Aldeia do Mato, River beach near Castelo do Bode Dam, Santarém, Portugal.
Aldeia do Mato sits along the Castelo do Bode Reservoir and merges village buildings with water and pine forests. The settlement spreads beside the lakeshore with open water access and green spaces woven throughout the residential areas.
The settlement took shape in the 13th century as a forest community where residents lived from olive and pine cultivation. The dam construction in 1951 reshaped the landscape and created the water body that exists today.
The Church of Santa Maria Madalena sits at the village center and shapes how locals use the main spaces around it. The building gives the community a focal point where people naturally gather and pause.
The location is open year-round with lighter water and beach activity in warmer months. The best time for water-based pursuits is May through October when equipment and instruction are most readily available.
The village occupies land where olive groves once grew before being submerged beneath the reservoir waters. This hidden chapter means visitors can sense the layered story beneath the surface when looking across the lake.
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