Top 5 waterfalls near Lisbon

Nascente do Almonda.

The Almonda spring cave stretches over more than 15 km and is a real national speleological sanctuary as it represents the most extensive karst network currently known in Portugal. It is made up of various underground streams which give rise to the source of the Almonda river.

The Almonda spring cave is home to unique species adapted to life underground, such as the cave beetle Trechus lunai.

Regarding the cultural heritage, the existence of several archaeological deposits stands out, ranging from the Lower Palaeolithic to Roman times.

The cave was classified as a Property of Public Interest on 30 November 1993.

Located in Vale da Serra, in the area of the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park, the Interpretation Centre is a support structure for the Almonda cave, which promotes programmes oriented towards ecological and cultural tourism. It has an interpretative museum space, auditorium and accommodation.

The programmes available include preparation for the visit to the cave with an introduction to speleology, progression techniques and use of equipment, and underground diving.

Tahiti Waterfall

A few kilometres from the Arado waterfall and at the foot of the road from Ermida to Fafião is the Tahiti waterfall or Fecha de Barjas. It is not a single waterfall, but a succession of waterfalls formed by the river as it flows over the granite rock. When we visited it, the force of the water generated a thunderous sound that added to the beauty of the surroundings. Although there are areas set aside for bathing in some of the pools, you have to do so with great caution due to the dangerous terrain and the currents. In fact, a sign next to the road warns of this, reminding us that there have been fatal accidents in this place. To contemplate the succession of waterfalls, all you have to do is go down a flight of steps and walk carefully along the path that allows you to contemplate them without getting wet.

Cascata de Pinçâes

Due to its rare beauty, the Pincães Waterfall certainly deserves to be among the best waterfalls in Gerês. You should leave the car in the village of Pincães and follow a trail for about two kilometres, passing by an old oil press and some water mills. After this trail, the waterfall is easily accessible and the landscape will make you think you are on an island paradise.

Fraga da Pena

If the Serra da Estrela is unknown to many Spaniards, even more so is the Serra do Açor, also located in the Centro region and in the district of Coimbra. Cruelly punished by fires in recent years, one of the areas that has preserved its vegetation intact is the forest park where the Fraga da Pena waterfall is located. It is a 20-metre waterfall hidden in a leafy forest where walkways have been installed and a picnic area has been built. All this at the foot of the road and it is only a few metres walk. The origin of this waterfall is a geological accident and its waters are cold and crystalline, ideal for a swim when the heat is on. Fraga da Pena is only 22 kilometres from one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal, the village of Pioado.

Cascata do Mourao / Cascata de Fervenca

If you think that only in Gerês can you find dream waterfalls, you are not familiar with the Sintra waterfalls. Cascades near Lisbon may seem like a lie, but it’s really true. Only 40 minutes away from Lisbon are two true treasures of nature: Cascata do Mourão (or Cascata de Anços) and Cascata de Fervença (or Cascata da Bajouca).

Both waterfalls are located about 20 minutes from Sintra and less than 10 kilometres apart. So it is perfectly possible to visit these two fantastic natural spots in the same day.

But the best thing is to spend a weekend exploring the region, combining a visit to the waterfalls with a trip to the beaches of Colares, Sintra or Mafra. It makes an excellent weekend getaway for those living in the greater Lisbon area.

It is true that the two waterfalls are quite hidden, but following our tips you will get there without any difficulty.

The most beautiful national parks in Germany

European Park Day is celebrated on 24 May every year. Its aim is to protect natural areas. We have chosen the eight most beautiful parks in Germany for you.
Black Forest National Park
The forests of the Black Forest are dense and dark. Since the beginning of May 2014, this area in the south-west of Germany has been a fully-fledged national park. Rare bird species such as the capercaillie find refuge in the dense forests of spruce and beech, while its marshes are home to the endangered European common viper.
Jasmund National Park
The Baltic island of Rügen is known for its cliffs. The German Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich made them a monument in his well-known work “White Cliffs on Rügen”. Add to that the island’s centuries-old beech forests and you have the perfect setting.
Müritz National Park
The Müritz National Park protects part of the Mecklenburg Lake District. In the water-rich landscape, it is possible to see virgin forests and to observe birds such as ospreys on its more than 100 lakes. Much of the park can be explored by boat or canoe.
Hainich National Park
“Jungle in the middle of Germany”. This is how the Hainich National Park in Thuringia is also known. In its forests, visitors can observe wild cats or travel through the treetops on specially constructed hiking trails.
he forests of the Black Forest. Since the beginning of May 2014, this area in the southwest of Germany has been a fully-fledged national park. In the dense forests of spruce and beech, rare bird species such as the capercaillie find refuge here, while its marshes are home to the endangered European common viper.
West Pomeranian Lagoon National Park
Also called ‘Baltic Sea Lagoons’, the islands that make up the park are islands or peninsulas separated from the Baltic Sea. The marshes and waters of the National Park are an important resting place for different types of migratory birds. For example, cranes, which arrive in their thousands every autumn on their way south.

Saxon Switzerland National Park
The rock formations in this park have been a favourite destination for climbers for 150 years. Some of the peaks are reached by stairs, making them easily accessible to visitors. From the heights it is possible to appreciate a wonderful panorama of cliffs, ravines and forests. A real dream.
Berchtesgaden National Park
This is the only German national park in the Alps. Located in southeastern Bavaria, this protected area is marked by the crevasses that characterise its steep rocks, but also offers green meadows and lakes. Marmots, eagles and chamois are native to this area.
Black Forest National Park
The forests of the Black Forest are dense and dark. Since the beginning of May 2014, this area in the south-west of Germany has been a fully-fledged national park. Rare bird species such as the capercaillie find refuge in the dense forests of spruce and beech, while its marshes are home to the endangered European common viper.

New tourist route of historic gardens

Por TPN/Lusa, in NoticiasTurismoNorte · 13-05-2021 

Northern and Central Portugal now offers 12 “Garden Experiences”, a new tourism product that brings together “29 historic gardens” and helps promote local security in times of pandemic.
The Vale Abraão Forest, the Casa de Mateus, the Vidago Park and Pedras Salgadas, in the district of Vila Real, the Casa do Campo, in Celorico de Basto, the Tibães Monastery, in Braga, the Quinta da Aveleda, in Penafiel (Porto district), the botanical gardens of Porto and Coimbra, the Quinta das Lágrimas, in Coimbra, the Mata do Buçaco, in the district of Aveiro, or the Penha Park, in the district of Braga, are some of the historic gardens included in the 12 tourist routes that are already available and marketed, announced the heads of the Association of Historic Gardens of Portugal, during the press conference to present the 12 ‘Garden Experiences’, held at the Soares dos Reis Museum, in Oporto.

“Gardens are environmental tourism, safe tourism and not mass tourism. Gardens are one of the areas of tourism that can be safely opened [in times of pandemic],” said Manuel Sousa, an architect and specialist in historic gardens in Portugal, during the press conference of the Portuguese Historic Gardens Association.

Manuel Sousa assumed that it is difficult to create a tourism product from scratch, but stressed that the future goal is to “grow with more experiences and continue to develop this product for the rest of mainland Portugal and the archipelagos of Azores and Madeira, as well as to internationalise the product”.

“It was an effort to transform this product [Portuguese historic gardens] into a tourism product with a new dynamic. It was a field study, talking to the owners, characterising (…). It was necessary to create a sellable product for tourists,” he explained.

The “packs” were conceived in a diversified way, with different durations, in a flexible way, as it is the visitor who can add more time or more places to his experience.

The packs include guided tours by the owners or their representatives, but if the visitor wants to explore on their own, there are also suggestions to visit new places or revisit them in a new context,” said Teresa Andresen, in a note handed to journalists during the press conference.

Associated with these tourism proposals are two travel agencies – Club Tour and Travel Tailors – that market the product and can help visitors make reservations, as well as give advice on where to eat or stay.

The Association of Historic Gardens of Portugal, created in 2003, now has more than 200 members who own some of Portugal’s most outstanding gardens.

The good times will come again

The COVID-19 virus pandemic caught us by surprise here at Gatrooms, during a period of high occupancy, investments and improvement projects. Things were going smoothly, but then all of sudden our world changed. Like everyone else, we have reacted as quickly and efficiently as possible to the current situation.

People say that change is good, but it can also be painful.
In our case, the Gatrooms philosophy has taught us a valuable lesson: you can always be more flexible than you think. Until now, we believed that being flexible was making sure our guests had everything they needed during their stay. Recently, all that has changed: guests can now cancel their reservation if they are unable to travel and rebook their stay for whenever they think they will finally be able to make it to the city.

If there was any room for improvement in terms of cleanliness and hygiene, we have made changes; we have doubled down on cleaning measures in the rooms; and dispensers filled with hand sanitizing fluid have been installed throughout the hotel. We also make sure that the safety distance of 1½ meters between staff or guests is maintained in the communal areas such as Reception or the breakfast room. Perhaps, after all this, people will continue to use sanitizer and take more care to wash their hands thoroughly.

We have also changed the way we work: the team at Head Office currently work from home and the hotel staff take every precaution to avoid spreading or being infected by the virus, following the safety guidelines published by the World Health Organization to the letter.

If any changes are made or new orders given by the authorities, we will be sure to accept them fully and put them into place at Gatrooms immediately. But we will worry about that if and when the time comes‒for now, let’s all keep positive and look forward to when the lockdown is lifted, and we can greet and hug each other freely again.

Berlin & Lisbon Christmas Markets: Feel the Christmas Spirit!

Berlin and Lisbon, despite being very different cities, share a common denominator: both enjoy the Christmas spirit. If you’re thinking of spending the Christmas holidays in one of these destinations, we recommend you check out their Christmas markets.

Continue reading “Berlin & Lisbon Christmas Markets: Feel the Christmas Spirit!”

Festas de Santo António

June in Lisbon is a synonym of celebrations and happiness, with balconies full of flowers. Coloured flags cross the streets from side to side. The smell of grilled sardines impregnates everything, and the music coming from any window acts as a reminder that Lisbon gets dressed up in June to celebrate its main festivity: Santo António.

Starting with a large popular parade with marching bands and joyful songs, the streets in the city centre fill with people. The “arraiais” –open-air dances in patios that are decorated with Chinese lanterns and bunting, where baked sardines are served to the sound of the music- share the city with more than a dozen stages that fill it with music, theatre, workshops and exhibitions over three weeks. Finally, on the 30th, a spectacular fireworks display is held over the Tajo river to mark the end of the festivities. The city, and especially the Alfama neighbourhood, is a real Portuguese-style party.

 

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Interesting facts

Every year, several brides and grooms are given the privilege of getting married at a mass wedding held at Lisbon Cathedral under the protection of Santo António, who is also the patron of love and marriage. This tradition began in the 50s as an opportunity to get married for anyone who could not afford a wedding.

Furthermore, it is traditional in Portugal for single youngsters to hang an upside-down image of Santo António in their windows to help them find their soul mate and become one of the brides or grooms to get married in the unique setting of Lisbon Cathedral.

   

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If you’re planning to spend your holidays in Lisbon, June is your month and, of course, Gat Rossio is your hotel 🙂

 

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En Lisboa junio es sinónimo de fiesta y alegría, los balcones se llenan de flores. Los banderines de colores atraviesan las calles de lado a lado. El olor a sardinas a la brasa lo impregna todo, y la música que sale desde cualquier ventana nos recuerda que durante el mes de junio, Lisboa se pone bonita para celebrar su fiesta grande: San Antonio.

 

Comenzando con un gran desfile popular animado por bandas marchantes y cantos de júbilo, las calles del centro de la ciudad se llenan de gente. Los «arraiais» –verbenas en patios que se decoran con farolillos y guirnaldas para servir sardinas asadas al son de la música– comparten la ciudad con más de una decena de escenarios que la llenan de música, teatro, talleres y exposiciones a lo largo de tres semanas donde finalmente, el día 30, se celebra  un espectáculo pirotécnico sobre el Tajo que ponen fin a la celebración, la ciudad, y sobre todo el barrio de Alfama, es una auténtica verbena a la portuguesa.

 

Curiosidades

Todos los años, unas cuantas parejas de novios tienen el privilegio de casarse en una boda masiva celebrada en la Catedral de Lisboa, al amparo de San Antonio, que también ejerce como garante del amor y del matrimonio. Esta tradición comenzó en los años 50, como una oportunidad de contraer matrimonio para aquellas parejas que no podían costearse una boda.

Por otro lado, es tradición en Portugal que los jóvenes solteros cuelguen en sus ventanas una imagen de San Antonio bocabajo, para ver si así les busca una media naranja con la que convertirse en uno de esos novios o novias que pueden casarse en un escenario único como la Sé de Lisboa.

 

Si planeas venir de vacaciones a Lisboa, junio es tu mes y, obviamente, Gat Rossio tu hotel 🙂