Trip to the Schist Villages of Serra da Lousã, a group of small shepherds' villages scattered throughout the mountains.

The half-day tour includes a visit to 3 shale villages: Cerdeira, Candal, and Talasnal.
The visit begins in Cerdeira, right in the heart of the mountains, which stands out for its natural beauty. It is a place of artistic inspiration based on the School of Arts and Crafts that promotes art and creativity in harmony with the silence and the surrounding natural wealth. Perfectly rebuilt with houses integrated into the landscape, thanks to the reuse of shale stones, clay, and chestnut wood.
Then the visit continues to the Schist Village of Candal, which is the best located, most developed, and most visited, thanks to its easy access. Nicely nestled in the mountains on a south-facing hill, visitors walk through the narrow, steep streets and, from the top of the observation deck, enjoy the beautiful views over the valley.
We go down to the Schist Village of Talasnal, the largest, best preserved, and most charismatic village, endowed with a natural setting that plunges us into a magical world. Discovering the village through the narrow, steep streets of the hillside is a timeless experience. There are alleys to discover, stairs to climb or descend, and balconies to admire. Here, Nature and the Human hand are united.

The full-day tour includes a visit to the aforementioned villages of Cerdeira, Candal, and Talasnal, as well as Casal Novo, where the village's urban fabric develops along a very steep ascending/descending slope.
We will go to the extremes, visit Arouce Castle and the natural beach of Nª Srª Piedade at the foot of the mountain, and climb to the highest point, Trevim, to swing on the popular Lousã swing.
The included lunch will be served at a typical restaurant with the local cuisine, chanfana (goat meat slowly cooked in a wood-fired oven). There are other options if you don't like this typical dish.

We return to Coimbra after this trip “back in time” to our rural ancestors.