The best walks and hikes around Painho

Salt is extracted from shallow, concrete or stone pans of varying sizes, where saltwater drawn from a well is conveyed through ditches. Currently, the water is pumped by a motor and distributed according to a system that is generally accepted and respected (not always) by all the owners. Drainpipes, threshing floors, and wooden salt storage houses complete the complex known as the Rio Maior Salt Pans. According to technicians, a large and deep rock salt mine, traversed by an underground stream that feeds a well, makes the extracted water salty, seven times saltier than seawater. The salt is obtained from its exposure to the sun and wind, and the resulting evaporation of the water. This salt is deposited at the bottom of the pans, which are then piled up in pyramid-shaped heaps to dry until harvest. The process is rudimentary and similar to that used in seaside salt mines. The only difference is the picturesque valley that surrounds them, the well, the unique style of the sailors (as the men who work in the salt mines are known), the wooden houses and the country air that you breathe.

A vast Far Eastern garden has been created here on an area of approximately 35 hectares. In addition to buildings and religious sculptures (especially Buddha statues), visitors will also find replicas of the world-famous Terracotta Army, where thousands of clay warriors guard the tomb of the first Chinese emperor.

Just three kilometres from Rio Maior, on the southern tip of the Serra dos Candeeiros, lie the only inland salt pans in Portugal, and the only ones still active in the whole of Europe. Surrounded by vineyards and cultivated fields, they are a true wonder of nature, as the sea is 30 kilometres away. Their history dates back to at least 1177, but it is said that rock salt has been mined since prehistoric times. The water, seven times saltier than that of the ocean, emerges from a well after passing through an underground deposit, leaving behind the pure vestige of an ancient sea.

"Workshop" where you can make small repairs to your stomach

The Arnóia River rises in the Serra de Todo o Mundo and flows for 30 km before flowing into the Óbidos Lagoon. A dam was built about one and a half kilometres from Óbidos, in the Horta Valley, whose reservoir was used to irrigate the area's crops.

The Rio Maior Salt Pans are located about 3 km from the city centre and are nestled in a valley at the foot of the Serra dos Candeeiros, in the heart of the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park. Classified as a Property of Public Interest since December 1997, these are the only inland salt pans in Portugal, and the only ones in full operation in Europe. The first reference to their existence dates back to 1177, but it is thought that the use of rock salt was already being made in prehistoric times.

The Rio Maior Salt Pans are located about 3 km from the city center and nestled in a valley at the foot of the Serra dos Candeeiros, in the heart of the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park. Classified as a Property of Public Interest since December 1997, these are the only inland salt pans in Portugal, and the only ones fully operational in Europe. The first reference to their existence dates back to 1177, but it is thought that rock salt mining has been practiced since prehistoric times. Surrounded by vineyards and farmland, they are considered a natural wonder, as the ocean is 30 km away. The salt is a vestige of the sea's presence in ancient times. The water, about seven times saltier than seawater, comes from a well after passing through a rock salt deposit. Visit the Salinas Tourist Office for information, maps, and guided tours. How to Get There: Latitude +39° 21' 52.57, Longitude -8° 56' 40.62

nice place.