Picnic and discovery tour on the slopes of the Serra de Sintra
Just under a 40-minute drive from Lisbon, near a small overgrown creek on the fairytale forest slopes of the Serra de Sintra, you will find a pretty former 18th century Quinta that was made publicly available in 2007 and has been growing in popularity ever since. It is beloved among the urban families of the area.
Happy children shout. A quiet rippling stream. A restless cuckoo in the nearby forest and the occasional donkey call from far away.
We have been there many times, mostly on weekends, and have spent wonderful hours in the lush natural surroundings. Since cars are parked in a parking lot, most of the terrain is completely car-free; therefore, it’s wonderfully suitable for walks with children.
Close to the parking lot, you will find a small picnic area with wooden tables under beautiful shady trees, right next to a small stream, which calls to our children for hours of games while we chat comfortably. It’s nice to sit next to it and enjoy the delicious delicacies, coffee and wine.
If the tree stumps set up for climbing do not captivate the little ones enough, then we set off for a walk through the big farm. After just a few meters we usually peek into a cave, the Gruta do Porto Covo, where bones and tools from the Bronze and Iron Age were found and which once served as a necropolis.
Shortly thereafter, our daughters run to the lime kiln, which protrudes from the hillside as a relic of previous agricultural use. A few steps further, you can see a horse stable and a small chapel. Here, the children are unstoppable.
Behind the horse stables, the valley opens up into an organic vegetable garden, where you can harvest fresh vegetables with your children on weekdays (9am-12pm) and Saturdays (9am-1am). Payment is doled out here by weight. Packaged firewood, herbs, honey and homemade jams are also available.
The bumpy path to the left leads to a wonderful plateau that seems almost unreal in front of us. A few hilly pastures with sheep, horses and scraggy Mirandese donkeys lie in front of the imposing rock sculptures of the Serra. In between, there is plenty of space for hiking. However, please make sure that your children do not get electric shocks from the grazing fences.
We have already hosted birthday parties, hiking afternoons, and Easter egg hunts here, and each time, our children could never get enough of this little natural paradise. By the way, workshops and guided tours are also offered on a regular basis. In recent years, the LandArt Cascany festival has attracted attention with pretty installations in the Quinta. For up-to-date information on events in the Quinta do Pisão, please visit: https://ambiente.cascais.pt/pt/quinta-do-pisao/
Info:
Quinta do Pisão Estr. da Serra, Cascais
Open:
Daily 9am–6pm
Location:
38.755007, -9.423909
Directions:
Only reachable by car
Away:
Very good and varied on foot, even for smaller children. Only partially suitable for strollers. Cycling is now mostly possible.
Bicycle and Segway rental:
At the moment, you can rent electric Segway transporters or bicycles daily between 10:00 and 18:00 next to the parking lot. Bicycle trailers and child seats are apparently free of charge.
