The Little Caretos Trail starts at the information panel in the village of Podence, near Casa do Careto, and ends at Praia da Ribeira, one of the two river beaches on the Azibo Reservoir. From Casa do Careto, the trail goes to the Church of Nossa Senhora da Purificação and then away from the village, towards Praia da Ribeira, distinguished as the 7th Wonder of Portugal. In the village of Podence, the ‘Entrudo Chocalheiro’ takes place every year, considered Intangible Cultural Heritage of Portugal since 2017, and it is at Casa do Careto that the importance of this tradition is recorded, through the exhibition of colorful costumes, rattles and pointy-nosed masks, as well as paintings and artefacts. The majority of this trail is in the Azibo Reservoir Protected Landscape area and roughly half of it is in the Morais Site of Community Importance (Natura 2000 Network), which stands out for being one of the largest continuous units of serpentinites (metamorphic rock) in Portugal, as well as being home to the largest Iberian wolf population in the country, which gives it great geological, botanical and wildlife interest.

START POINT

Casa do Careto (41°35'22.35''N I 6°55'39.26''W)
41º 35' 22.35" N
6º 55' 39.26" W

TYPE

SHORT ROUTE

EXTENSION

4.4 KM

DURATION

1H15

DIFFICULTY

EASY