Serra da Lousã, Mountain range and Natura 2000 protected area in Coimbra and Leiria, Portugal
Serra da Lousã is a mountain chain in Portugal's Centro region that forms part of the Natura 2000 protected network. This range rises across the landscape with steep sections and deeper valleys, creating varied terrain where hiking trails connect different areas and reveal the changing vegetation and rock formations as you move through them.
This mountain chain has a long history of human settlement, where local communities built stone bridges, mills for grinding grain, and presses for extracting oil to support their farming lives. These structures remain visible today and demonstrate how people shaped the landscape to work with the natural resources available to them.
The traditional schist villages scattered across this mountain show how locals have built their homes using stone directly from the landscape for centuries. Walking through these settlements, you see how the architecture reflects the way people adapted to living on steep terrain and worked with what nature provided.
This protected area offers marked trails for walking, biking, and other outdoor activities spread across multiple locations. Plan your visit based on what activities interest you and how much time you have, since the terrain varies from easier valley paths to more demanding steep sections.
This mountain supports rare animals such as the Iberian emerald lizard, peregrine falcon, and greater horseshoe bat that thrive in its Mediterranean climate conditions. Although these creatures are difficult to spot, their presence underscores why this area matters for wildlife protection.
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