Venda Nova: Reservoir and Via Romana

Venda Nova offers two distinct ways to plan your trip: the landscape around the Barragem da Venda Nova and the cultural and historical connections to Via Romana XVII. At the reservoir, the Rio Rabagão, the calm expanse of water and Barroso take centre stage; the historical sites include Castro de Codeçoso and a Roman milestone. When choosing your destination, you can first decide whether you would rather focus on the waterside landscape or on the history and route of the Via Romana.

The reservoir and landscape along the Rio Rabagão

The Barragem da Venda Nova lies on the Rio Rabagão in the Freguesia of Venda Nova. It is accessed via the Estrada Nacional 103. The landscape combines green surroundings with calm, satin-blue water and the surrounding heights of Barroso. Motorised boating is possible at the reservoir’s river bathing area. This activity gives the body of water a specific recreational role in addition to its scenic one. If you would like to combine waterside activities with the landscape when planning your trip, the Barragem brings these two aspects together.

Castro de Codeçoso and its history

Castro de Codeçoso/Castelo is associated with Venda Nova and is almost entirely surrounded by the reservoir’s waters. During the Roman period, it served as a military prison and as the headquarters of the imperial forces’ command in the region. The Castro thus offers two different ways of understanding Venda Nova: its setting in the reservoir landscape and its clearly defined historical function. If you are interested in the area’s past, this combination of landscape setting and military role is a distinct focus alongside the waterside theme.

Via Romana XVII and the milestone

The MTR GR117 Via Romana XVII passes through Venda Nova and is certified by the Federação de Campismo e Montanhismo de Portugal. The Marco Miliário de Ponte do Arco is a milestone on Via XVII. The names refer to different scales: MTR GR117 denotes a route through Venda Nova, while the Marco is a single waymarker on Via XVII. For a historical focus, you can distinguish between a route and a specific milestone.

Choosing the right focus for your trip

If you are looking for a hotel in Venda Nova, consider whether you are more interested in the waterside landscape and the option of motorised boating, or in the Roman landmarks. Different themes take centre stage: the reservoir combines landscape with a named water activity, while the Castro, route and milestone offer different historical points of interest.

Discover more destinations: Paradela, Sidros, Gralhas, Mourilhe, Pitões Das Junias, Pincães, São Miguel De Vilar De Perdizes, Outeiro

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