Lisbon to Serra da Estrela 3-Day Itinerary

Easy Hikes, Wildflowers, Mountain Villages & Local Cheese (Based in Sabugueiro)

Looking for a slower-paced mountain escape in Portugal? Serra da Estrela is one of the best places to visit in early June, when wildflowers are in bloom, mountain streams are flowing, and temperatures are ideal for exploring the outdoors. This 3-day Serra da Estrela itinerary is designed around staying in Portugal’s highest village, Sabugueiro, with easy hikes, scenic drives, quiet villages, and plenty of time to enjoy the mountain atmosphere.

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Day 1: Roman Ruins, River Walks & Arrival in Sabugueiro

Lisbon → Conímbriga

Drive time: ~2 hr 15 min

Break up the drive north with a stop at one of Portugal’s most impressive Roman archaeological sites. The ruins are just a few minutes off the highway, making this a convenient place to stretch your legs.

Conímbriga is known for:

• Exceptionally preserved mosaics
• Roman houses and streets
• Forum remains
• Outdoor archaeological areas
• Museum with history and artifacts

Suggested visit time: 1-2 hours

Pro Tip: Conimbriga is a nice picnic lunch stop. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the large picnic area near the carpark. There is also an on-site café. The sandwiches were decent, though the coffee was not great during our last visit.

Conímbriga → Loriga

Drive time: ~1 hr 45 min

Continue into the mountains toward one of Serra da Estrela’s most scenic villages. Loriga is known as Portugal’s Switzerland due to the beautiful surrounding landscape.

Calhão Mogueiro Hike (Waterfalls)

Begin your Serra experience at the river beach in Loriga.

If you’d like to stretch your legs, take the short riverside hike to Calhão Mogueiro waterfalls. We were expecting an easier hike from the Alltrails reviews. While this is fairly easy to follow, the trail is quite uneven and overgrown in parts. Enjoy the river, waterfall, and mountain views along the trail. Note that this is not an ideal trail for those with mobility issues.

• Distance: 1.4 miles (2.2 km) round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Great water views, especially early in the season

Suggested time: 45–75 minutes

Praia Fluvial de Loriga

After your hike, enjoy the natural pools at the Praia Fluvial. There is a small café and restrooms on site. Note that dogs are not allowed at the river beach.

Explore Loriga

Before continuing on, take time to explore the town of Loriga.

• Wander the narrow streets
• Enjoy views across the terraces
• Grab a coffee or snack at Cafe Montanha

Suggested time: 30–45 minutes

Scenic Drive to Sabugueiro

Drive time: ~35–40 minutes (allow longer with stops)

Take the mountain road and stop at:

• Vista Panorâmica da Lagoa Comprida: One of the best panoramic views over the high plateau and reservoir.
• Vale da Nave Travessa: Beautiful mountain scenery and excellent photography opportunities.

If you’d like to stock up on groceries for your stay, it may be easier to go from Loriga to Seia for shopping, then on to Sabugeiro. In that case, you can save the scenic drive for the next day. While you can find essentials at the mini market in Sabugueiro, it is somewhat limited.

Explore Sabugueiro

Settle into your accommodation and enjoy the slower mountain pace as you explore town.

Ideas:

• Walk through the village center
• Visit the Sabugueiro River Beach (Praia Fluvial)
• See the traditional Community Oven
• Browse local crafts and Burel products
• Stop at the Natural Water Fountains throughout town
• Enjoy dinner and try Serra da Estrela cheese (try Cantinho d’aldeia – Sabugueiro for a great selection of local dishes.

Keep this flexible depending on arrival time. You can always enjoy some of these activities the following afternoon or evening.

Day 2: Plateau Hike + Scenic Mountain Drive + Zêzere Valley

Sabugueiro → Lagoa Comprida

Drive time: ~10–15 minutes

Arrive early for quieter conditions and to avoid the heat on summer days.

Important note: Lagoa Comprida sits at about 1600 meters above sea level. Be sure to bring along extra water for your adventures.

Hike: Covão dos Conchos

Enjoy this hike that departs from the main Lagoa da Comprida parking lot (behind the dam). Much of the out and back trails is on a wide, gravely road. The rocks can be a bit slippery when walking downhill, but it isn't too technical. You'll enjoy beautiful views over Lagoa Comprida during a portion of the hike, then enjoy the plateau scenery en route to Covão dos Conchos. During late spring, enjoy the wildflowers along the way.

• Distance: ~8–9 km round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Suggested time: 2.5–3.5 hours

Once you reach the lake with the spillway, you may not be able to immediately see the spillway. Continue walking along the lake on the narrow trail around the dam and it comes into view. Be aware of the signs warning of areas you should not enter.

Guided hikes are available!

Alternate Lagoa Comprida Activities:

Lagoa Comprida has a number of activities to enjoy.

• Take a paddle board (SUP) tour on Lagoa Comprida. Adaptive paddle board experiences are available.
• Walk around the dam (and along the side of the lake), enjoying the views

Note that there are some small stores and a café at the base of the dam in case you'd like to pick up a snack or souvenir.

Lunch

Depending on when you start your hike, there are a number of lunch options:

• Picnic at Lagoa Comprida
• The ski area at Torré has a restaurant and a few shops where you can buy sandwiches and local cheese and sausages.
• Picnic at Covão d’Ametade. This green, shady river area is a popular picnic spot.
• Varanda da Estrela has a cozy, chalet style ambience.

Afternoon Scenic Drive

Spend the afternoon exploring deeper into the mountains. This drive leads up over 1900 meters of elevation, past the ski area, and down on the east side. There are some steep drop-offs on the side of the road leading east from Torré, reminiscent of Trail Ridge Road in Rock Mountain National Park.

Drive time:
~30 minutes total + stops

Pro Tip: The road from Sabugueiro up to the ski area (and beyond) is very popular with cyclists. Be aware of cyclists, especially when pulling out of the many miradouro's.
If you'd like to bike on this beautiful pass, rent a bike in Seia at Serra da Estrela Cycling Center.

Recommended stops:

• Miradouro da Barragem do Covão do Forno: Beautiful lake and mountain views.
• Torré, the ski area located at 1900+ meters over sea level. In the summer, enjoy the views, hikes, and restaurant on site.

• Miradouro do Cântaro Magro, with expansive vistas to enjoy
• Miradouro do Vale Glaciar do Zêzere: One of the best overlooks of Portugal’s glacial valley.

• Miradouro do Covão: Broad views across the valley and peaks.
• Covão do Boi, with its Santuário da Nossa Senhora da Boa Estrela: this one is easy to miss. Take time to walk around the sanctuary.

Take your time—this road is one of the highlights of Serra da Estrela.

Covão d’Ametade

Finish the drive at one of the prettiest locations in the park.

Enjoy an easy walk:

• Flat valley-floor trails
• Birch trees and streams
• Flexible distance (1–3 km)

This is a wonderful picnic area.

Return to Sabugueiro

Relax and enjoy another quiet mountain evening.

If skipped yesterday:

• Explore village streets
• Visit shops and fountains
• Enjoy sunset views

For dinner with beautiful views, try Mirante da Estrela.

Day 3: Sabugueiro, Waterfall + Seia + Return to Lisbon

Enjoy breakfast in town, taking time to explore town, the river beach, or nearby waterfall hike.

Fervença Waterfall Hike

This short & moderate hike leaves right from the center of town (next to the church). While Alltrails has this trail going counter-clockwise, we recommend going clockwise. This gives you a steeper uphill, but a less technical and less steep downhill. While the elevation gain isn't too demanding, the trail is overgrown in parts, and slippery in others.

• Distance: Approximately 3–4 km round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Suggested time: 1–1.5 hours

Pro Tip: Check recent reviews on Alltrails or Wikiloc before you go. The steep section of the trail can be quite wet and slippery on the way down. The waterfalls were not impressive during our hike, though the views over the valley more than made up for that.

Continue to Seia

Drive time:
~20 minutes

Explore:

• Museum of Pão (Bread)
• Historic center
• Local shops

Optional:
Arrange a local cheese-making experience or tasting.

Suggested time:
1.5–2 hours

Return to Lisbon

Drive time: ~3 hours

Looking for an easy place to stop for lunch on the way back to Lisbon? A few options that we'd recommend are:

• The restaurant at the Piscinas do Mondego is great for a casual stop (and the veranda is dog-friendly). It's just off the highway and across the river from Coimbra.
• Just a short drive from the Piscinas, enjoy a more historic meal at O Convento, the restaurant at the Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Velha

Coimbra is a wonderful city to explore for a day or more. Check out our 4 day Coimbra itinerary for inspiration on what to explore in this area.

Driving Summary

• Lisbon → Conímbriga: ~2h15
• Conímbriga → Loriga: ~1h45
• Loriga → Sabugueiro (with scenic stops): ~1–1.5 hr
• Sabugueiro → Lagoa Comprida: ~10–15 min
• Sabugueiro → Covão d’Ametade: ~30 min
• Sabugueiro → Seia: 15-20 min
• Seia → Lisbon: ~3 hr

Consider combining this with our Lisbon to Coimbra or Lisbon to Porto road trips.

We use and recommend DiscoverCars.com for our car rentals. Search for your car rental below:

Where to Stay in Sabugueiro, Portugal

For this itinerary, we recommend staying in Sabugueiro, Portugal’s highest village. Compared with staying lower in the valley, Sabugueiro gives you quicker access to Lagoa Comprida, Covão dos Conchos, and the Serra da Estrela plateau, while still offering restaurants, mountain views, and a relaxed village atmosphere.

One thing that struck us when visiting Sabugueiro is the sheer number of vacation rentals around town (alojamentos locais). That said, we saw many more locals than tourists as we wandered through town.

Tip: Be sure to reserve early for weekend or holiday visits. Sabugueiro has fewer lodging options than nearby Seia or Manteigas, and rooms with mountain views tend to book first.

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