Page 206 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

EXPERIENCE MORE

5 "
Paiva Walkways
! E2 ⌂ Start at Areinho or
EXPERIENCE The Beiras 5pm Oct–Mar) ∑ reservas.
Espiunca # May–Sep: 9am–
8pm daily (to 6pm Apr,
passadicosdopaiva.pt
This 8.7-km (5.4-mile) walkway
comprises a wooden board-
walk that weaves its way along
the contours of the beautiful
Paiva river valley. Parts of
the trail are stepped and
extremely steep, so it’s best
to avoid the heat of the day.
Public toilets are only to be reserve, the Mata Nacional das Hikers taking the
found at Vau – the halfway Dunas de Mira. Praia de Mira, walkway through the
point, where you can also take with the dunes and Atlantic Paiva river valley
a dip in the river. The area is on one side and the peaceful
prone to summer fires and lagoon of Barrinha de Mira on
visitor numbers are restricted, the other, is a pretty fishing the convent has stood
so advance book ing is essen- village developing as a resort. beside Arouca’s church on
tial. It’s best to start the walk Fishing boats are still drawn the cobbled main square.
from Areinho as the end point up the spectacular beach by In the early 18th century
at Espiunca is largely downhill. oxen, but leisure craft now the church underwent costly
cruise the shore and inland redecoration: 104 carved
waterways, and the fishermen’s choir stalls are surmounted
6 striped palheiros, popular as by paintings in sumptuous
seaside cottages, are fast
gilded panels, and the organ
Praia de Mira vanishing amid bars and cafés. and chancel retable are also
heavily gilded. Honoured with
! D3 @ n Av da Barrinha;
924 473 751 its own altar is a recumbent
7 effigy of Santa Mafalda in a
This unspoilt stretch of silver and ebony casket; her
coast is backed by a wooded Arouca mummified remains lie below
the casket.
! E2 @ n Rua Alfredo Vaz Guided tours take visitors
HIKING AND Pinto; 256 940 258 round the convent’s museum,
CYCLING ROUTES This small town in a green in which are displayed some
The relatively flat valley owes its main attraction, exquisite silver monstrances,
coastline makes the the great Mosteiro de Arouca, furniture and religious works
area around Praia de to its saintly royal benefactor, of art, including two paintings
Mira ideal for hiking Mafalda. Princess Mafalda was by 18th-century artist André
and cycling. Visit the born in 1195, the daughter of Gonçalves, showing Mafalda
tourist office to pick Sancho I. She was betrothed saving the monastery from
up leaflets detailing the to the teenage Prince Enrique fire. The Neo-Classical double
marked trails around of Castile, but when he died in cloister, begun in 1781, the
local lakes and water­ an accident, Mafalda took the large refectory and kitchen,
mills. Our choice is the veil in Arouca. Under her, the and a chapterhouse covered
25­km (15­mile) Pista convent became Cistercian and with cheerful Coimbra tiles
Ciclo­Pedonal de Mira, Mafalda’s wealth and dedica- of rural scenes can also
which follows inland tion made the house highly be visited.
canals towards Aveiro influential. She died in 1256,
via dunes, lakes and and her incorrupt corpse was Mosteiro de Arouca
pine woods (www.cm- discovered in 1616, leading to "' ⌂ Largo de Santa
mira.pt/node/139). her beatification in 1793. Mafalda § 256 943 321
For over a thousand years # Tue–Sun ¢ Public hols
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