Perafita between Coast and History

Perafita brings together coastal landscapes and archaeological and historical themes. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, beaches, the Parque de Dunas da Praia da Memória and traces from different eras offer concrete pointers for planning your trip. Along the coast, the landscape and natural heritage take centre stage; the memorial obelisk and the Montedouro necropolis offer historical perspectives.

Beaches and natural heritage

Praia da Memória has an open stretch of sand surrounded by dunes and a few rocks. The landscape thus brings the beach together with the forms that surround it. Praia do Marreco lies close to the village of Perafita. There, a wide sandy beach and a stretch of coast where the shoreline forms a kind of bay define the character of the beach. By comparison, Praia da Memória is characterised by its open sandy expanse, dunes and few rocks, while Marreco is characterised by the width of its sandy beach and the bay-like shape of the coastline.

The Parque de Dunas da Praia da Memória promotes and interprets the natural heritage of the coast. It offers interpretive visits focused on observing fauna and flora. This provides an explicitly nature-focused perspective alongside the views of the landscape: these visits centre on animal and plant life. If you plan to take part in one, it is best to check the dates in advance.

The obelisk and the history of Praia da Memória

Praia da Memória was formerly also known as Arenosa or Ladrões Beach. It received its present name after a memorial obelisk was erected at the site where liberal troops under D. Pedro IV landed in 1832. The Obelisco da Praia da Memória commemorates this event: on 8 July 1832, the troops came ashore on a beach near Arnosa do Pampelido, between Perafita and Lavra. The beach’s name, the monument and the memory of the landing thus form part of a connected historical narrative.

The obelisk’s construction began later than the event it commemorates. Its foundation stone was laid on 1 December 1840, and the monument was completed 24 years later. The obelisk is made of granite. At its summit are two metal crowns, and at its base are four limestone plaques. The dates make it possible to understand the time that elapsed between the landing and the construction of the monument; the materials and structural elements also give the memorial a distinct architectural form.

Archaeological traces in Montedouro

In Pampelido, Perafita, the Necrópole Medieval de Montedouro consists of five graves cut into granite bedrock. They are not anthropomorphic—that is, they are not shaped like a human body—and are dated to the High Middle Ages, from the 7th to the 11th century. One of the graves lies on the crest of a hill in Montedouro. It is oval and has a rim—a specific feature within the group.

A much earlier period is also represented in the Montedouro area: handmade pottery dating from the Bronze Age of the 2nd millennium BC has been found there. It indicates that settlement in the area goes back to prehistoric times. Taken together, evidence of prehistoric settlement in the Montedouro area sits alongside a medieval burial ground in Pampelido. Perafita thus spans a broad sweep of time, from early traces of settlement to graves dated to the High Middle Ages.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Azurara, Paço De Sousa, Zebreiros, Paranhos, Ancede, Rans, Arcozelo, Sendim.

Return to the main travel overview: Porto.