Discover Alcobertas

Discover Alcobertas from three distinct perspectives: megalithic and archaeological heritage, karst landscapes, and trails with specified distances. When choosing your destination, consider which focus best suits your trip. Cave visits have an explicit group requirement and must be booked in advance; the trails can be distinguished by distance and starting point. The cultural sites also cover a range of themes, from a Neolithic tomb monument to a former communal oven.

Archaeological heritage and historic use

The Dólmen de Alcobertas is a megalithic tomb monument from the Neolithic period and is one of the ten largest examples on the Iberian Peninsula. Another archaeological landmark is the Silos de Alcobertas: they form the largest known group outside an urban, domestic or religious context on the Iberian Peninsula. The silos were used to store grain, as well as containers holding other products, including olive oil, salted meat and wine. The Igreja Paroquial de Alcobertas is classified as an “Imóvel de Interesse Público” (IIP), or Property of Public Interest.

The Forno Medieval de Alcobertas was a communal oven used to fire ceramics centuries ago. It has been restored and is housed in a covered structure that serves as an interpretive space in the Núcleo Arqueológico de Alcobertas. Together, the oven, silos and dolmen show how varied Alcobertas’ archaeological themes are, from the use of a communal oven to the functions of storage facilities.

Spring, quarry and cave

Olho de Água de Alcobertas is located in Alcobertas, within the Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros. It is one of the five most important springs in the Maciço Calcário Estremenho that flow year-round. Geossítio do Vale de Barco is a former calcite quarry within the same nature park. The spring and the geosite therefore represent different aspects of the karst landscape: a spring that flows year-round and a site of former resource extraction.

Gruta de Alcobertas consists of four horizontally arranged chambers. It extends for about 210 metres and reaches a height of 9 metres in some places. Specific conditions apply to visits: at present, visits are only available to groups and require advance booking with Cooperativa Terra Chã. The cooperative offers an interpretive cave tour on the second Sunday of each month; advance booking is required for this as well. When planning, a cave visit therefore differs from a route focused on its length and starting points.

Recreation area and trails

Jardim Porto do Rio is a recreational area in Alcobertas. Its features include planted areas, a playground and equipment for physical exercise. Ribeira de Alcobertas runs through the garden, forming small cascades along the way. The focus here is therefore on both the landscaped areas and the stream with its cascades.

Two circular routes offer a direct comparison based on their stated lengths and endpoints. The Potes Mouros circular route is 4.65 kilometres long and starts and ends at Parque do Porto do Rio in Alcobertas. The Castro S. Martinho circular route is considerably longer at 16.3 kilometres; it starts and ends at Cooperativa Terra Chã in Alcobertas. If you are interested in the Caminho dos Candeeiros, the Anta-capela de Alcobertas is one of the attractions along this route. This lets you choose between two circular routes of different lengths and a trail with a specifically named destination.

Discover more destinations: Marmeleira, Rio Maior, Casais dos Monizes.

Go to the overview of the wider area: Rio Maior.