Activities in a secluded village in Portugal
Written by sergio_costa on Aug. 21, 2021, 3:24 p.m.
Living in a small and secluded village such as Santo Estêvão offers peace of mind and close contact with the nature.
Traditional farming is the main activity of the few inhabitants. Despite economically catastrophically is very environmentally friendly. For example, the fertilization of the soils uses the manure from the animals. The leftover food is given to the chickens and pigs, the weeds are removed by hand without using artificial fertilizers just to give a few examples. Visiting Santo Estêvão is like travelling visiting an open-air museum and see first-hand the traditional farming techniques were still used here.
The soft leftovers from the meals are often given immediately to the chicken that love them as an alternative to corn.
What to do in Santo Estêvão?
Besides relaxing in a very peaceful place, experiencing farming lifestyle you can also:
Hike to the mountains with breath-taking virews such as Drave, Aldeia da Pena, Penedo da Saudade, Rio Paiva.
Meet the locals such as the talkative owner of the cafe in the next village just 2 kms away
Drive to Passadiços do Paiva through the mountains, one hour route with a very scenic view
You can also create the art of your dreams in probably the calmest place you ever been
Local cusine?
There are a few restaurants nearby (10 min to 20 min drive) that also use some local products in their kitchen. The most unique delicacies you can have been the home-made charcuterie.The unique taste comes from the ingredients, the slow growth of the pig mainly with vegetables and the slow cured meat. "Chouriça", the typical slender sausage. "Salpicão", the thicker with a very sublime taste. "Presunto", the leg or thigh of the pig. This one is cured in salt for almost a year and then smoked. It is also known by "Prosciutto" in Italian or "Jamón serrano" in Spain.
Points of interest around Santo Estêvão
I have collected the points of recommendation shown in the map on the side. If you click on each place on the map and it will open the exact location on Google maps.
To give you a panoramic view of the region have a look at the figure below. The area is mostly mountainous becoming flatter as we approach towards the Atlantic. In my opinion these are the most scenic mountains in Portugal Continental.
Casa Estêvão is available for guests, and it can be booked through ecorustics.
Published on Aug. 21, 2021, 3:24 p.m. by sergio_costa
