WE HAVE HIDDEN DESTINATIONS
Schist Valley
Berlenga Islands
1. Guess What?
Hidden between mountain slopes of leafy vegetation, the schist villages are one of our best kept secrets, but one that their pleasant, friendly inhabitants enjoy helping to reveal.
In this magical world, where time passes more slowly, the hospitable people always have the time to welcome visitors, and to share their stories.
2. Nature and more
Much of their charm is in the pure nature. In the river beaches with crystal clear water where you can spend moments of relaxation. And in the forests you can discover on foot following the "Schist paths ", or on the bike trails defined by the Mountain Bike Centers according to various levels of difficulty.
3. Why Schist Valley?
The villages spread across the Açor Mountain and quite close to Serra da Estrela, are called schist villages because this is the stone used in the construction of houses and is abundant in the region. The various shades of this rock, also used for paving the narrow winding streets, mingle seamlessly into the colors of the natural landscape, and it is not always easy to distinguish them. But it’s worth a try.
4.You can´t miss it!
The Berlenga Island is about 7 miles from the Peniche Port ; it is 1500 meters long and 800 meters wide, with a perimeter of 4000 meters and reaches 88 meters at its highest point and –30 meters at its lowest.
It is a region of great interest for botanical specialists with several endemic species and species of limited distribution. A nesting spot for some species of ocean birds (such as the guillemot - Airo uria aalge- , a symbol of the reserve), and a passing point for several migratory species. A Maritime Reserve of great wild life richness, particularly ichthyology.
5. Berlenga Island Achorage
The Peniche ocean has been navigated since ancient times, and has in the Berlenga Island Anchorage a witness of its historic diachronic.
The Berlenga Island , due to its strategic location regarding the important marine routes that connects North and South Europe , has seen its waters anchored by vessels of many time periods.
The memory of these vessels is maintained by the many sub-aquatic findings produced in recent years, with emphasis to stone anchors from the Phoenician-Punic eras, stocks of led and amphora anchors of the Roman period, or artillery objects such as a kind of falconet, in bronze, dated from the 15th century
6. Some interesting places in Berlengas
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Flandres Cave;
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Inês’ Cave;
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Brandal’s Cave;
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S. João Baptista Fortress;
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Duque of Bragança Lighthouse;
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Blue Cave;
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Muxinga Cave;
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Lagosteira Cave;
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Dreams Cave;
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Elephant’s Head;
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Monastery Rout