Central Way

From Largo da Igreja we cross Casebres until Rua da Maforinha, which takes us to the village periphery. Along 3.5 km we walk through a dense eucalyptus plantation, cyclically devastated for paper pulp production, so we can both walk under good shade or a blazing sun.

We then enter into extensive pine forest where in some times of the year we can see groups of people collecting pine cones to remove the pine nuts, and other resins, with multiple industrial and consumer applications. We access the road to pass the bridge over the Marateca stream and we don’t come back to the forest. The missing 3 km are completed through an almost deserted road until we enter Herdade da Palhavã, which we’ll cross to reach Vendas Novas town. However, considering the fatigue and time of the day, we decide to continue straight ahead another 1 km until Cabrela for a break and a “bifana” (pork sandwich)! We complement it with a Filhós de Cabrela, a traditional sweet from the village, nowadays appreciated in all coastal Alentejo.

Before returning to the Path, we learn a bit more about Cabrela’s past, as we discover on the mother church’s main façade a small image of the spatharios cross, also evident in the locality’s blazon. We return to the entrance of the Herdade da Palhavã and follow a 3 km stretch of trodden sand, crossing cork and holm oak forests, some creeks and herds pastures. We leave Herdade da Palhavã through another gate on the opposite side, and after 5.5 km we cross the viaduct over the A6 motorway and sight Vendas Novas already nearby.

We walk another 3 km in macadam until we reach Estrada da Afeiteira, which leads us to the urban nucleus of Vendas Novas through Avenida 25 de Abril. We pass a replica of a windmill that should house the Tourism Office but, once it is closed, we continue to the City Council, in Avenida da República, via Rua António Coelho de Oliveira, where we finished today’s stage.

Vendas Novas is a young and “practical” city, with no great traces of beauty or patrimonial wealth. In the 18th century, it was still a mere hamlet originated by a “Venda” (Sale), i.e., a small area of commerce for muleteers and travelers, which was only significantly boosted by effect of the Palácio das Passagens construction (where were based the Artillery’s Militar Regiment No. 5 and the Museum of Artillery Academy No. 5).

Its gastronomy is also “practical” as, perhaps due to the high proportion of the military population and industrial workers, it is focused on the famous Bifanas de Vendas Novas (sandwiches of pork meat) and various soups. To accompany, the wines produced in the region, which are gaining space and recognition, so it is worth to visit a winery and be inebriated with their particular aromas. In Vendas Novas we also take the opportunity to visit the Queijaria das Romãs, with a long history of artisan production of fresh cheese, cottage cheese and, for connoisseurs, the “almece”, a traditional Alentejo product, resulting from the whey curd of sheep cheese.