Leisure & Nature

Picnic Park

A pocket of shade and water minutes from the village: picnic tables under old holm oaks, covered barbecues and a stream running alongside. The right spot for an unhurried Alentejo picnic.

Blue-and-white concrete picnic tables in the shade of holm oaks, with the barbecue shelter behind

The park

The Santa Clara-a-Nova picnic park sits in a small valley southwest of the village, right by a stream, in the shade of old holm oaks. It was built by the parish council (Junta de Freguesia) in 1998, as the whitewashed inscription at the entrance recalls: "Welcome. Keep the park clean. Thank you."

The tables and benches are masonry, painted white and blue in the Alentejo manner, and a tiled shelter houses the brick barbecues. At the far end, a concrete walkway crosses the stream to a traditional vaulted fountain, whitewashed, with its tank alongside. Even at the height of summer the stream keeps pools of water among the oleanders.

At a glance

Distance from the village	2.6 km (~5 min by car, ~35 min on foot)
Built	Parish council (Junta de Freguesia), 1998
GPS coordinates	37.47277 N, 8.15618 W
Entry	Free, open year-round
Ground	Packed earth, plenty of natural shade

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What you will find

•Masonry picnic tables and benches (several sets)
•Brick barbecues under a tiled shelter
•Traditional fountain with a tank, across the stream
•Holm-oak shade throughout the day
•A stream with pools of water even in summer

Getting there

From the village centre, leave by Rua do Poço and follow the paved road southwest for about 1.8 km, to the bridge over the stream; then turn onto the dirt track on the right and continue some 700 metres to the park.

Tips

•Take your rubbish with you, as the entrance inscription asks
•The fountain water carries no drinkability notice: bring your own
•The final stretch is a dirt track, passable by car with care
•The ALD P64 and P66 mountain-bike routes (Cyclin' Portugal) pass on the tracks alongside
•In the hot season, mind the fire rules: use only the barbecues and respect wildfire restrictions

Gallery

Entrance of the picnic park with the parish council's 1998 inscription asking visitors to keep the park clean

White-and-blue shelter housing the park's brick barbecues

Traditional vaulted whitewashed fountain by the stream, with a tank alongside

Pool of water in the stream among oleanders and holm oaks, next to the park

Nearby

Extend the outing to the Boavista Windmill, the 453 m viewpoint on the neighbouring summit, about 3 km along the rural tracks.

Boavista Windmill