Torre is the highest point of the Serra da Estrela and of the Portuguese mainland. It is not a typical peak because it can be reached by car via an asphalt road. This highest point is 1,993 metres. To reach 2,000 metres, a seven metre high tower was built. The hike that departs from here goes through several originally glacial lakes and through the peak of the Cantaro Raso, from where we have a nice view of the area and the Cantaro Magro. It is a very varied hike that gives a beautiful perspective of the westernmost part of the Central System.

  • From Torre (1) we walk to the west, with the ski lift to our right. We find milestones here. The trail is primarily going west but also slightly northward. After 20 minutes we reach a rock point (2) from where we have the first beautiful view over the lakes.
  • Ten minutes later (3), when we see the Lagoa do Covao das Quelhas beneath us, we have to take a trail downhill. We have to search for it a bit, but if you look closely you can see milestones. We descend to the lake and walk further ahead with the lake to our right. To our left we see the Lagoa Serrano. At the end of the lake we walk via a small dam (4).
  • A little further on we cross a wide path (5) where we go straight ahead, onto the narrow trail. Twenty minutes later we come out on the asphalt road (7), where we go a short stretch to the right and a few minutes later leave the road again on the left, onto a small trail (8). Here we see milestones again.
  • Further on we find yellow-red marking and yet a little further on we pass a small lake (9). More than twenty minutes further we get to another nice lake (10) to our right. The trail here, behind the lake, turns to the right. We see a cross mark here, but it is nice to go straight past it and walk to a nice viewpoint (11).
  • From this viewpoint we walk back to the trail (10) and follow it to the left. From this path we get a nice view of the Cantaro Magro. Eventually we end up again on the asphalt road (12) and we turn left.
  • Five minutes later (13) the asphalt road goes straight ahead to Torre, but we turn left. In less than ten minutes, in the bend of the road, we have a nice viewpoint (14) on the Cantaro Magro.
  • We further follow the road until in less than ten minutes we see a small trail (15) to the left of the road.
  • Through this slightly marked trail we reach the Cantaro Raso (16) in 15 minutes.
  • We walk back to the asphalt road (15) via the same trail, turn right and pretty quickly leave the road on the left onto a trail (17), signposted towards Torre.
  • This trail ascends pretty steeply and takes us back to Torre (1) in twenty minutes.

Route The Lagoons of Torre