I couldn’t recommend more to visit Serras de Aire e Candeeiros. I assure you that this natural park is full of surprises and, therefore, is the perfect choice for a day trip from Lisbon! It takes less than 1h30 to get there from Lisbon.

The opportunity to visit this place came after we chose our hotel! I don’t know if it happens to you either, but there are times when everything works the other way around: you choose your destination based on the hotel! The hotel – Cooking and Nature – Emotional Hotel is located in the parish of Alvados, which belongs to Porto de Mós municipality. A real find full of charm in the middle of Serras de Aire and Candeeiros! Moreover, Alvados is a land of tranquillity, perfect to get away from our daily routines.

The hotel has a few rooms (only 12) and the decoration is simply lovely. It’s easy to see that all details matter in this place. During check-in, the hotel concept is explained and a straw bag with some information about the region/hotel is offered as well as some cookies and a DVD. A DVD, but why? The rooms all have different decorations based on films (in our case we got the film Amélie).

In addition to an indoor and outdoor pool, the hotel offers an exceptional breakfast with local products that were extremely tasty.

Finally, as the hotel name suggests, you can also choose to dine in-house. However, there is something different here since the menu is prepared by the guests. Although I didn’t opt for this part, I loved my stay and would certainly repeat it!

But what else is there to do in Serras de Aire and Candeeiros? There is still a lot (I mean, A LOT) left to explore, but I give you information regarding some of the many points of interest in this region…

Serra de Aire is very rich in terms of natural history and, for this reason, you must visit this place. Here it is possible to observe the footprints of some of the greatest beings that have ever inhabited our planet. It is really fantastic to believe that we are looking at something that has been preserved for over 175 million years.

Useful information

• When to visit? From Tuesday to Sunday.
• Are the tours guided? No, unless booked in advance. The route is well-marked and has information along the way.
• How long does the visit last? From 1 hour to 1 hour and a half.
• What is the price of the ticket? 3€ for adults and 2€ for children.
• Can you really see the footprints? In some cases, I admit it is a bit dubious if it is really a footprint. However, there are some cases where it is really clear.

I must confess that I am not the greatest cave enthusiast, but even so, I could not miss visiting one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal. If you visit Serras de Aires e Candeiros, make sure you don’t miss this spot. With 11 km in length (although only 600 metres are visible to the public), the caves are indeed impressive. It is well worth getting to know these caves!

Useful information

• When to visit? Any day of the week, including weekends and holidays.
• Are the visits guided? Yes, the whole route is accompanied by a guide.
• How long does the visit last? About 1 hour.
• What is the price of the ticket? 7€ for visitors over 12 years old (different prices for children and groups).

Porto de Mós Castle is another point of interest not to be missed. With unusual architecture, it looks like a real fairy tale!

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