal - Walks Worldwide · TRIP DOSSIER Undiscovered Portugal ... was built near Sao Salvador de Aramenha, ... at your own pace with the aid of route

www.walksworldwide.com 01962 302 085 Date of issue: 06 April 2017

TRIP DOSSIER

Undiscovered Portugal

PORTUGAL

• Visit UNESCO World Heritage Site of Marvao • Walk in unspoilt tranquil countryside

• See fascinating birdlife

Self-Guided Departures Walking Grade: B – Moderate

Trip Code: TPOR

For dates and prices visit www.walksworldwide.com

COUNTRY Trip Title

3


Introduction

The hills of the Alentejo, in which the Sao Mamede Natural Park is found are just two hours inland from Lisbon on Portugal’s border with central Spain, and are widely recognised as on of Europe’s most beautiful and unspoilt areas. The hills run along the border and spill over into Spanish Extremadura as the Sierra de San Pedro, with the highest point at 1,025 metres, Pico de Sao Mamede. It is a mystical region of wooded hills, rocky crests and fertile valleys, criss-crossed with mediaeval tracks and archaeological remains – a region where time has simply stood still. Life has changed little in the picturesque white-washed villages where bread, cheeses and regional wines are still produced in traditional ways, and local produce feeds the communities. The Sierra de Sao Mamede, a Natural Park since 1989, is at the junction of the Mediterranean and Atlantic climatic zones giving a diverse fauna and flora typical of both. Cork oak woodlands and olive groves mingle with sweet chestnut and Pyrenean oak, and botanists will be interested in the numerous types of wild flowers here. It is also a fascinating are for wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers being home to rare wildlife such as wolf, lynx, boar and over 120 resident and migratory bird species such as vultures, and eagles including the Bonellis Eagle, the Park’s emblem.

Starting from the old castle town of Castelo de Vide, ancient stock tracks lead you towards the Pico Sao Mamede, past tranquil lakes (good for swimming), through vineyards and orchards, and on along the ‘Smugglers Route’, over the border into Spain. Enjoy leisurely picnic lunches of acorn fattened black ‘jamon iberico’, and local goats cheese, whilst vultures and eagles soar above on the thermals. From a converted convent hotel, you pass back into Portugal through rocky countryside carpeted in wild flowers to the mediaeval walled town of Marvao, a UNSECO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a day here exploring the castle and nearby Roman ruins at Ammaia. Finally, with views over wild landscapes towards the Estrela Mountains, you descend through olive groves back to Castel de Vide and one last evening to reflect on your journey back in time. Few tourists have discovered this secluded and very beautiful part of Portugal, and it is rare to meet many other walkers on the trails. Even in the height of the season the towns are not overrun with tourists, except of course, for the annual chestnut fair in Marvao in November and the Carnival in Castelo de Vide.

Important Note Due to the specialist nature of our holidays, day to day itineraries should be taken as a guide only, and as statements of intent and not contractual obligations. We regularly update our trip dossiers to take into account changes to trekking routes, accommodation, local transport etc. Such changes are a factor of this type of holiday and when made are out of necessity. Other factors such as adverse weather, unforeseen circumstances and other matters entirely out of our control etc can also lead to enforced changes during the course of the holiday. It is not possible to guarantee that any of our holidays will operate exactly as per the anticipated itinerary. The most current trip dossier will be made available on our website. We will also send you the most up to date trip dossier with your “Final Joining Instructions” approx. 2 weeks before departure and you should carefully check this for any changes that may affect your plans. Before booking you should read our “Types of Trip” and “Essential and Useful

PORTUGAL

Undiscovered Portugal 3


information” sections on www.walksworldwide.com including our ‘Important Warning’.

Your holiday

The area you visit Neolithic man left the many dolmens and menhirs in the region, which you will have an opportunity to visit on day 4, but it was during the Roman occupation that the original forests started opening up to roads, bridges, weirs, watermills and farming wheat, sweet chestnut and olives. The main Roman town in the area, Ammaia, was built near Sao Salvador de Aramenha, and an impressive museum of objects found in the excavations and the city’s ruins can be visited on your free day in Marvao.

The geology of the area is complex, with areas of schist, ancient granite and limestone valleys with rich red soils where one of the caves holds possibly the largest bat colony’s in Europe. You walk past jagged quartzite rock ridges with cliff nesting raptors, rising above the pine and chestnut forests. The most

spectacular of these ridges are above Castelo de Vide, and the cliffs at the Galegos border where vultures nest.

Flora and Fauna On your walks look out overhead for griffon vulture and the rare black vulture soaring on thermals, Bonelli’s eagle, short toed eagle, ‘meowing’ buzzards, the smaller goshawk and ravens. Amongst the rocks and trees the melodious nightingales, blue rock thrush, rock bunting, red-rumped swallows, crag martins, the beautiful crested hoopoe, little owls, golden orioles with their ‘fluting’ song, bee-eaters – one of the most colourful birds, although the brilliant blue rollers are pretty good too!

This area is rich in flora. The wild flowers in the Sierra is at its most prolific and colourful in the Spring and early Summer. The nostalgic smell of french lavender, heathers and yellow broom, the brilliant poppies and gladioli, the rare blue hedgehog broom, the exquisite angel’s tears and hoop-petticoat narcissi, Spanish bluebells, wild tulips, crocuses, and red peonies. Flitting between the flowers are many species of butterflies including the scarce swallowtail and the red

dotted Spanish festoon which lay their eggs on birthwort.

Life on trek As this is a self-guided holiday you can choose the time of day you wish to start your walk. We recommend that you start early on hot days to avoid the mid-day heat. Your main baggage is transferred between each overnight halt leaving you free to walk carrying only your usual daypack.

Walking conditions For as much as possible the walking is on dirt tracks which are generally fairly easy going, through the hills Ascent and descent is a natural feature of this holiday although these sections are rarely steep or sustained. Distances vary between 15 and 25 km, with daily walking times varying between 4-6 hours, with one day at leisure (optional walks available) to enjoy Marvao. Overall this is a moderate walking holiday best enjoyed at a steady, but leisurely pace. You will have plenty of time to observe birds and flowers etc en route. On the walks, you are unlikely to meet many other walkers. It is important that you have a reasonable level of fitness

and are capable of walking 4-6 hours per day for several days consecutively.

A full explanation of the trip grading can be found in our brochure or online at www.walksworldwide.com. You should ensure you are comfortable walking at this level of grading and are physically prepared for the trip.

Self-Guided Holiday As the name suggests, self-guided holidays are for those that prefer to be independent. Within reason you are able to dictate your own schedule, as well as walk at your own pace with the aid of route notes and maps. All your accommodation has been reserved in advance and unless otherwise stated within this trip dossier, your main baggage is transferred between each accommodation along the way, so there’s no need to worry about carrying heavy loads and having to back pack. This means you only need to walk each day and carry your usual lightweight daypack. However, it is important that you are entirely comfortable with being independent whilst on a walking holiday.

For detailed information as to what a self-guided holiday entails please read the self-guided walking holidays section at Types of Trip section on

http://www.walksworldwide.com/

http://www.walksworldwide.com/information/types_of_trip.html

PORTUGAL



www.walksworldwide.com before booking your self-guided walking holiday.

Route Notes- Help keep them up to date Things can and do change along the routes that self-guided walking holidays follow. A sign may have been changed, or even removed, a path may have been obstructed, even re-routed, a landmark the route notes refer to may simply no longer exist. It is clearly impossible to keep track of all the changes that may occur outside the local tour operators control and knowledge. It may be the route notes translation can be improved (they are translated into several languages by the local operator after all) too. Clearly a case of “last person to walk the route” has the most up to date information. In the spirit of camaraderie amongst walkers and in an effort to constantly keep route notes updated and improved upon, the local operator (contact details in your final joining instructions) will always welcome notification of any changes along the way/recommendations for improvement if you would care to forward any useful and specific information to them. Alternatively, send to Walks Worldwide and we will forward accordingly.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Castelo de Vide Arrive at Castelo de Vide (See ‘How to join and depart this trip’ section later in this Trip Dossier).

Hotel

Day 2 Follow 'medieval footsteps' to Revalados You start walking from Castelo de Vide by ascending up to the rock perched Penha church with vast views towards the Estrela mountains. Continue along the patterned mediaeval track to the traditional farming village of Carreiras. These ancient tracks link farms and fields and various white hill villages. You can have either a picnic or bar lunch at Marcelino’s. There will be ample opportunity for birdwatching and studying the prolific wild flowers. From Carreiras you follow tracks to Revelados passing huge cork and chestnut trees You can take your evening meal in your charming and friendly family-run converted farmhouse.

Walking Duration: 5 hours / 18km

Hotel (breakfast & lunch)

Day 3 'The valley walk'. Swimming, vineyards and orchards Setting out from Revelados you follow the edge of a pretty lake and various country lanes to Porto da Espada, an attractive village surrounded by chestnut trees in the heart of the São Mamede hills. Take lunch in the Casa de Pasta Dona Estrela (Porto da Espada), a tavern caught in a time warp! Following up the valley past vineyards, orchards and grazing animals, you come to the Quinta Soutinha, a quiet spot to spend the night right under the highest hill in the range. (16 kms). You can purchase a simple, but tasty supper a short distance up the road at the Tasca Monte Sete.



Day 4 Take the ‘smugglers route' to Spain Today you follow the Smugglers Route into Spain! Starting from Monte Sete you meander through cherry orchards (blossom time late March and early April and fruit in June) and down a track passing a small slate quarry (still hand extracted) and a waterfall, to the hamlet of Montinho. You then walk over the Sierra Fria into Spain. This was once a busy smugglers track before the EU did away with frontiers. Near El Pino you can stop off to sample the acorn-fattened black pig ‘jamon iberico’, local sheep and goat cheese and wine. Then on to Los Mellizos to see the 7000 year old dolmens. In this area you often see vultures and eagles soaring above on the thermals as they nest in the surrounding rocky cliffs. A short walk brings you to San Pedro, and the unique converted convent Hotel.


Coverted Convent (breakfast & lunch)

Day 5 Walk 'the Marvao experience', crossing back into Portugal

http://www.walksworldwide.com/

PORTUGAL



Marvão is a mediaeval walled town and castle set on a high rock. (UNESCO World Heritage site, population 186) and is always visible to the west, the white town on a craggy outcrop. The walk takes you along tracks through Fontañera and back into Portugal with attractive rocky countryside with scattered cork trees and farmhouses, wild flowers, Blue rock thrush and Crag martins. After a picnic lunch, the last part of this walk is up a steep mediaeval track entering Marvão through one of its two gateways. You will stay in the Casa Dom Dinis in the higher part of the village, and there is a selection of convivial restaurants for dinner.



Day 6 Leisure day in Marvao. Options of local walks A day at leisure. You can enjoy the local surroundings and walk the castle walls...about two kilometres, all with amazing views. Or try one of the local walks. Or you can visit to the fascinating Roman city remains and museum at Ammaia. Hotel (breakfast)

Day 7 Chestnut, cork, sheep and olive day! Walk back to start point of the holiday Leaving Marvão you descend to Vale de Rodão through chestnut and oak woods, small farms and olive groves, with sheep and goats grazing nearby. Enjoy a picnic lunch under a large cork tree. Continue on ancient tracks back to Castelo de Vide and the Hotel Castelo de Vide. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore Castelo de Vide, its castle and lively Jewish Quarter.

Walking Duration: 3-4 hours / 14km

If you want to use up more energy, try the ‘challenge’ walk between Marvão and Castelo de Vide. This walk takes you from the heights of Marvão down to the tiny hamlet of Cabeçudos through a wild and rocky landscape, then over pine and oak clad hills and through the delightful village of Escusa. From here you climb up to a rocky crest and finally down to Castelo de Vide. This is an alternative walk for your last day, or can be adapted into a circular walk for your quiet day in Marvão!


Day 8 Depart Castelo de Vide

Depart Castelo de Vide.

(breakfast)

Practical Information

How to join and depart this trip The joining point for this trip is Castelo de Vide on day 1 of the above itinerary. The nearest international airport is Lisbon.

In order to avoid unnecessary costs inflating the price of your trip, arrival airport transfers are not included, so you should make your way on arrival to the joining point (full details of the joining hotel will be sent 2-3 weeks before your trip departs). However, if you prefer, our consultants can arrange an arrival transfer for you if you request this - please contact us for prices. Alternatively, a licensed, metered taxi or local, public transport may be available from the airport.

The departure point for this trip is our tour hotel in Castelo de Vide, and you can plan your departure

anytime on day 8 of the trip itinerary. Again, in order to avoid unnecessary costs inflating the trip price, departure airport transfers are also not included. If you prefer, our consultants can arrange a departure transfer for you on request - please contact us for prices. Alternatively, a licensed, metered taxi or local, public transport may be arranged from the hotel to take you to the airport.

Flight Inclusive We recommend that you book this trip as a 'Flight Inclusive' package. Booking your international flights through Walks Worldwide guarantees you peace of mind and provides 100% financial protection under our CAA ATOL licence. What's more, if you book your flights with us as well as your ground arrangements, we will manage these flight arrangements both before and during your trip. As an ATOL Licence holder, we are able to secure and arrange competitively-priced airfares with most major airlines from the UK, as well as the option of regional departures too.

Land Only If you would prefer to arrange your own international travel you can book this trip as a 'Land Only' package,

PORTUGAL



where the price does not include international flights. Please note that if you are booking your own flights there are certain risks you should be aware of. Many airline tickets purchased directly are non-refundable and often do not provide you with any financial protection (unlike booking your flights with ourselves where you would be 100% protected under our CAA ATOL licence). For this reason we strongly advise that you check the rules of any flight booking you make, and check the limitations under any insurance policy you may have in relation to cancellation or date changes. We cannot be held liable for any losses incurred or consequences of any flight bookings or related travel arrangements you have made yourself, such as if your international flights were delayed or cancelled and you could not join or depart your holiday on time. If you do decide to book Land Only, we strongly advise that you do not book international flights or make other travel arrangements (especially if there are financial penalties for cancellation or change) until your chosen holiday is guaranteed to run. Please also ensure when making your own international travel arrangements that they enable you to join and depart this trip in accordance with the criteria specified in the How to join and depart this trip section of this Trip Dossier.

Local transport All transfers are by private vehicles.

Travel by Train If you would prefer to travel to Lisbon by train www.raileurope.co.uk provides an online booking service for European rail services, including Eurostar. Please do not book your International rail tickets or make any other travel arrangements until we have checked availability and confirmed your booking.

Accommodation Accommodation will be reserved for you on a twin share basis unless you have already requested a single room at extra cost.

The first and last nights are spent in the Hotel Castelo de Vide in Castelo de Vide, 3 star, with its own pool, and conveniently situated for exploring the town.

Quinta do Barrieiro is set in the heart of the São Mamede hills and is a very comfortable conversion of a group of farmhouses. There is a gorgeous swimming pool and Maria and José Manuel provide excellent hospitality.

Quinta do Soutinho is beautifully situated under the Pico de São Mamede, and also has a lovely pool. It is run by Ermelinda and José Antonio who will look after you, and direct you to the local taverna Monte Sete for a simple but delicious evening meal.

The Convento de San Pedro, for your night in Spain, is converted from an ancient convent maintaining many original features, within the small village of San Pedro, and has a restaurant and pool.

The Casa Dom Dinis in Marvão is a small family run hotel in the higher part of the village. They also run the nearby Bar do Castelo where they provide snacks and

meals. Marvão has several restaurants and excellent handicraft shops.

All accommodations are subject to availability and change.

Food Breakfasts will be taken at your overnight accommodation and picnic lunches will be provided. As you will no doubt experience, the colours and flavours from the small farms are wonderful and the local restaurants are proud to serve the local produce, not forgetting the olives and olive oil, chestnuts, goat and sheep cheeses and local baked bread. Dried codfish has been an essential part of the Portuguese cuisine for centuries and there are dozens of ways of preparing it. Local traditional dishes include rich vegetable soups, a spicy hot tomato and bread soup, a cold tomato soup in the summer months, and açorda alentejana made with lots of garlic, olive oil and coriander. Then golden codfish, lamb or kid stew, venison, wild boar, pork and clams, and the superb flavour of the local black pig grilled on charcoal. There are a tempting list of puddings and fruits, and the local grown and bottled wines are excellent. The corks are also grown and made locally.

Climate It is of course impossible to predict the precise weather conditions you will encounter during the course of your holiday. The Alentejo has a typically Mediterranean climate with long dry sunny warm summers, with most of the rainfall during the cooler winters. The midsummer temperatures can be very hot during July and August. The most pleasant walking months are March to June, and September to November.

Baggage Please make sure that your baggage is clearly marked with your name, inside as well as outside, in case the labels get detached. Please limit your luggage to max 20kg and to one piece per person. As your main baggage will be transported by vehicle a normal suitcase can be used for your main baggage.

Vaccinations & health We always recommend visiting your doctor and dentist for a check up before travelling. Your doctor will also have access to the most up to date information on vaccinations and medical precautions for the country you are about to visit. In general, no vaccinations are necessary for Portugal and health problems here are quite rare. A useful travel health online resource is www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk

Please make sure that you obtain form EHIC either online www.dh.gov.uk or from your local post office – you will need to produce this if you have to see a doctor.

First Aid

http://www.raileurope.co.uk/

http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/

http://www.dh.gov.uk/

PORTUGAL



You should always carry your own small, personal first aid kit. This should consist of the following: A general anti-biotic, throat lozenges, painkillers, plasters (band-aids), blister treatment, insect repellent (DEET), rehydration salts, antiseptic cream, diarrhoea treatment (e.g. Imodium).

Security Whilst the vast majority of travellers never experience anything untoward it is worth taking precautions particularly in urban areas. You should take sensible precautions in crowded areas such as street markets and airports, where pick-pocketing is common, and keep clear of any street disturbances. Don’t wear jewellery, or leave your bags unattended, keep large amounts of money, cameras and mobile phones out of sight when walking in town centres, and avoid walking in city centres after dark. Keep copies of important documents, including passports, in a separate place to the documents themselves, together with details of credit cards. Leave copies at home with a friend too. Safeguard valuables, important documents and cash and deposit them in hotel safes, where practicable.

Currency

The Portuguese currency is the ‘Euro’. Please refer to www.xe.com for up to date rates.

ATM machines available in the bigger towns, Castelo de Vide and Marvao. You will not have access to any banks or ATM machines in the rest of the villages and you would be best bringing cash with you, although many hotels and restaurants do take cards, but only some shops do.

Language The language spoken in Portugal is Portuguese. We recommend you take a phrase book if you do not speak the local language. A few hotel and restaurant owners will speak limited English. The locals will certainly appreciate any attempt you make to speak their language and is all part of the fun.

Maps We recommend Stanfords at 12-14 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LP (Tel: 0207 836 1321) www.stanfords.co.uk.

Travel Insurance

It is a condition of booking any of our holidays that you have comprehensive travel insurance. It is your responsibility to ensure you are covered for medical and personal accident risks for the part of the world you intend to travel and the activities involved. This cover should include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue. It is also advisable to take out cancellation insurance as all deposits paid are non-refundable.

You may arrange either single-trip or annual multi-trip travel insurance through Walks Worldwide. Please call us on 01962 302 085 for a quotation.

Passports & Visas

British passport holders (and other EU passport holders) do not require a visa for stays up to three months (please ensure your passport has at least 6 months validity).

You can obtain the latest visa information, as well as book your visa either by contacting your reservation consultant, or by following the link below to our designated visa service: http://www.walksworldwide.com/information/visa.html

Budgeting for your trip Please refer to the detailed itinerary for information on what is included in this trip. You will need to budget for meals and drinks not included in the holiday, any optional sightseeing, souvenirs and items of a personal nature such as laundry.

Clothing & Equipment

Please check our website for the most up to date information regarding packing for your trip. The information we provide is our suggested guide to help you with your packing based upon our many years of travelling. Using your own judgment for packing is of course important, especially with regard to casual clothing etc but please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about packing for your trip.

Extensions & Excursions

Lisbon

Extra nights can be arranged if you would like to visit Lisbon either before the start or end of your holiday. Accommodation would be in a 4* hotel situated in the old part of Lisbon, on one of the city’s seven hills, with Lisbon at its feet. Located close to the Castle of São Jorge and boasting spectacular views of the River Tagus, the hotel boasts a privileged setting on the belvedere of Senhora do Monte. Facilities include a panoramic bar, air-conditioned rooms, TV and direct-dial telephone. Contact us for a quote.

http://www.xe.com/

http://www.stanfords.co.uk/

http://www.walksworldwide.com/information/visa.html

PORTUGAL



Documents

TRIP DOSSIER Undiscovered Portugal - Walks Worldwide · TRIP DOSSIER Undiscovered Portugal ... was built near Sao Salvador de Aramenha, ... at your own pace with the aid of route