Inserted in the Protected Landscape Area of Serra do Açor, near the village of Benfeita, Fraga da Pena is a kind of replica, on a reduced scale, of Poço do Inferno, in Serra da Estrela. When heading towards Ribeira da Mata, the waters of Barroca das Degrainhas encounter a difference in level of more than 20 meters, forming a waterfall and, below, a small pond. The cliff is covered with moss and surrounded by vegetation. The temperature of the place, even in summer, is extraordinarily low.
Serra do Açor constitutes, together with Estrela and Lousã, the set of mountain ranges that practically divides Portugal in half. Partly covered by pine forests, the mountain range, which is located within the municipality of Arganil, hides details of rare beauty. The Mata da Margaraça is an example of this scenic beauty, constituting one of the rare samples of natural vegetation on schist slopes in the center of the country. Species such as chestnut, oak, laurel and some holm oaks and laurel trees make up the flora of this protected landscape area. In terms of fauna, we can highlight the …
It belongs to the Old Massif, located in the central country, and it is separated from the Estrela Mountain by the Alva river valley. It is 33 km long and 12 km wide. A part of the Protected Landscape of the Açor Hill, it is mostly composed of schist and has strong but roundish contours. At times there are valleys, water courses and interesting places, such as the waterfalls at Fraga da Pena. In this protected area, also a special note to the Margaraça Woods, of huge natural value, a part of the european network of biogenetic reservations. The vegetation …
The Alva is a tributary of the Mondego river. It has its spring on the southwest of the Estrela mountain and flows to the Mondego river, by Porto de Raiva.
