Vilar de Maçada – Culture, Wine and the PR9 ALJ

Vilar de Maçada combines impressive traces of history, wine tradition and a varied hiking route. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in this area can tailor their travel plans to their own interests: Should the focus be on historic sites, an approximately 10 km circular hike or the wines of the Alto Douro Vinhateiro? The verified excursion destinations offer different reasons to visit, without every item on the itinerary having to be connected into one single tour.

Discover rock-cut tombs and historic sites

At the exit of Vilar de Maçada in the direction of Vila Verde, in the village of Sobredos, lies the rock-cut tomb burial site Sepultura Rupestre de Sobredos, also known as Campa dos Mouros. It is located in the freguesia of Vilar de Maçada, in the municipality of Alijó, in the Vila Real District. Immediately outside Vilar de Maçada, an unpaved road leads from the EN583 towards Vila Verde to this historic site. This precise location is important for day planning if you would like to include a cultural visit in your trip.

Another notable site is Castro do Alto da Murada. The ancient fortified settlement is situated on a granite hill at an altitude of 629 m. The announced guided tour of the cultural heritage also highlights the cultural side of the area: The municipality of Alijó announced a guided tour for 18 April, whose programme included a visit to the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção and the Solar dos Pizzaro Portocarreiro. For the Festa de Vilar de Maçada, celebrations in honour of Senhor Jesus da Capelinha and Santa Bárbara were scheduled from 11 to 16 July 2019. The programme also included a procession from the Igreja Matriz to the Santuário and back.

Experience the landscape on the PR9 ALJ

The PR9 ALJ starts in Vilar de Maçada and is an approximately 10 km circular hiking route. It passes through a transitional landscape between the Douro wine region and the landscapes of the Serras de Falperra and Padrela. This creates a clear contrast in scenery within a single route. The PR9 ALJ approaches Castelo de Santa Bárbara, an ancient fortified settlement, and passes the Miradouro de Santa Bárbara. From this viewpoint, there is a view over the Pinhão Valley.

If you would like to combine an active day with a cultural destination, take the approximate route length and the start in Vilar de Maçada into account. Anyone who would rather focus on individual historic sites and a wine tasting can treat the hike as a separate part of their travel plans. This allows the choice of a holiday apartment or holiday home to be adapted to the desired daily rhythm, without assuming any additional features of the accommodation.

Wine from the Pinhão Valley

The Quinta de Fiães is one of the local specialities. It is located in the Alto Douro Vinhateiro in the valley of the River Pinhão, at 5070-572 Vilar de Maçada. At its own winery, Quinta de Fiães produces and bottles its white wine Quinta de Fiães DOC. Wine tastings from the region can also be arranged at the quinta. This adds an enjoyable element to the cultural and hiking experiences. Accommodation in Vilar de Maçada is therefore a particularly natural search option if you would like to combine the activities mentioned in one trip.

Other places for planning your trip

For your further selection, you can also take a look at Vale De Mendiz, Castedo, Favaios, Cotas, Pópulo, Alijó, Santa Eugénia and Pinhao.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Alijó.