What to visit

Let yourself be enchanted by stunning landscapes to lose sight of, authentic flavors that have crossed generations, the genuineness of the people, the traditions, the stillness of the mountain: Arganil - a place for the senses.

Source CMArganil

Fraga da Pena

It is in the middle of the Mata da Margaraça, inserted in the Protected Area of the Serra do Açor, that hides the Fraga da Pena, a privileged place of encounter with nature. An idyllic setting where water clears its way through the vegetation and shale, and splits into a majestic waterfall over 20 meters. An extraordinary natural wonder that remains untouched by man and where an impressive serenity prevails only interrupted by the sound of water and the chirping of birds. Originated by a geological accident, the falls of water that hide among that floristic group of high interest, constitute a paradisiacal place that stands out for its authenticity and freshness.

Historical Village of Piódão

It is an architectural ensemble of rare beauty due to its natural setting, but also for its antiquity, unity and state of preservation of buildings, being nicknamed by many as "nativity village" given its configuration that spreads along the hillside with the houses in shale and slate and the windows and doors painted blue, in amphitheater.

It is part of the "Historical Villages" typology. It is known that the village of Piódão served as a shelter to many who were intended to hide or for political reasons in times more severe, or for legal reasons. However, it was not just fugitives who sought her out. In the 19th century, Cónégo Manuel Fernandes Nogueira, founded a college that prepared students for the entrance to the seminary. Many boys from Beira Interior passed through the college between 1886 and 1906.

The history of the village is lost in the night of time. Few are the remains that allow to reconstruct the history, nevertheless, the archaeological finds of Chãs d'Égua are an important testimony of the possible antiquity of the village.

Rock Art Interpretive Center

The almost 100 recorded rocks already discovered in the parish of Piódão constitute the most important concentration of rock art known up to now in the territory that extends between the Tagus and Baixo Côa.

This fact was decisive for the installation of the Rock Art Interpretive Center in the symbolic center of this territory - Chãs d'Égua. This center also serves as a reception site for guided visits to various rock cores.

There is a conviction that the Piódão engravings are just one of the tips of a much more complex ball, and its icnography is inscribed in a wider context in the Serra do Açor. The possibility of a network connection between the various interpretive centers in the Serra do Açor also rehearses its first steps through the creation of a circuit between the Interpretive Center of Chãs d'Égua and the Rock Art Nucleus of Casa Grande in Barroca do Zêzere. It is intended that this initiative be the embryo of future partnerships in the field of rock art, allowing the constitution of a rock art route in the Serra do Açor.