TEJO RIVER UP CLOSE!

It’s the largest river in Portugal, the best known, the one that is born in Spain and flows into the ocean in Lisbon. The Tejo river always made part of my life and, recently, I discovered the region where it enters into the country.

The Tejo International Natural Park extends by the municipalities of Castelo Branco, Idanha-a-Nova and Vila Velha de Ródão, a large area that capture the natural characteristics of the Centre and Alentejo.

I chose to enter the park by the “gate” closer to Castelo Branco, following a road less traveled by other cars. The area can be visited throughout the year, but I believe that summer is a little bit more crowded than at the end of winter.

I had set the objective of Malpica do Tejo, one of the largest parishes in the area and where I could visit the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows, destroyed in the clashes between Portuguese and Spanish during the conflicts for the independence of the territory.

On the way there, a beautiful landscape and the bridge over the Ponsul, a affluent of the Tejo river.

I confess that my passing through the region was very fast and, taking into account the full extent of the Natural Park, I suggest a visit with more time, perhaps choosing to follow one of the many walking trails or stopping for a Pic- nic. 🙂