Attractions and Places To See around Cabrela - Top 14

Safira, an abandoned village in the Alentejo region, is located near the N4 highway, between Vendas Novas and Montemor-o-Novo. It's about 20 kilometers from Montemor-o-Novo. The road to Safira is very poor, so it's best reached by car 🚗 or mountain bike. Road bikes 🚲 are strongly discouraged, as they will damage the tires and cause punctures every 100 meters. Safira, meaning "sapphire," is the name of a precious stone. The village began to be abandoned in 1930 and was completely deserted by 1965. It was home to approximately 600 people. You can still see its cemetery, a few houses 🏠, and what remains of the village church ⛪️. There was a lake and arsenic and copper mines. I recommend watching the following videos 📹 https://youtu.be/EkQ8A2DF0qg?si=GPgijKT1nhxIwfuI https://youtu.be/1LLp6FRn0vo?si=Vd_1i1Y-1F1w11Ac https://youtu.be/jbEotybYu1w?si=B7GYOjFLU-Un0FjD

The Alentejo is a region of Portugal that offers great landscapes and incredible stretches of land. For those who like to enjoy their holidays in peace and quality, there is nothing like dedicating part of those days of rest to visiting the village of Santa Susana. Located in Alcácer do Sal, this is another Portuguese village facing the problem of depopulation, but it is still full of charms and points of interest such as Thubten Phuntsog Gephel Ling, a Tibetan Buddhist retreat, located just 5 km from the village. Forget the stress of everyday life, so common in big cities. Being in Santa Susana means sharing half a dozen streets (literally) with around 200 inhabitants and where there is almost no commerce (essential goods are purchased in Alcácer do Sal). However, it has many charms, namely its rural and traditional architecture. The village is located just 1h30 from the capital and is well worth a visit.

small museum of Portuguese artillery.

The Royal Palace of Vendas Novas, known by the Palace of the Passages, currently Artillery Regiment No. 5, was the scene of one of the most beautiful stories of princesses. Wart of D. In 1728, the palace targeted two nights in bed on the way to Caia, where he was to stay D. Barbara marries D. Ferdinand VI of Spain, while on the return D. Mariana Victoria, bride of the future king D. José I, episode in the history of Portugal that became known as the Exchange of Princesses. The construction of this building took place in record time of a year, so that everything was ready to receive the princesses. Colonel José da Silva Pais and Vasconcelos intended the direction, the architecture was in charge of Custos of Vieira and a million crusaders were spent, so the result was the Palace of Great Magnanimity, considered at the time one of the largest buildings in the country. The building had many excellent divisions for the royal family and their servants and there was still an oratory and a sacristy lined with gilded carvings. From the Inn of the Kings it went into cavalry cases, set, telegraph, improvised hospital for the fight against yellow fever and finally, since 1861 and on the initiative of D. Pedro V, for the headquarters of the Artillery Practice School, so until 2013. Currently Artillery Regiment No.5​ Inside the famous palace it is still possible to observe the original frescoes on the ceilings, the fountain, which although covered, is still in the courtyard courtyard and the Palace of the King's Hunt, which is located in the artillery polygon. All the rest of the compartments of the palace now function as offices of the military unit and the rest room has been adapted to the day-to-day use of the barracks. https://www.cm-vendasnovas.pt/visitante/monumentos/palacio-das-passagens/

This ecopista (old railway turned into cycling path) goes from the city of Montemor-o-novo to Torre de gadanha, which is just a train station where trains don't stop anymore. The track is paved until km4, from where turns to a compact gravel. The landscape is of montado (typical landscape of Alentejo region) with lots of cork trees shadowing the path (which is desirable in this hot region). There is a café next to an old train station of Paião at km8, but the rest of the ecopista is pretty isolated with no water or other services along the way. It is best done on spring when the fields are still green and flowers blossoming. Cattle can also be seen along the way (sheeps, horses and cows).

Vendas Novas' culinary specialty, bifana. Bifanas have a special seasoning. There is a great offer of bifanas in Vendas Novas. They are to cry and ask for more!