Nature - other activities

During your stay at Quinta Villa dos Cedros you will be surrounded by natural heritage. We recommend some activities such as hiking, astroturism, birdwatching, fauna and flora observation, and archaeoastronomy. These are relaxing activities in full contact with Nature:

  • Hiking, along the pedestrian paths surrounding the village of Pereira or other nearby paths. Among the nearest marked trails, we highlight the “PR1 MUR Sobreira trail – Casa da Floresta – Porrais”, “PR1 VFL Tua trail – Vieiro – Freixiel”, or “PR6 MDL Serra do Cubo trail”, among many others available in the Tua Valley, with different difficulty levels. Check out some suggested routes on this page. Moreover, the Municipalities of “Vale do Tua” are preparing to launch the “Tua walking festival” along several of these trails.

  • Astrotourism. This territory is the ideal place to gaze at the stars. The region of “Vale do Tua”, where Quinta Villa dos Cedros is located, received the international certification “Starlight Tourist Destination”. This means that this is an area that is characterized by little light pollution and for having about 50% of the nights of the year with clear skies. This is the only protected area in Portugal officially declared an ideal area for stargazing.

  • Birdwatching. The Regional Natural Park of Vale do Tua is one of the most attractive areas for birdwatching in the inland region of northern Portugal. Noteworthy is the observation of rupicolous and riverside birds.

  • Observation and study of fauna and flora species. So far, 943 species of fauna have been identified in the region and more than 1000 species of flora are estimated. The various viewpoints overlooking beautiful landscapes, many of them wild, to mountains and valleys, are privileged places for observation.

  • Archeoastronomy, which links the knowledge of ancient civilizations about astronomy with archaeological monuments, is under development in the region. Often these monuments were linked to annual milestones such as solstices or equinoxes.

    More information is in the Tua Valley Nature Guide.