Visit Serra da Estrela this winter

Summer or winter, the highest mountain in mainland Portugal is the perfect setting for a few relaxing days in contact with nature.

With a maximum altitude of 1993 metres at Torre, Serra da Estrela is an area of rare scenic beauty with impressive mountain peaks where you can intensely experience the silence of the heights. And take advantage of these moments of communion with nature to observe it, noticing the variety of vegetation, the birds or the flocks of sheep led by dogs of the breed for which the Serra gave its name.

But you can also follow the course of Portugal's great rivers from their sources - the Mondego at Mondeguinho, the Zêzere at Covão de Ametade and the Alva at Vale do Rossim are stunning places. Or enjoy the glacial valleys of Loriga, Manteigas, Covão do Urso and Covão Grande. In the warmer months, the best suggestion is certainly the Route of the 25 Lagoons, which guides you through refreshing spaces.

In cold weather, Serra da Estrela is the only place in Portugal where you can go snow skiing, sledging, snowboarding or motorbike riding. There are several slopes with support infrastructures, and there are also synthetic snow slopes for skiing at any time of year. 

This natural park is excellent for walking, horse riding and cycling. There are around 375 kilometres of marked trails with varying levels of difficulty, so there's bound to be something to suit your physical condition. And who hasn't dreamt of flying like a bird? You can experience that sensation paragliding over this historic village in Linhares da Beira, which you must also explore on your own two feet. 

To recharge your batteries, try the region's most famous product - queijo da Serra. Its buttery texture goes perfectly with traditional bread. We savour it all over the region, but in Celorico da Beira, at the Solar do Queijo (Cheese Manor), it will be accompanied by explanations of the manufacturing process. In Seia it's the bread that has museum honours, and in Covilhã it's the woollen products. The most popular roads for travelling through the Serra connect precisely these two towns and take you to mountain villages such as Sabugueiro, Alvoco da Serra or Loriga, as well as many other unmissable places - Penhas Douradas, Penhas da Saúde or the Tower at the top of the Serra.

The diverse landscape of the nine municipalities around Serra da Estrela - Belmonte, Celorico da Beira, Covilhã, Fornos de Algodres, Gouveia, Guarda, Manteigas, Oliveira do Hospital and Seia - has been part of the Estrela Geopark since 2020, recognised by UNESCO for its geological value. Another good excuse to visit the Natural Park.