Vale Formoso: GR33, Cultural Heritage and Local History

Vale Formoso combines hiking trails with archaeological traces and local history. The GR33 “Irrigando a Cova da Beira” passes through the town; historic buildings and the Torre do Relógio are also associated with Vale Formoso. If you are looking for a hotel in Vale Formoso, you can first consider whether you would like to focus your stay mainly on the route, the buildings or the archaeological features. The details below offer different points of reference.

Hiking the GR33

The 55.7-kilometre section of the GR33 “Irrigando a Cova da Beira” connects Valhelhas with the Área de Descanso do Barco and passes through Vale Formoso. The distance refers to the entire section between these endpoints, not just the stretch within the town. Section 2 of the GR33 also passes through Vale Formoso and comprises seven stages on foot and one mountain-biking stage. The information therefore distinguishes between the length of a section and its division by mode of transport.

The second stage of the GR33 follows the Zêzere through orchards and then reaches the Borralheira de Orjais picnic park. This description complements the information on distance and stages with a specific route along the river and through orchards to a named destination. If you would like to include hiking in your travel plans, you can consider this route alongside its length and type of stage.

Archaeological traces

Remains from Roman times are still visible in Vale Formoso. Two castros are associated with the town, which was formerly called Aldeia do Mato. On a rocky outcrop roughly halfway along the road to Aldeia do Souto, two “covão”-type tombs carved into the rock can be seen. Remains of a paved path that connected Vale Formoso with the Torre de Centum Cellum have also been preserved. The path highlights the connection between two named places; the other archaeological evidence relates to Roman times, castros and a particular type of tomb. This makes it possible to distinguish the different traces rather than grouping them together as a single attraction.

Buildings and their history

A stone inscription in the sacristy dates the Igreja Matriz de Vale Formoso to 1717. The Capela de Nossa Senhora da Saúde, next to the cemetery, dates from 1758. The Torre do Relógio is one of Vale Formoso’s cultural heritage features and was built in 1926 with money from Portuguese emigrants in Brazil. The dates place the church, chapel and tower in chronological order: the two religious buildings date from the 18th century, while the tower was built considerably later. The funding from Portuguese emigrants in Brazil is also part of the tower’s history.

Annual traditions

A traditional village festival in honour of Nossa Senhora da Saúde is held every year in mid-August. The exact date is set each year. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the date for that year before making plans. The communal oven is also fired up four times a year: on 1 May, 15 August, 1 November and Christmas Eve. It is advisable to confirm the specific dates locally. The timing information differs: the festival is said to take place in mid-August, while the communal oven’s dates fall on four specific calendar days.

For the overall travel overview: Vale Formoso.