The best road cycling routes around Mata

Nice bakery full of local breads, on typical village of Beira Baixa. There's also a small grocery shop.

Cântaro Magro is one of the "commonplaces" of the Serra da Estrela mountain range, whose summit rises to 1928 m altitude, deserving a visit at any time of year. Viewed from west to east, its silhouette resembles a pitcher. In summer, its rocky face is interrupted by small terraces of soil, where some of the rarest botanical jewels of the mountain range grow. In winter, it is covered in snow and ice which, as they melt, form ephemeral waterfalls. These recall the overflowing liquid from the pitchers carried on the heads of women when, in the past, they went to the fountains. #CISE #VisitSeia #ParqueNaturaldaSerradaEstrela

Offering breathtaking views of the southeastern slopes of the Serra da Estrela, Cova da Beira, and the charming city of Covilhã, the Varanda dos Carqueijais, which rises 1,130 meters above sea level, is a stunning suspended viewpoint, magnificently perched in the heart of the surrounding natural landscape. The suspended walkway was the best way to provide an excellent experience for visitors, creating a kind of amphitheater, a balcony overlooking the inspiring natural landscape. This viewpoint is an integral part of the viewpoint route, developed by the Municipality of Covilhã, with the aim of promoting the region's natural heritage.

Proença-a-Velha was born with the nation itself, linked to the repopulation promoted by King Afonso Henriques and, later, to the Templar charter of 1218. A fertile land with vast olive groves, its greatest treasure is olive oil, celebrated at the Olive Oil Museum and the Olive Oil and Smoked Meat Festival. But the tradition doesn't stop there: Proença-a-Velha is also the capital of soups, where every year over a hundred recipes warm bodies and souls at the Traditional Soup Festival.

The Serra da Estrela Natural Park is something truly special. This 1,000-square-kilometer park, spread across six municipalities, was the first and currently the largest protected natural park in Portugal. It is home to the highest point on the Portuguese mainland, the country's only ski slope, the source of two important rivers, and a fascinating, alpine-like landscape formed by glaciers.

At exactly 1993 meters above sea level, Torre is the highest point in mainland Portugal, where the only ski resort is located. The landscape on the upper plateau of the Serra da Estrela is like a sprinkling of granite rocks over low scrub and patches of snow and ice, which the sun threatens to melt soon in the summer and which always returns the following winter. In winter, it sometimes becomes inaccessible.

Cântaro Magro is one of the most iconic and spectacular rock formations in the Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in mainland Portugal. This imposing granite spire is the result of millions of years of glacial erosion and weathering. Its name, which means "Skinny Pitcher", perfectly describes its slender and elongated silhouette.

Beautiful panoramic views from the highest point in Portugal. You can ski here in winter, and there is sometimes snow even in summer.