Touro Azul ~ Cobrilha de Ferro
By CACO – Associação de Artesãos do Concelho de Odemira
• Meeting with the female choral group of Amoreiras Gare
• Visit to a cork plant
• Visit to a winer
• Morning snack of traditional products (in the cellar)
• Visit to the Necrópole do Pardieiro (Iron Age Archaeological Station)
• Tour in the historic centre of the village of São Martinho das Amoreiras
• Lunch in a local restaurant
A trip back in time to two villages – Amoreiras Gare and São Martinho das Amoreiras. They are united by the name "amoreiras", which comes from an old Arabic term meaning “water” or “river”. The tour is an opportunity to discover the history of these places and the lifestyle of the people that live here. There is a stop at a necropolis – an example of a cemetery of the Iron Age. It is located close to São Martinho village, known as the ancient Sintra of Alentejo. The lunch is served at the heart of this village at a unique restaurant with a strong identity.
S.Martinho das Amoreiras
English
French
German
Portuguese
< 1 Day
Guide
Transport
No physical exercise associated
Max. 16 people
Yes
Description
The tour begins early in the morning by train leaving from Está Bem to reach the railway station of Amoreiras Gare. There, the women of the village greet the travellers with traditional songs from the land and, afterwards, reveal the rural traditions of this region – the cork and the remains of an old factory. They speak of olive oil, wine, and traditional sweets, some of which are still produced today. Afterwards, the tour continues with a walk leading among ancient houses, a winepress, a mill, a carpentry shop, a stable, and the main general store that sells everything the village needs. At the cellar next door, an opportunity awaits to taste the wine produced there. Then, the group takes a bus in the direction to São Martinho das Amoreiras, to explore the Necrópole do Pardieiro.
After the lunch, a walk through this village awaits with its church in the centre. Here, we have an opportunity to meet Laura, the church’s guardian. She tells a story – starting from the golden age of this village, which grew more and more deserted over time due to industrialization and the new visions on economic development emerging in the 50s and 60s in the midst of Portuguese fascism. She also tells about the local bakery, which still makes "the best homemade bread in the world", while viola campaniça music is played in this very special setting.