The best road cycling routes around Sarilhos Grandes

The Rio Frio Palace was built in the early 20th century, in a privileged location near Montijo, Alcochete, and the banks of the Tagus River. Once, the property, covering approximately 17,000 hectares, was considered one of the largest estates in the country, primarily producing wine. In subsequent generations, the estate was inherited by a nephew of José Maria dos Santos, Alfredo Santos Jorge, who commissioned the construction of the Rio Frio Palace. Dona Maria de Lourdes Pereira Lupi d'Orey, the current owner of the Rio Frio Palace and great-niece of Alfredo Santos Jorge, recalls the magic of life on the estate. From a large family deeply connected to the countryside and agriculture, her brother José Samuel Lupi stands out as a bullfighting figure. The house offers elegant décor, with a magnificent collection of tiles by Jorge Colaço. It offers an enchanting journey through the gardens and woods, providing a unique experience. (Source: www.solaresdeportugal.pt)

Once a land of muleteers, Cova da Piedade spurred the growth of the urban area with the reconstruction of its church, in honor of Our Lady of Piety. The industrialization of the riverside area later led to the establishment of several cork processing factories, shipbuilding yards, and cooperages, which benefited from river and rail connections. Also around that time, in the Romeira area, there was a veritable "industry" of laundry. By the mid-20th century, the installation of the Lisnave shipyards exponentially increased job opportunities and the local population. It's not difficult to find authentic works of art scattered across walls and buildings in the urban and industrial areas of Cova da Piedade – some have even become landmarks in the city's landscape! Currently, urban art has been revitalizing this and several other areas of the municipality with high potential, such as the Lisnave Shipyards, the Mutela area, or the Caramujo and Romeira area, where a dormant industrial area has begun to revive in recent years with the requalification of old silos, warehouses, and factories, now converted into innovative public spaces. The Romeira Market is an excellent example of this. The locals usually gather in the Cova da Piedade Public Garden, a central point famous for its bandstand, right next to a late 19th-century palace and the romantic Chalet Ribeiro Telles, where the Town Hall is currently located.

The Esteval Windmill or Moinho Velho is located in the municipality of Montijo. It was built in 1826, as can be seen from the date on the inside, and was part of a large agricultural property called Quinta do Moinho Velho. This mill is an emblematic example of the mills known as those from the South of Portugal, with a fixed tower in stone masonry and a rotating hood by means of an internal windlass. It is a living testimony to the flouring processes that were once used. It ceased to function at the beginning of the 20th century after 75 years of operation, and its reconstruction was promoted by the Local Authority according to the guidelines of the Portuguese International Section of Millology. The architectural structure did not undergo significant changes, however the wind collection system and the grinding apparatus were replaced. The mill maintains the traditional grinding system in operation. It opened in 2000. (Source: Wikipedia)

Former gas station ⛽️ transformed into a café ☕️. Very original.

José Maria dos Santos, son of Caetano dos Santos (a blacksmith or farrier) and Gertrudes Maria, became a wealthy farmer and the greatest Portuguese winegrower, thanks to his unique business management skills at the time. It is said that he planted the largest vineyard in the world, between Herdade de Rio Frio and Poceirão, after finding his fortune by marrying Maria Cândida Ferreira Braga, daughter of the capitalist Alexandre José Ferreira Braga and Baroness of São Romão, by marriage to Manuel Gomes da Costa São Romão, who had left her widow. The Baron of São Romão held all the titles to the property, which he had acquired in the 1850s with the Venda do Alcaide land grant, thus transferring capital from the urban domain to the agricultural sector (which was not a very common practice at the time). José Maria dos Santos was a member of parliament and a Peer of the Realm. However, he is said to have rejected the titles of nobility that were intended to be granted to him.

The José Maria dos Santos Garden is a green space in the city center, right next to the Train Station...

Created from the old railway that connected Montijo to Pinhal Novo.

Small wooden bridge prohibited to motorized vehicles. You can admire one of the arms of the Tagus and its magnificent landscapes. This bridge connects the small town of Sarilhos Pequenos which means small problems, to the town of Sarilhos Grandes which means big problems.