Top 20 Natural Monuments around São Simão

Don't miss the opportunity to sign the summit book. The summit book is located in the small plastic container with the green lid, covered with a stone.

The chapel was probably built in the 17th or perhaps 18th century, as a place of Christian worship that, most likely, succeeded other previous cults, namely those related to water or even initiation rites linked to the idea of the rebirth of the soul.

Lapa de Santa Margarida is a natural grout at the base of Arrábida Mountain, where a small altar was erected. The access is done by a narrow path, with over 200 steps, until the sea level. Inside there is a Christian altar with some images and candles. The image of Saint Margaret was initially in this chapel, thus having given her name to this place.

Among the remains of old fishermen's houses, this place reveals breathtaking coastal landscapes. It offers a breathtaking view of Cabo de Ares, just before the descent to Praia do Calhau, a perfect refuge for a dip in the crystal clear (and icy!) waters of the Arrábida coast. But be careful if it rains! The descent, already naturally slippery, turns into a veritable carpet of Berlins.

This linear route runs along the northern and southern slopes of the Serra da Arrábida up to Portinho da Arrábida, passing through the highest point of the mountain range, Alto do Formosinho, marked with a geodesic marker at 501 metres. This route, which is of the highest level of difficulty, is the closest to mountaineering conditions, due to the steep incline and the characteristics of the terrain. It is one of the most charismatic routes in the region, due to its connection to the first settlements of Arrábida (Castelo dos Mouros rock formation) and the ancient pilgrimage candles of devotion to Our Lady of Arrábida, which are still maintained, due to the challenge of reaching the peak, through dense vegetation, areas of gravel and rock climbing, and also through the endless landscapes that connect the Sado estuary to the Tagus and the border between Finisterra and the ocean.

It is the highest point of the Serra da Arrábida and it is not easy to get up there!...

Pico Formosinho, at 501 meters above sea level, is the highest point in the Serra da Arrábida... A very tough climb, an even tougher descent... Not accessible to everyone...

During the tour, you will have the opportunity to discover the origins of Azeitão, a town located in the heart of the Arrábida Natural Park. The name Azeitão, of Arabic origin (azzeittum), refers to the vast olive groves that once covered the region. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages and, over the centuries, agriculture, especially viticulture and olive cultivation, shaped the landscape that still characterises the region today, with farms and small settlements that maintain these traditions. Azeitão gained renown from the 15th century onwards, when it became one of the favourite places of the Portuguese nobility, being shaded by the majestic Serra da Arrábida. The route begins and ends in Vila Nogueira de Azeitão and passes through several historic villages, including Aldeia Rica, Oleiros, Aldeia de Irmãos, Piedade, Portela, São Pedro, Casais da Serra and Picheleiros, always under the imposing presence of the Serra and its traditional paths.