Vilas Boas: Serra de Faro, Sanctuary and Village Culture

Vilas Boas combines the landscape of the Serra de Faro with religious heritage, historic buildings and vibrant village traditions. Those wishing to combine a trip with nature experiences and culture will find various points of interest here: hiking trails lead through the village and across the Serra, while the sanctuary, pillory, church and traditional handicrafts offer insights into the history of the region.

Hiking trails around the Serra de Faro

An important starting point for exploring the area is the PR3 VFL – Trilho da Serra de Faro. The trail begins next to the Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Assunção and leads through Vilas Boas. At its beginning, it connects with the PR2 VFL – Trilho dos peregrinos da Senhora da Assunção, and at its end with the PR4 VFL – Trilho do rio Tua. These connections are particularly interesting if you do not want to limit your hiking days to a single trail.

The PR5 VFL – Trilho do Poço dos Lobos is also one of the village's distinctive hiking experiences. It passes a place known as the “fojo do Lobo”. On one hike, this trail brought 250 participants to the summit of the Serra de Faro. Thus, alongside the sanctuary, the landscape itself is also at the heart of the experience.

The Serra de Faro is regarded as a natural viewpoint from which the landscape of the Tua can be seen in a 360-degree panorama. For planning your days, you can therefore choose between trails with different thematic focuses: the PR3 connects the village with the sanctuary, while the PR5 highlights another landscape and local theme.

Sanctuary and historical traces

The Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Assunção lies at an altitude of 760 metres and is considered the largest Marian sanctuary in Trás-os-Montes. Its location on Monte de Nossa Senhora da Assunção connects the religious site with an archaeological settlement site. There is a so-called Castro there, adapted and Romanised according to the uses and customs of the Roman troops.

In the village itself, the Pelourinho de Vilas Boas recalls the period when Vilas Boas was a vila and the seat of a municipality from the 14th century until 1836. The Casa da Câmara is designated as a noteworthy example of civil architecture. In addition, the parish church of Vilas Boas was designed in the 18th century. Together, these buildings create a multifaceted picture of the village's history, without requiring you to focus on a single subject.

The storytelling tradition is also part of Vilas Boas. Lurdes Ala, a resident of the village, published a book containing more than one hundred legends and stories from the village. As part of a Tua Festival programme for hiking trails in Vilas Boas, a “pilgrimage” from the village to the Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Assunção was also offered. Such references make the village accessible not only through its buildings, but also through its stories.

Handicrafts and finding suitable accommodation

In Vilas Boas and in the centre of Vila Flor, you can still find lacework, embroidery, linen blankets, patchwork quilts, sheep-wool blankets, knitted sweaters, rugs, pack saddles, wrought-iron work, as well as wooden figures and wooden dolls. Those who enjoy discovering regional crafts and traditional skills while travelling can include this aspect in their own daily planning.

If your stay is to focus mainly on hiking trails and viewpoints, the PR3, PR5 and the Serra de Faro will be the highlights. For cultural and historical days, the sanctuary, the Castro, the Pelourinho, the Casa da Câmara and the parish church offer suitable themes. Those who also wish to learn about regional traditions can supplement their plans with stories and handicrafts.

If you would like to broaden your selection beyond Vilas Boas, you can also view Vila Flor and Lodões. This allows you to align your accommodation search with the mix of nature, history and village culture that you prefer for your trip.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Vila Flor.