Discover Furadouro

Furadouro is a destination where karst landscapes, water and religious traditions offer different points of interest. When planning your trip, it is worth considering the landscape and how it formed, as well as the seasonal viewing period for the waterfall and the dates of the pilgrimages. This will help you decide which focus best suits your trip when looking for a hotel for a stay in Furadouro.

Karst Landscapes and Water

The Buracas do Casmilo are located in the parish of Furadouro. Their present-day shape was formed when the central section of a karst cavity tunnel collapsed, exposing the remaining sides of a former cave. The Buracas are therefore not simply a single cave, but show what remained visible after part of the underground formation collapsed.

Lapiés formations can also be found in the Buracas do Casmilo valley. On steeper sections, channels and grooves indicate the direction of water flow. The Campo de Lapiás do Casmilo describes another aspect of this karst landscape: it is known as a “stone desert” and was formed by water infiltration followed by the corrosion and dissolution of limestone. Taken together, these formations illustrate different traces of the interaction between water and limestone.

The Cascata do Rio dos Mouros originates in the Canhão Fluviocársico do Rio dos Mouros. The waterfall can be viewed in winter and spring. This seasonal information is especially useful if you are planning your trip specifically to see the waterfall; it differs from the fixed dates of the pilgrimages.

Trails and Activities

The Passadiços do Rio dos Mouros run along the banks of the Rio dos Mouros. They connect the waterfall with the Ponte das Ruínas by the Ruínas de Conímbriga. The PR2 Rota de Sicó provides another connection: it links the Maciço Calcário de Sicó near Casmilo with the Canhão Fluviocársico do Rio dos Mouros. Both routes include the river area, but lead to different named locations.

There are more than 60 designated climbing routes of varying difficulty at the Buracas do Casmilo. In addition, the Buracas are considered a challenge for orienteering, mountaineering, rappelling and climbing. This offers a different perspective on the landscape from its geological formations: here, the focus is on the activities mentioned and the varying difficulty of the climbing routes.

Chapel and Pilgrimages

Two pilgrimages are held annually in Furadouro at the Chapel of Senhora do Círculo: one on the second Sunday after Easter and one on Ascension Day. From the chapel, there are views of the karst landscapes of the Vale das Buracas. This place thus brings together a religious occasion and views of the characteristic landscape. If you would like to plan your trip around one of the pilgrimages, check the dates in advance.

For planning your trip, there are several points of reference: the waterfall is associated with winter and spring, while the pilgrimages take place on the second Sunday after Easter and on Ascension Day. The Buracas and the routes, in turn, bring the landscape formations and activities into focus without being tied to either of these dates. When looking for a hotel in Furadouro, you can first decide whether your preferred focus is karst, the routes mentioned or a pilgrimage, and then choose a suitable travel period.

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