Cadaval: Serra de Montejunto, History and Festivals

Several specific points of interest can help you plan a trip to Cadaval: the marked hiking trails in the Serra de Montejunto, historical landmarks from different periods, and annual events in the Vila de Cadaval. If you are travelling by train, Bombarral station is relevant; it is the closest railway station to Cadaval. Which question matters most when looking for a hotel depends on the focus of your stay: nature, history, an event date, or the train connection.

Serra de Montejunto: protected landscape and trails

The Paisagem Protegida da Serra de Montejunto was established in 1999 and is shared by the municipalities of Cadaval and Alenquer. Within the municipality of Cadaval, four hiking trails are marked in the Serra de Montejunto:

• Trilho da Quinta da Serra
• Trilho dos Currais e Calçada
• Trilho do Carreiro dos SS
• Estação da Biodiversidade da serra de Montejunto

If you would like to include the Serra in your plans via specific hiking trails, you can use these four names as a guide. For geographical context, it is useful to distinguish between the protected area, which Cadaval shares with Alenquer, and the trails marked within the municipality of Cadaval.

Historic sites and different periods

West of Pragança, in a stream valley, there is a group of four watermills; two of them were built in the early 19th century. The history of the Núcleo Museológico Castro de Pragança also goes back a long way: it was discovered in 1893. The Chafariz de D. Maria was built at the end of the 18th century at the behest of Queen Maria I.

The caves of the Serra de Montejunto tell of a different period. Successive prehistoric inhabitants of the neighbouring area used them as communal necropolises. Here, the term refers to the caves’ shared function as burial sites, not just to individual graves. The prehistoric use, the late-18th-century fountain and the early-19th-century mills thus represent different historical themes in the area.

The Real Fábrica do Gelo is associated with a distinctive industrial history. It was built in 1741 at an altitude of 600 metres, in a cold and humid area. Ice blocks were produced there for 120 years to cool the royal court and Lisbon’s upscale cafés. The Forno de Cal Tradicional was probably built to supply lime for the mortar used in the Real Fábrica do Gelo complex and to whitewash its silos. This presumed function adds the building material intended for the complex to the ice factory’s history.

The Convento dos Dominicanos, also known as the Convento de Nossa Senhora das Neves, is also located in the Serra de Montejunto. Experts date it to the period between 1720 and 1765. It was probably an important place of worship during this period. The dating and its possible religious significance are linked: the assessment of the convent as a place of worship refers to the period mentioned.

Festivals and Vinho Leve

The Festa das Adiafas and the Festival Nacional do Vinho Leve are held annually in the Vila de Cadaval. The festivals feature themes including gastronomy, exhibitions, performances and equestrian activities. As dates and programmes vary from one edition to the next, check the dates for the edition you wish to attend before travelling.

Several wineries from the region take part in the Festival Nacional do Vinho Leve each year. They offer their ranges of Vinho Leve for tasting and sale; the wineries represented change from one edition to the next. If you would like to plan your stay around the festival, you can factor the dates and programme of the specific edition into your plans. The festival’s annual return and the changing participation of wineries are two distinct aspects: one describes how often the event is held, the other what to expect at each edition.

Getting there and planning your stay

Bombarral station is the closest railway station to Cadaval, around 7 km away. Check train services and onward connections before travelling. The distance provides a concrete reference point for planning your journey; actual connections depend on timetables and onward transport.

If you are looking for a hotel, it is best to decide first what will be the main focus of your stay. If you are visiting a festival, the dates of that edition are key; for a nature-focused trip, consider the marked trails; and for a rail journey, look at connections via Bombarral.

Discover more destinations

Cadaval, Vermelha, Paço De Arcos, Oeiras, Lisbon, Monte De Caparica, Mafra, Cascais

For the main travel overview: Lisbon.