A Tour Between Cascades And Schist Villages, Piodão

The drive was beautiful. It was great to get out of Coimbra for a day and enjoy the countryside. The high points for us were the windmills and the schist villages - exploring and learning their history. Our guide Sergio was very knowledgeable and was a great driver on the twisty roads. It was very hot and wading in the icy cold river was a perfect ending to our day and revived our tired feet. Well worth the time and cost!

Thank you Sergio (I hope I got your name correct) for a fantastic trip to Windmills, Cascades & Schist villages, Piódão. Sergio was on time (actually was early and wait for us 😊) a great guide with good driving and information. Thank you for taking and introducing us to many wonderful sightseeing places. Your recommendations Chanfana lunch was delicious. The pace was excellent and we luck out with just the 2 of us for this trip so it is like a “private tour”.

What an amazing tour. Sergio absolutely raised the bar for what a guided tour could provide. From enthusiasm, knowledge, kindness and patience. The sights were unique and Sergio provided context and details to a perfectly planned trip around the historic sites surrounding Coimbra.

The personalized tour guiding of Fatima showcased her in- depth knowledge on Geology, Botanicals and History of the Schist Villages, including Piodao. She was concerned about my safety and comfort as we drove past winding roads and the rough terrain in Piodao that ended up myself grasping her arm as we walked past. ( I am in my 6th decade) . An engaging adventure where every step reveals new wonders of “ ahs” and truly enriches the soul . Not a tinge of regret . Oh yes, I was gifted with tons of digital photos to take me back to this memorable experience, A+

It was a really great day! Our guide, Sergio was really nice and made everything awesome! I highly recommend this tour !!

We had a wonderful day up in the mountains with Sergio. His English was excellent and he was very knowledgeable. We loved the old grain windmills, the watermill, schist village and Fraga do Pena was stunning. A tour not to be missed!

We had such a wonderful day with Sergio. It was perfect. He showed us so many wonderful sites, took his time with us and shared amazing pictures. Highly recommend!!!

We had a wonderful day tour of the Cascades and Shist Villages, Piodao with Sérgio. If you are considering a trip outside of Coimbra and want beautiful scenery and an experience you wont forget I highly recommend this tour. Sérgio was so kind, and extremely knowledgeable. We stopped at various spots along the way to Piodao for views/photos. Once we arrived in Piodao, we had lunch with Sérgio. After lunch he took us around the village, pointing out historical details and artifacts. We stopped in the little village chapel which was amazing. Lots of great conversations. On the way back we stopped at a hidden waterfall. Overall we felt like the day was relaxing, adventurous, and educational. We were well cared for. He sent complimentary photos of our trip the next day. I highly recommend Sergio and any of his Aventuras Forte(s) tours. Just do it!

Sergio was a wonderful kind guide, and the day was full of beautiful scenery and educational experiences. The small village of Piodão was fascinating. We had lunch at a small cafe and then took a walk around the village as he pointed out historic details. On the way back we stopped at a beautiful waterfall. I highly recommend this tour, or any of the adventures offered by Aventuras Fortes.

Sergio is a fabulous guide. Courteous, knowledgeable of the geography, history, plant and birds or the region. We had a lovely day and thoroughly enjoyed our guided tour with. Sergio. Well worth the cost. Thank you!

Sérgio is a fantastic guide that is courteous and very knowledgeable of the area, its geography, history, trees, birds and now!

The most memorable experiences were the picturesque Windmills and the extraordinarily unique shale Schist Village. Also, the breathtakingly beautiful scenery all along the ride made time fly. Our guide, Sergio was delightful, knowledgeable and helpful. He helped us with many questions and thoroughly covered the history of the area and topography during the tour. Sergio told us about a wonderful place to eat and every dish we had was flavorful and well prepared. Wish we could go back to the restaurant again! It was a highlight. Overall, Sergio was the best guide we have ever had and we are well traveled.

This was one of the best tours I have ever been on. Sergio is the MAN, and navigated us around the area so well. Spectacular views and learned a ton. Got to see quite a bit more than I anticipated and had an epic lunch too. Don’t hesitate to book this for yourself or with a small group, you won’t be disappointed

Very nice tour of the villages and windmills. Recommend highly. Pick up was on time and Sergio was great.

Sergio, our tour guide was very charming and personable! He took the time to explain everything in detail with interesting historic facts. He made sure that our safety was a priority providing a walking stick for my wife. His driving was very precise and safe. Sergio took the time to make reservations to authentic portuguese food was served! We fully recommend Sergio’s services!

This tour was really incredible. Sergio was a great host, took us to beautiful locations, and was able to answer whatever questions we asked - whether it was about plants, culture, or history. An incredible way to kick off our time in Portugal. Would happily take this tour again, 100%!

We had a beautiful experience on this tour we love all the places that we visit, amazing experience with the Sergio. He knew his stuff. and such a polite person

Sergio was a very knowledgeable and informative guide. He was a very good driver with a sense of humour who spoke perfect English. We enjoyed a great day out and would recommend the tour to everyone

We had the best of times! Sergio was an incredible tour guide; kind, knowledgeable, accommodating. The tour itself was breathtaking with all the mountain roads and little villages. Highly recommend

Sergio took us to some wonderful destinations and explained all the interesting details about the areas visited. he took us to a perfect restaurant for lunch. A very well organised and happy experience, and Sergio was the perfect guide. Thanks !!

Sergio, Adventuras Fortes, was an amazing guide! Worked well with myself and my husband ….. I might note we are not as spy as we used to be! Making many stops Sergio was knowledgeable of the Village and surrounding areas. Communication was excellent!

This trip exceeded all our expectations. Sergio was very knowledgeable about the area - the history which was so interesting - the flora and fauna - and obviously takes great pride in doing his job well. He explained everything very well. He has a great sense of humour. He is a very careful driver. Overall we had a fabulous day. He recommended a restaurant in Coja for lunch. We had a delicious authentic lunch there. Thank you Sergio for a wonderful trip which we always remember.

INCREDIBLE!!! I booked this tour to get out of the bigger city, and this did not disappoint. The guide is fantastic. He is so knowledgeable and friendly that we felt like we were touring with a close friend because its a private tour. The views and places we stopped were incredible. The guide also brings a camera to take photos and sends you all the photos after the tour. Also the stop for lunch was one of my favorite meals the whole trip. BOOK THIS TOUR! you won't be disappointed

Our Favorite part was your guide. Sergio. He was well informed on everything. From ,plants, food, weather, Portugal history. We really enjoyed his company

Sergio was an amazing guide!! He picked us up at our Air B&B and we had a full day of touring the Coimbra area. He also included a lot of information about Portugal and the local areas. We saw so much more than just the villages. I really appreciated how safe I felt with him. Some of the roads were narrow and curvy, and he was a wonderful driver. I would recommend his company for any tours.

Best trip! So incredibly beautiful and worth the time! Thank you, Sergio, for a wonderful day and for teaching us so much! We highly recommend this tour!

Sergio was incredible! We learned so much and enjoyed a leisurely day in the mountains and schist villages. Even learned a little Portuguese! Couldn't have asked for a better day!

The trip from Coimbra to Piodao was excellent. It really helped me understand, appreciate and love Portugal more than ever. Sergio picked us up from the hotel, made stops at 2-4 places on the way and back from Piodao, took the professional photos, and most importantly, explained about the history and culture of Portugal, and shared his personal stories from Coimbra University (which were hilarious!). The whole trip took about 9 hours on a jeep car. Involves 0.5-1 hr of walking per stop but nothing intense. Overall a very convenient, special experience. Thanks a lot Sergio!

The scenic ride thru the back country was amazing seeing areas that we we’re unaware of existed. Your guide was fantastic explained the history and typical Portuguese life would highly recommend

Our day exploring the mountains, countryside and schist villages surrounding Coimbra district was the highlight of our trip to Portugal. Our guide, Sergio, shared his knowledge of the history, culture and plant life of rural Portugal as we drove through the scenic mountains and walked through the countryside. Visits to waterfalls, windmills, mountain vistas, and schist villages were spread out through the day and a lunch hour stop at a traditional restaurant hit the spot. The vehicle was comfortable, the driving was safe, and the level of conversation was just right. We highly recommend this tour!

Treat yourself and see the real Portugal! Sergio is an excellent guide who goes above and beyond to ensure his clients have a fantastic, fun filled excursion while visiting Schist villages. It was a great balance of exploring nature, mountain tops and villages which you would miss if you just visited the larger cities. He is also well versed on both current and past history and shares a plethora of information. We saw old windmills, river beaches, waterfalls and quaint villages. He recommended an excellent restaurant for lunch featuring the best of traditional Portuguese food along with verde vin! Our excursion ended on the mountaintop in the village of Piodao, which is a must see! Sergio will also tailor the trip to meet your expectations. In addition, he serves as the official photographer to capture memories so that you can enjoy the experience!

All of us thought the tour was great. Sergio knows a lot, speaks English very well, and is a good driver. Most important, he’s a genuinely nice guy.

My sister and I had a wonderful day with Sergio and Fatima. We saw some windmills in the morning and when we told Sergio that we had hoped to do some hiking in the Schist Villages.... he immediately revised to program and then after getting Fatima to join us, we headed out for a full 5-6 hours of some very interesting hiking. Wonderful day with both of them. We would highly recommend this couple and hiking in th the Schist villages... Thank you for great memories. Paola and V

After traveling through Portugal for several weeks, I was interested in getting off the beaten path and exploring an intact traditional Schist village and the surrounding natural beauty. Sergio and Fatima did a wonderful job showing me the country side and some of the natural beauty of Portugal. The drive to Piodao was especially lovely. Sergio and Fatima were excellent guides and spoke very good English. They arranged for me to have a decadent lunch at a wonderful local restaurant in a small town during our journey together. Both were compliant with all Covid-19 safety protocols, so I felt very comfortable on my full day tour with them. Sergio was a safe and attentive driver and the vehicle was clean and appeared well-maintained. The company wants to share the country's off the beaten path beauty in a thoughtful way. Support this lovely local company and see more of the unseen Portugal.

The most wonderful day out! Wow, what a day. Fatima and Sergio met us at our hotel, with all COVID safety measures carried out, we were off to the best day ever. We visited the most beautiful windmills, learned all about the natural vegetation in Portugal, visited the most wonderful river beaches and natural swimming pools, walked in the primitiva forest and saw the most awesome schist villages built into mountain sides. Ever so grateful to have experienced Portugal with Fatima and Sergio.

Wow, what a day. Fatima and Sergio met us at our hotel, with all COVID safety measures carried out, we were off to the best day ever. We visited the most beautiful windmills, learned all about the natural vegetation in Portugal, visited the most wonderful river beaches and natural swimming pools, walked in the primitiva forest and saw the most awesome schist villages built into mountain sides. Ever so grateful to have experienced Portugal with Fatima and Sergio.

Great tour guides. These two young entrepreneurs will give you a great walking tour. The best detail that I loved was that they were flexible as for what the client wanted on their tour. I wish them the best!

We had a great experience! Sergio was very attentive and polite, explained us about the doubts we had and showed us very interesting places. We were enchanted with the landscapes, which to our luck were all blooming

Our visit to Piodão was truly incredible and Sérgio was responsible for it! We thank you for the beautiful day you gave us Abs

Personalized tour very well designed and oriented; knowledgeable guide of the visited heritage, experienced, friendly and, very importantly, demonstrates that he likes what he does which enthusiasms the participants in the activity. I recommend this experience especially to those who do not know this region - it has points of almost indescribable beauty.

Fantastic and unforgettable personalized tour,of those who create good memories forever. Interesting and well-designed itinerary. Very experienced guide,with great knowledge of natural and cultural heritage. More than an adventure was indeed a memory for a lifetime!

With my wife we had the interest to know what was the historical village of Piodao and what was on the way to it and really Sergio and Fatima exceeded expectations. Before the hour we were already waiting at the hotel in an extremely comfortable van suitable for the winding road we were going to face. Sergio in addition to a great guide is an excellent driver who knows the course thoroughly which gave us great security and therefore allowed us to enjoy the course fully. Both (Sergio and Fatima) in each of the places of the tour (and along it) not only shared the stories of each place and its people but everything related to the environmental context and knowledge of the fauna and flora of each place (something that is a plus of much value) complemented with the passion that they put to their work. We really enjoyed this experience and recommend that if you want to know about this area do not hesitate to contact them.

We loved it! The whole tour is incredibly structured, and Sergio is a native guide, very attentive and friendly. The places visited are breathtaking, of a beauty that is indescribable. 5 stars.

Great trip! Our guides, Sergio and Fatima, fabulous on a private tour in which they spared no effort to make us spend great hours and hours under their direction. Varied excursion, with walks, baths, villages... Everything on this great private tour! They stayed longer than agreed with us because they enjoyed it as much as we did... Rating that they love their work! We will return another time, we totally recommend it.

My favorite part was the visit to the villages of shale, a part of the heritage I missed to know.

Hello Fatima and Sergio, it was an experience of excellence. You were 5*, always friendly and very available. We loved every place we went, especially the Cascades we visited. Good luck to you.

Passeio espetacular, com a simpatia da Fátima e do Sérgio, que foram uns Guias e companhia de excelência. Aconselho a todos os que queiram visitar a zona, que façam este passeio onde podem encontrar paisagens lindíssimas.

Excellent experience! Well-organized and complete script. We adore all the places visited in the company of Sergio and Fátima, who so well demonstrated their professionalism and knowledge about the places visited. We appreciate all the sympathy and good disposition during the whole journey, as well as the photographs provided! No doubt, we will explore other adventures :) Ana Lucia and Daniela