Linhares: Walking Trails, Landscape and Cultural Heritage

For your trip planning, Linhares offers walking trails, the Douro landscape and historic buildings. This can help you decide whether to include the village in your trip primarily for a hike, the scenery or its history. The sights and trails offer different points of reference, from a specific circular route distance to buildings from different periods.

Walking and Scenery Around Linhares

The Trilho de Linhares is a short PR circular trail in the municipal walking trail network of Carrazeda de Ansiães. It starts beside the Capela de Nª Srª de Fátima, near the parish church. If needed, confirm the starting point and current route conditions locally. The trails in Linhares overlap, allowing you to walk a route between two places. The municipal project includes plans for information boards at the beginning and end of each trail; they are intended to describe the route in detail.

A 13.2 km circular route through Linhares passes the Quedas d'Alto, a waterfall, the Miradouro dos Moinhos and the Solar dos Sampaios. The stated distance and named stops can help you fit the hike into your day. As route details may change, check the current route locally.

From the summit of Monte do Castelo de Linhares, there are panoramic views over the Douro and the village of Linhares. The Fraga das Ferraduras lies in an extensive stretch of the Douro landscape. The Douro landscape is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Fraga itself is a granite batholith beside a footpath that connected Linhares with the right bank of the Douro. A medieval paved path also leads to the Douro riverbank area. The paths therefore have different connections: one refers to a historic link to the right bank, while the other leads to the riverbank area.

Buildings and History

The Igreja Paroquial de S. Miguel de Linhares has an 18th-century coffered ceiling and is classified as an Imóvel de Interesse Público. The parish church of Linhares also dates from the 18th century and replaced an older church on this site. The nave and both sides of the chancel arch feature gilded wooden altarpieces. Taken together, the construction date, ceiling and altarpieces offer different insights into the church’s architecture and furnishings.

The Pelourinho de Linhares was probably erected in the 17th century. In the 1940s, it was moved from its original location to its current one. It consists of three steps, a smooth round shaft and a finial in the form of a florão. Its probable date and its later relocation are two distinct parts of its history.

Castelo de Linhares is documented as an archaeological settlement with Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Roman and medieval phases. It remained in use until the late Middle Ages. Linhares had already received a foral charter from King Fernando the Great in the 11th century. These milestones place the village’s history between the early charter and the castle’s later period of use.

Linhares is also home to the former wine press, Escorregadeira. It adds another aspect of local cultural heritage to the churches, Pelourinho and castle. If you want to shape your stay around walking and history, you can use the trail features and buildings as different focal points when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Carrazeda De Ansiães, Tralhariz, Parambos.

Go to the main travel overview: Carrazeda De Ansiães.