The best MTB trails around Baraçal

It's been a few years since I walked here with the hiking group from Évora. We loved it and recommend it.👍🥾

Sabugal Castle is one of the most imposing and well-preserved medieval fortifications in Portugal. It is known as the "Castle of the Five Corners" due to the unusual shape of its impressive pentagonal keep, the castle's most iconic feature. Its pentagonal (five-cornered) plan is considered unique in Portuguese military architecture. It is approximately 30 meters high and offers incredible views. The castle has a double ring of walls. You can walk along the ramparts on top of the walls for a panoramic view over the city and the Côa River. From the top, you can see the Côa River winding its way through the city and the natural landscape of the Serra da Malcata mountain range.

Sabugal, a town that deserves a visit to its castle and the entire surrounding area, especially the magnificent river beach on the Côa River.

Here in Vale Verdinho, between the imposing Serra da Pedra Furada and the hill crowned by Sortelha Castle, the landscape exudes serenity. The mountain range rises as a backdrop to countless trails, shaping the landscape with its imposing and tranquil presence.

On the outskirts of Sortelha, in the granite foothills of the Serra de Opa, nature seems to have played sculptor. Among the most famous boulders are the "Pedra do Beijo" (Kissing Stone) and the "Cabeça da Velha" (Old Woman's Head), granite blocks that human imagination completes as if they were intentional works. But with a little exploration, you'll discover many other curiously shaped rocks, each with its own enigma.

Among the municipality's 37 listed, predominantly granite buildings are churches, manor houses, fountains, and former public buildings. Of particular note are the castle complex and city walls dating back to the 13th century.

In the heart of the municipality of Sabugal, stands the small village of Torre. Today, few people live here, mostly people who keep the tradition of agriculture and livestock alive. In August, however, the village takes on a new life: the grand festivities in honor of Our Lady of Fátima fill the streets with color, faith, and celebration.

Among the secret corners of Portugal, the Côa River is a discreet treasure. It rises in Fóios and flows through valleys and hills until it joins the Douro River in Vila Nova de Foz Côa. Even here, where it flows gently and seems like just a trickle, the valley reveals all its magic. It's the ideal place to rest for a moment, cool your feet, and let yourself be enveloped by the river's serenity before resuming your journey.