Aveiro Trip Overview
OUTCROP invites you to discover the beauty of the natural heritage of Serra da Freita through the watchful eye of a Geologist. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to adopt the recommendations of the Clean & Safe certification, which aim to minimize the risk to all participants. Being a personalized experience and carried out outdoors, it has, by itself, a lower associated risk.
Between car and hiking routes, we will go through the granites and shales of Serra da Freita, between the villages of Albergaria da Serra, Merujal and Castanheira, and the springs of the Caima river. We will see breathtaking panoramic views of the central and northern regions of Portugal, which will allow us to know the geomorphology of this vast region. We will observe imposing waterfalls, rare nodules, “redoubled” folds, typical villages, ancestral practices and vestiges of ancient peoples, where geology is the vehicle to understand the whole landscape, or if we were not in the Arouca Geopark.
Additional Info
* Duration: 7 to 8 hours
* Starts: Aveiro, Portugal
* Trip Category: Day Trips & Excursions >> Day Trips
Explore Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
OUTCROP invites you to discover the beauty of the natural heritage of Serra da Freita through the watchful eye of a Geologist. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to adopt the recommendations of the Clean & Safe certification, which aim to minimize the risk to all participants. Being a personalized experience and carried out outdoors, it has, by itself, a lower associated risk.
Between car and hiking routes, we will go through the granites and shales of Serra da Freita, between the villages of Albergaria da Serra, Merujal and Castanheira, and the springs of the Caima river. We will see breathtaking panoramic views of the central and northern regions of Portugal, which will allow us to know the geomorphology of this vast region. We will observe imposing waterfalls, rare nodules, “redoubled” folds, typical villages, ancestral practices and vestiges of ancient peoples, where geology is the vehicle to understand the whole landscape, or if we were not in the Arouca Geopark.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Merujal, 4540 Arouca, Portugal
In the vicinity of the typical village of Merujal, we will visit the Chapel of Senhora da Laje, a place of worship and pilgrimage for the Catholic Church, and the entire surrounding area.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Cabreiros and Albergaria da Serra, Cabreiros and Albergaria da Serra, Aveiro District, Northern Portugal
In the vicinity of Albergaria da Serra, we have several places of interest to visit, namely some geosites. The viewpoints of Petrelo da Malhada and São Pedro Velho, the Pedras Boroas, contacts between shales and granites, the mizarela gap, among others, testimonies of the geodiversity of Serra da Freita.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Panoramica do Detrelo da Malhada, Detrelo da Malhada – Moldes, Arouca 4540-455 Portugal
Panoramic view over the North of Portugal that will allow us to understand a little about the geomorphology of this vast area.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Radar Meteorologico de Arouca – Piso Panoramico, Pico do Gralheiro – aldeia da Castanheira, Arouca 4540-012 Portugal
On weekends, in the afternoon, it will be possible to visit the weather radar, learn details about its operation and have a 360 degree view of Serra da Freita and, weather permitting, a vast area over the center and Nort of Portugal.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Casa das Pedras Parideiras, Rua de Santo Antonio Albergaria da Serra, Arouca 4540-130 Portugal
The village of Castanheira, with less than 10 inhabitants, is the scene of a rare geological phenomenon, the nodular granites of Castanheira, also known as “breeding stones”. In addition to the typical houses and corrals, the village is home to the interpretation center for calving stones. Nearby we will have the opportunity to visit fields of folds, testimonies of the dynamics of our planet, traces of ancestral peoples and one of the few weather radars in Portugal.
Duration: 1 hour
