There are many things to do and see in the area. From the garden you can walk right into nature. The river Zêzere is surrounded by beautifull hills and lies no more than a ten minute drive away from us. Along the river there are many river beaches. Some offer the possibility to engage in watersport activities such as kayaking and wakeboarding, others offer a quiet place with some shade to go for a swim on a hot summer day. In the area there are walking trails set out by the portuguese government, but there is so much more to explore by yourself. Next to spending time in nature Portugal has a lot of lovely small cities and villages to visit, almost all of them have an interesting history and castle or chapel  overseeing the area, visit them if your interested in cultural history or if you just love stunning views.

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Hiking

Vila de Rei has some of the most beautiful hiking trails. Here is where the green heart of Portugal lies. There are many trails we will describe three.

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The Cascade trails lead you to several waterfalls in the rocky valley. You will start and end in the village of Vila De Rei. This circular track will take about four hours and includes some light climbing along ropes. Not the easiest trail but defenitely our favorite.

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The Bufareiras path leads you all the way to Penedo Furado River Beach. The track is sourrounded by solid rock where you can also spot some waterfalls. The start of the trail leads you through a part of Vila de Rei that got caught in the fires of 2017, very interesting to see how nature heals itself. This linear path is less difficult than the Cascade trails and takes you about three and a half hours. Since this is a linear trail we would be happy to drop you off and pick you up.

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The Trilho de Zêzere path starts and ends in the vilage of Pedrogao Pequeno. This circular path will take you past the old Philippine bridge, along the river Zêzere and is about a two hour hike. Stunning views!

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If requested we provide pick up service and guided tours.

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River beaches

The river Zêzere is the second longest river in Portugal, it starts in the mountains of Serra da Estrela near the highest point of Portugal and feeds into the river Tejo. Because of the difference in hight the powerplants of Bouça, Cabril and Castelo de Bode can generate energy from the river.

The Castelo do Bode dam is the one that is closest to us and is a very impressing structure to visit. Along the river Zêzere there are many river beaches which all have their own charm.

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The Fernandaires River Beach is the one that is closest to 'O Ninho Do Rei'. It is surrounded by hills and pine forest. It has a floating swimming pool for small children, a bar and showers. Renting a canoe is possible here and there is a cable line for wakeboarding.

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Trizio River Beach. In Trizio you can also find a wakeboard cable, a restaurant and a nice playground. Here you have a nice wide view of the river. This is a very popular place to visit in Summer time. Highly recommended for families with children.

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Pego das Cancelas River Beach is near the ponte das tres concelhos, a bridge built between the first and the fourth century. It's a 30 minute drive from 'O Ninho Do Rei', a perfect place to spend your day with a book in the shade of the old trees. The water is very clear and lovely to take a swim.

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Penedo Furado River Beach is only a short drive from 'O Ninho Do Rei' and offers a great place to recreate. There are picnic tables and barbecues available making it perfect for friends and family to spend some time together. If you follow the river you will find some beautiful waterfalls.

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Sightseeing

​Agua formosa is a very old shist village. If you walk through the small streets you get the feeling you went back in time. Hearing just the sounds of the small river and the birds makes it a lovely place to stroll around. There is a souvenirshop which sells local products, defenitely worth visiting. The village is also the start and ending point of a wonderful hiking trail.

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Centro Geodisico is the geographical centre of Portugal. Drive up to the monument on top of the hill to enjoy a stunning view of the area and pay a visit to the museum.

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In Serta (16km) you can find a lovely park to stroll around and have a coffee next to the waterside or enjoy a good lunch in one of the restaurants. This small city has several large supermarkets with a wide range of products.

 

Tomar (36km) has a rich cultural history, it's built in the shape of a cross with a monastery at each side. You can visit The castle of the Templars and the monastery Convento do Cristo which is on the list of world heritage. It has a large garden (mata dos sete mondes) also worth visiting.

Tomar has a great indoor market each day where you can buy fresh fish, meat, and vegetables. On Fridaymornings there is an outside market as well.

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​Portugal has a great lunch tradition, between twelve and two everybody goes to restaurants to have lunch, which is usually a three course meal.  If you really want to experience Portugal, do what the Portuguese do and spend some time on a good lunch.

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The people of Portugal also know what a really good coffee is. In every bar, supermarket and even at gasstations coffee of great quality is being served.

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