Cadaval: Serra de Montejunto, Culture and Vinho Leve

Cadaval combines the landscape of the Serra de Montejunto with festivals, wine, historic buildings and unusual insights into the past. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Cadaval can tailor their trip to their own interests: nature and signposted trails, cultural history, regional events or arriving by train with the nearest railway station as a reference point.

Serra de Montejunto and signposted trails

The Paisagem Protegida da Serra de Montejunto was established in 1999 and is shared by the municipalities of Cadaval and Alenquer. Four hiking trails are signposted within the municipality of Cadaval: the Trilho da Quinta da Serra, the Trilho dos Currais e Calçada, the Trilho do Carreiro dos SS and the Estação da Biodiversidade da serra de Montejunto. This selection makes the Serra de Montejunto an important focus for visitors who enjoy shaping their days around landscapes and outdoor activity.

Historical traces around Pragança and the Serra

Cadaval also offers many opportunities to engage with different historical periods. West of Pragança, a group of four watermills lies in a stream valley; two of them were built at the beginning of the 19th century. The Núcleo Museológico Castro de Pragança was discovered in 1893. The caves of the Serra de Montejunto were used by successive prehistoric inhabitants of the adjoining area as communal necropolises.

Another prominent historic site is the Chafariz de D. Maria. It was built at the request of Queen Maria I at the end of the 18th century. The Serra de Montejunto is also home to the Convento dos Dominicanos, also known as the Convento de Nossa Senhora das Neves. Experts dated it to the period between 1720 and 1765; at that time, it was presumably an important place of worship.

The history of the Real Fábrica do Gelo is particularly distinctive. It was built in 1741 at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level, in a cold and humid area, and produced blocks of ice for 120 years to cool the royal court and Lisbon’s elegant cafés. The Forno de Cal Tradicional was presumably built to supply the lime for the mortar of the complex and for whitewashing its silos. The Real Fábrica do Gelo offers guided tours. For visitors who appreciate historic technology and architectural history, it is therefore a clearly distinct item on the itinerary.

Festivals, wine and regional impressions

The Festa das Adiafas and the Festival Nacional do Vinho Leve are held annually in the Vila de Cadaval. Both events combine gastronomy, exhibitions, performances and equestrian activities. Each year, several wineries from the region also take part in the Festival Nacional do Vinho Leve, offering their Vinho Leve ranges for tasting and sale.

Arrival and further orientation

For travelling by train, Bombarral railway station is a useful reference point: it is the nearest railway station to Cadaval and is located approximately 7 km away. This means that the choice of accommodation can also be considered from the perspective of personal travel planning, without losing sight of other interests in nature, culture or events.

For further orientation, you can also visit the local pages for Cadaval and Vermelha.

For the overarching travel overview: Lisbon.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Odivelas, Colares, Oeiras, Cascais, Azambuja, Alenquer.