Penedono: History, Festivals and Landscape

If you are looking for a hotel in Penedono, the themes of your trip can help determine the right time to visit. The town combines a distinctive historical heritage with festivals, regional products and two hiking trails with different focuses. This makes it possible to plan your trip around your interests, whether that means architectural history, religious traditions, chestnut landscapes or local specialties. The dates and themes offer concrete guidance for making your choice.

Festivals and dates in Penedono

One event with fixed dates is the Romaria de Santa Eufémia, held annually on 15 and 16 September at the Santuário de Santa Eufémia in Penedono. It attracts thousands of pilgrims and other visitors. A fair of regional products is held alongside the Romaria. These include Marrã, a pork dish cooked in wine in an iron pot. Visitors interested in religious traditions and regional cuisine can experience both as part of the same festival.

The celebrations of S. Pedro take place on 29 June. They include an ethnographic parade featuring the Juntas de Freguesia and associations of the Concelho, as well as the annual Feira Anual de S. Pedro, a fair and a procession in honour of the patron saint. The Feira Medieval de Penedono usually takes place in the historic centre in early July. This historical re-enactment features street entertainment, a market for typical products, taverns serving contemporary cuisine and themed decorations. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these festivals, check the exact event dates in advance.

Historic buildings and their history

Penedono Castle stands on a rocky outcrop and dominates the region’s landscape. Its existence has been documented since the 10th century. Its documented history therefore reaches significantly further back than that of the Pelourinho de Penedono, which was built in the early 16th century. The new Foral, granted by King Manuel I on 27 November 1512, dates from this period as well. The Pelourinho is classified as an Imóvel de Interesse Público and is located in Praça 25 de Abril.

Other buildings add to this picture of the town’s history. The Igreja de S. Pedro is the only surviving one of Penedono’s three medieval parish churches. The Casa dos Freixos was built in the 17th and 18th centuries. Together, these buildings reveal different historical layers: from the castle documented since the 10th century, through the Pelourinho dating from the time of Manuel I, to the later buildings.

Two hiking trails with different focuses

The PR2 – Trilhos do Ouriço e da Castanha focuses on chestnut groves and the surrounding rural landscape. Along the trail, visitors can experience the biodiversity of flora and fauna typical of the region. The PR1 – Rota do Sirigo has a different focus: it offers insights into local wildlife, religious and geological heritage, and the natural monument Castanheiro da Guerra. This distinction can help you choose: the PR2 centres on chestnut landscapes and biodiversity, while the PR1 combines nature, religious heritage and geology.

Regional products and tastings

For a taste of the region, in addition to the fair held during the Romaria, there is the Centro de Mostra e Divulgação de Produtos Locais in the historic centre of Penedono, which offers tastings. Marrã is a specific example of a regional product associated with the festival: the meat is cooked in wine in an iron pot. You can therefore discover the local cuisine both in the context of a festival and through the tastings on offer.

For the wider travel overview: Penedono.