Murça: Archaeology, Roman roads and river landscapes

Murça reveals itself through very different traces: a green, granite landscape of woodland, paths along the Tua and Tinhela, and archaeological sites with a history dating back long before Roman times. Buildings, markets and traditional sweets are also among the themes that shape a trip here.

Landscape and paths by the water

The Serra da Garraia is known as a green, granite landscape of woodland. Olive groves are also part of the scenery and are associated with the Rota de Azeite. From the Miradouro de São Domingos, panoramic views extend across Murça and the surrounding vineyards and olive groves. The Miradouro Casa da Floresta is in Sobreira, beside an old forest lodge in a newly reforested area, and overlooks the Tua River.

The trails differ in their routes and surroundings. The Trilho da Sobreira follows the right bank of the Tua to the village of Sobreira, then continues to the Miradouro Casa da Floresta. The Trilho do Tinhela runs along the left bank of the Tinhela to near its mouth and passes thermal springs. It lies in the Microrreserva do Rio Tinhela, whose habitats include forests, riparian galleries and aquatic areas. The Trilho dos Passadiços do Tinhela uses wooden walkways and small viewing points along the riverside landscape. It begins and ends at the Porta de Entrada de Murça of the Parque Natural Regional do Vale do Tua.

Those interested in the Caminho Português de Santiago de Leon de Rosmithal will find a different kind of route: the pilgrimage route is about 240 kilometres long and connects natural, religious and historical heritage. It can currently only be followed with GPS, as it is not signposted. Whether you are planning an outing by the water or a longer pilgrimage, the area offers very different kinds of routes.

Archaeology and architectural history

Crasto de Palheiros, also known as Fragada do Castro, is a quartzite ridge shaped and built upon by the region’s inhabitants from the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC to the present day. During the Chalcolithic period, between 2900 and 2300 BC, the 2.5-hectare ridge was transformed into a stone monument. In the Iron Age, it was once again used as a settlement; this settlement lasted about 500 years and was abandoned towards the end of the 1st century AD. The Centro Interpretativo do Crasto de Palheiros opened on 1 June 2009. In the Vale do Tua, Crasto is also considered one of five particularly suitable places for observing planets, stars and constellations.

Roman history can also be traced at specific sites. A Roman road ran through Murça, connecting Astorga with the mouth of the Douro and crossing the Tinhela. The Ponte e Calçada Romana was built by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago and was subsequently used and maintained continuously. The bridge thought to be the original Roman one was replaced by another in the second half of the 16th century. A path leads to the Ponte e Calçada Romana, branching off to the right from the EN15 at kilometre 145; another access point is near the Escola Profissional de Murça.

On Praça 5 de Outubro stands the Pelourinho de Murça, which was included in the first Portuguese decree of 1910 classifying historic buildings as National Monuments. This 16th-century Manueline monument has a twisted shaft, a capital with heraldic symbols and five twisted pinnacles. The Igreja Matriz de Murça features gilded carved altarpieces, a 16th-century triptych by Pedro de França, a crucified Christ and a Gothic depiction. The present church was rebuilt and enlarged around 1734 after an earlier chapel was destroyed by fire.

Traditions and regional cuisine

Other historic buildings include the Paços do Concelho, a 17th-century manor house occupying the entire north wing of Praça 5 de Outubro, also known as Praça Velha. The Porca de Murça is a stone Berrão statue from the Iron Age; Celtic fertility cults may have been associated with it. The Feira de Murça takes place on the 13th and 28th of each month. Its history goes back to a medieval market charter issued by D. Dinis on 18 April 1304.

Queijadas de Murça are a convent sweet. The outer pastry is made with flour, eggs, water, salt and fat; the filling contains sugar, egg yolks, pumpkin jam, almonds and cinnamon. The women confectioners of Murça preserve the recipe. Toucinho-do-Céu is also part of the local tradition of sweets: it is considered a traditional pastry of the Benedictine nuns, who lived for centuries in a convent of São Bento in Murça until the end of the 19th century. It is believed that the original recipe originated there.

Murça lies within the demarcated Douro wine region. The municipality’s agriculture includes wine, olive oil and honey. The Feira do Azeite e do Vinho takes place each year on the second weekend in May. Murça’s largest summer pilgrimage festival is dedicated to Nosso Senhor dos Aflitos and falls on the second weekend in July. If you are planning a trip around one of these dates, check the exact event dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Murça, Candedo, Noura, Ribeira De Pena, Oura, Vales, Santa Marta De Penaguião, Alijó.

For the overview of the wider area: Vila Real.