Mata Nacional do Buçaco

Enclosed by high stone walls on the ridge of the Serra do Buçaco, the Mata Nacional do Buçaco is one of the most remarkable forests of Portugal. Planted by Carmelite monks in the seventeenth century as a place of contemplation, it is today a garden of exotic species — cedars, ferns, palms and the celebrated Buçaco cedar — crossed by trails and marked by chapels and lakes.

History and character

The mata was planted from the early 1600s by the Order of the Discalced Carmelites, who built the Convento de Santa Cruz and a Via Sacra of chapels among the trees. With the end of the religious orders in 1834 the forest passed to the state, and in the nineteenth century the old convent gave way to the romantic Palace Hotel that still stands within the walls.

What to see

• The Via Sacra, with its chapels hidden among the trees.
• The trees and shrubs from every continent, some of them centuries old.
• The lakes and fountains in the heart of the forest.
• The viewpoint of Cruz Alta, over the surrounding country.

Best time to visit

The forest is beautiful all year round, but spring brings flowering shrubs and autumn the changing colours of the deciduous trees. The trails vary in length; comfortable shoes are recommended.

Nearby

Within the walls stands the Bussaco Palace, and the spa town of Luso lies just outside the gates, a short drive from Coimbra and the Serra da Estrela.

Visiting

The mata is at Luso, in the municipality of Mealhada, in central Portugal, reached by road and rail. Access, guided walks and the forest rules are managed by the Fundação Mata do Buçaco; check the official page before your visit.

Information: fmb.pt.

Image credit: Mata Nacional do Buçaco, by Martina Dias 2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.