Linhares de Cima

Linhares de Cima combines a landscape shaped by forests and waterways with impressive traces of regional history. Those looking for a holiday apartment for a varied stay will find opportunities here for hiking, historical discoveries and distinctive local traditions. The best location mainly depends on whether you want to focus on trails through the landscape, culture or a combination of both.

Hiking among fields, forests and the River Coura

One specific way to explore the surroundings on foot is the Trilho Chã da Burra. The trail passes through pastures and cultivated fields to Linhares and follows the River Coura upstream before circling Chã da Burra. The landscape of the Freguesia of Linhares is characterised by dense pine forests and small areas of deciduous woodland along the River Coura and the waterways. For your travel planning, this means you can choose between open sections, woodland stretches and a route connected to the river, without reducing the varied landscape to a single viewpoint.

The Trilho Chã da Burra starts at the Capela da Quinta da Cruz in Linhares. At the Ermida da Sr.ª do Alívio, it reaches a paved path along which one of the signposted routes of the Caminho Português de Santiago runs. The trail also circles Monte, or Crasto, de Bruzendes, which is considered an ancient agricultural Castro. If you like to combine walks with traces of the historic landscape when choosing accommodation, you can take these different sections into account when planning your day.

Castro culture and historic sites

The Cividade de Cossourado is located in the surroundings of Linhares de Cima. Because of its age and impressive topographical setting, it is particularly significant in the context of the Castro culture of Alto Minho and extends across 10 hectares. A reconstructed group of two huts represents the settlement’s former dwellings. This means that the visit can be understood not only through the size of the site but also through the form of housing on display.

At the Cividade de Cossourado, the summer solstice celebration takes place almost every year on the Saturday closest to the day of the solstice. This date is one of the area’s special traditions and may be of interest when planning a trip if you would like to combine your stay with a specific seasonal occasion. Another cultural trace leads to the Igreja Matriz de Santa Marinha de Linhares, a typically Baroque church from the 17th century. In the Inquirições of D. Afonso III, the Freguesia of Linhares appears under the name Santa Marinha de Duzães.

Routes in the wider regional area

The Caminho Português de Santiago also shapes the wider regional area. There, it crosses the União das Freguesias de Cossourado e Linhares. After a 50-metre alternative stretch from Pecene, the Santiago route reaches S. Bento da Porta Aberta and then continues through mountainous terrain towards Valença. The footpaths in Paredes de Coura are currently being renovated and are expected to be available again soon.

The places mentioned offer different ways to explore: the Trilho Chã da Burra connects fields, forest, river and historic landscapes, while the Cividade de Cossourado, the church and the Santiago references place greater emphasis on culture and history.

Other places for regional orientation include Paredes De Coura, Agualonga, Porreiras, Romarigães and Coura.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Paredes De Coura.