The best running trails around Manteigas (Santa Maria)

Vila Galé Hotel Serra da Estrela.

Located within the Planalto Superior biogenetic reserve, the Rossim Valley is a unique location of great scientific, environmental, and scenic value that deserves to be protected and enhanced. Although it is an artificial lake, over time, conditions have been created that have transformed this area into an excellent leisure and recreation area that attracts countless tourists. The Vale do Rossim recreation center is located at an average altitude of 1,437 meters. Before the dam was built, it was one of the best high-altitude pastures in the municipality of Gouveia. The area has almost always been frequented by transhumance herds, flocks that gathered here from São João to the Sr. do Calvário festivities in August.

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In the heart of the Serra da Estrela, Manteigas is a mountain town that doesn't need grand monuments. Nestled above the Zêzere Glacier Valley, it enchants with grand landscapes, sparkling snowy winters, and soul-warming cuisine. Carved by Europe's southernmost glacier thousands of years ago, the surrounding mountains are the stage for endless adventures, legendary trails, and corners of pure tranquility. Here, every turn reveals a new landscape, each season paints the town with different colors, and each visit leaves you feeling like you've truly entered the heart of the mountain.

At over 1,400 meters above sea level, the Rossim Valley Reservoir is a haven of granite, pine trees, and crystal-clear waters in the heart of the Serra da Estrela Mountains. It's the perfect setting for strolls, summer swims, and admiring nature in all its splendor, one of Portugal's highest jewels.

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.

It is considered the "capital of Serra da Estrela" and a privileged starting point to explore the Serra da Estrela Natural Park. Manteigas is famous for its wool textile industry, especially for the production of fabrics and blankets. Manteigas is also known for its natural beauty, with glacial valleys (such as Zêzere), waterfalls and unique rock formations, including the famous Cântaro Magro.