Vale Glaciar do Zêzere
Vale Glaciar do Zêzere is a valley with steep U-shaped sides carved by ancient glaciers, stretching about 13 kilometers from the source of the Zêzere River to the town of Manteigas. Throughout the valley, you can spot glacial features like moraines and scattered boulders, with the river flowing through green meadows where livestock graze.
This valley was carved by a massive glacier during the last ice age more than 10,000 years ago, which left behind deposits and rock formations as it melted. The main glacier extended all the way to where Manteigas stands today, reshaping the entire landscape through its slow movement.
The valley represents how people have adapted to mountain life over centuries, visible in the old stone houses and sheep grazing on its slopes. These structures and practices remain connected to the land's rhythms and resources.
The valley has walking paths that allow you to explore at your own pace, with easier sections in the lower meadows and more challenging terrain as you climb the slopes. Wear sturdy footwear and bring adequate water, as the terrain is rocky and exposed to mountain weather conditions.
The Poio do Judeu is an enormous granite boulder transported by ancient glaciers, sitting alone in the valley like a stone sentinel from the ice age. Nearby, the small mountain lake Covão D'Ametade sits at about 4,660 feet (1,420 meters) near Magro peak and was born from glacial melt, offering clear waters surrounded by rocky shores.
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