Rota das Poças

Route starting and ending at the Parish Council headquarters. Heading down through the village along the main street, we pass the old washhouses and fountain, now a recreational area. Further down, we come to the Church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade, then head down toward the centuries-old public washhouses. We then enter the dirt paths of the lowlands, which once led to the Óbidos Lagoon and are now used as floodplains for horticulture, floriculture, and fruit farming. We continue along the Rio Real to its confluence with the Arnóia River, near the old airfield, and then skirt part of the Poça da Cativa (Small), before climbing up to the overlooking the area, in the Coelheira region, where we’ll enjoy superb views of the extensive floodplains surrounding the Poças. On the way down, we’ll skirt the Poça da Cativa once more, then enter the majestic Poça do Vau, which we’ll follow until the climb back to the village, with superb views of the Poça, the floodplains, and the Lagoa. Along this route, we’ll be able to appreciate the flora and the immense variety of wildlife, with special emphasis on countless (and rare) bird species that breed and live in the Poças, considered one of the best places in Europe for birdwatching.