Living memories

Around the border between the West Region and the Ribatejo, this first day of walking takes place in the midst of the Serra dos Candeeiros, offering contrasts between the mountainous landscape and the Tagus Valley region. The River Maior, which gives its name to both the town and the municipality of Rio Maior, is a tributary of the River Tagus and part of the dense hydrographic network that originates in the springs on the slopes of these hills.

The route starts in the town of Rio Maior, in its Municipal Garden, a wide green park through which the river runs. In the town, it is worth visiting the Roman Villa, built next to the river in the 1st century and part of the original village centre. It passes next to the natural brine spring salt pans, the only fully functional ones of their kind in Europe, with their characteristic wooden houses. The route then enters the Serra de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park from the south, heading towards Alcobertas, where you can see medieval silos used for storing provisions, and the church with its chapel-dolmen.  An excellent spot to take a well-earned break can be found in the Jardim Porto do Rio, a leisure area next to the Alcobertas stream and, to the east of the stream, the Alcobertas ‘Olho de Água’, one of the five permanent springs in the Estremadura Limestone Massif, which attests to the importance of the water resources of this region. Around 2.5 km away, you will find the Alcobertas Cave, with its four underground chambers. The path finishes in the village of Casais Monizes, one of the highest points in the district, from which you will be able to enjoy stunning views of the massif and all its ups and downs.