Santiago between Farms and Oak Groves
Code: STC PR1
Geographical location: Santiago do Cacém
Type: Circular walk
Main themes: Farms and Cork Oaks
Distance: 14 km
Approximate duration: 3 to 4 hours
Type of surface: Country and forest paths
Ascent/descent: 323 m
Minimum altitude: 56 m
Maximum altitude: 232 m
Level of difficulty: Medium
Certifications: Approved by the FPCM (Portuguese Camping and Mountaineering Federation)
Start and finish: The garden at Quinta do Chafariz
Geographical coordinates: N38º01'03'' W08º41'49''
Geographical coordinates: 38.017671º -8.697143º
Where to park: Public car park near the market
Useful Contacts: Santiago do Cacém Tourist Board
Telephone: +351 269 826 696
E-mail: turismo@cm-santiagocacem.pt
These are the famous lands settled in mediaeval times by the Order of Saint James of the Sword, vital in the conquest and Christianisation of the territory that would later become the Kingdom of Portugal. It is from this memory that the name Santiago derives; and associated with this name is Kassém, from the Arabic, the civilisation that inherited the important Roman metropole of Miróbriga and various Celtic and prehistoric vestiges. Over time, the rural space was divided up and an attractive mosaic of working farms gave way to estates and oak groves that define a landscape of greenery and life.
This trail reveals two different but complementary aspects of the rural world. In the area closest to the urban centre we have small farms with orchards laid out on flat ground and served by good access routes. Gradually, these give way to hillier ground, with areas of pine and oak forests. The landscapes reveal how harmoniously people here live with their surroundings, sometimes creating scenery of outstanding beauty, marked by the distant view of the urban landscape of Santiago de Cacém.
