With a surface of 1 187 ha and surrounded by a 21km wall, one section is occupied by the army and 819 ha are classified "protected site". One can see a large variety of vegetation as well as animals such as stags, wild boars, wolves.
This old hunting reserve can be visited Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 but it is necessary to reserve before because the visit is done on a small train.
At weekends and on public holidays the schedule is 10:15 to 14:00. The visit includes part of the reserve as well as a horse-drawn coach and a hunting museum. There is also the possibility to go for visits on foot, horseback or bike.
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Tapada |
Then you return to the Mafra round-about and you take the road back towards Ericeira. You drive 2 to 3 km, and you arrive in the village of Sobreiro where you can visit a miniature village belonging to famous ceramist Mr José Franco.
There is the mill, the baker's oven, the chapel, the fishing port, butcher's, carpenter's... And even a store where you can find ceramics and typical potteries from this area and other areas of Portugal. It is a very interesting place for children but also for adults, it can be visited during the whole year. You can buy fresh bread or bread with "chouriço". Mr Franco is a popular artist, and he makes splendid objects just with his hands, such as for example cribs or statues of various saints.
After this last visit, you will really appreciate to get back "home". Suggestion:
To avoid taking the same road twice, in the morning when leaving Ericeira, you take the road to Sintra, you pass by Foz de Lizandro, 2/3 km away - vast extended sand beach that is very much appreciated, now a surfers' meeting point - and you go to the village of Carvoeira (4 km). Upon arriving, you turn left towards Mafra. The road goes down to the bottom of the valley where there is Our Lady Ó's chapel, that is very well restored. The virgins known as "Ó" are represented pregnant (relics left by old pagan worshippers dedicated to fertility). Then, the road continues to Mafra passing by beautiful panoramas of the area.
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