Vila de Dornes is the seat of a parish in the municipality of Ferreira do Zêzere located on the banks of the river Zêzere
Dornes Trail – Vigia do Zêzere;
Distance: 19 km;
Circular: yes;
Technical Difficulty: Moderate;
Departure/Arrival Location: Dornes Tourist Office.
Distance: 19 km;
Circular: yes;
Technical Difficulty: Moderate;
Departure/Arrival Location: Dornes Tourist Office.
Dornes is a Portuguese village in the municipality of Ferreira do Zêzere with an area of 21.91 km2 and 594 inhabitants (2011) and its landscape surrounded by pine trees and the river Zêzere make this village a highly recommended tourist destination.
The town of Dornes is called the Enchanted Peninsula or Mythical Land of the Templars, planted on a small peninsula of the Zêzere river and has one of the most beautiful trails and hiking trails in Portugal: the Vigia do Zêzere trail.
The Templars were a military order of Chivalry that existed for around two centuries in the Middle Ages (1118-1312) and founded in the aftermath of the First Crusade of 1096 with the initial purpose of protecting Christians who returned to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem after its conquest.
Its members took vows of poverty, chastity, devotion and obedience and wore white cloaks with a red cross and their symbol was depicted by a horse mounted by two knights.
The village of the Templars is a small village on the banks of the river Zêzere surrounded by a magnificent landscape and stories related to the formation of the nationality and the Order of the Templars and was voted one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal.
Dornes is located on lands handed over to the Templars by the first Portuguese Kings at the time of the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula to the Muslims, forming part of the support for the defensive line of the Tagus.
In this place, the cult of Nossa Senhora do Pranto emerged, making Dornes flourish since the 12th century with a charter granted by D. Manuel I in 1513 and it would be the seat of the Council until 1385.
Dornes is nestled on a peninsula on the banks of the Zêzere River in one of the many curves and curves of the route of what is the second longest river in Portuguese territory.
The Zêzere begins in Serra da Estrela next to Cântaro Magro and runs 200 meters in a southwest direction to finally flow into the Tagus River.
Along the walking trail, as we follow several forest paths, we are treated to landscapes over the Dornes peninsula, Castelo de Bode Reservoir, the village of Rio Cimeiro, the islands of the Zêzere river, the Yellow Penedos, Lagar and Ribeira de S. Guilherme.
The trail does not pose any major difficulties, it is very well signposted and runs on dirt roads and along small sections of paved road with almost no movement of cars and which take us to see small villages.
PR1 FZZ - The Dornes Trail - Vigia do Zêzere starts next to the Tourist Office that runs through the center of the town and follows the route of the river Zêzere towards Vale Serrão and Rio Cimeiro to return to Dornes via a forest path that passes through Peralfaia.
The circular trail is 19 km long, takes 5 hours and is moderately difficult.
The town of Dornes is the historical/religious headquarters and the places that make it up are Barrada, Cagida, Carril, Casal Ascenso Antunes, Casal da Mata, Frazoeira, Joaninho, Junqueira, Lameirancha, Macieira da Rocha, Peralfaia, Quinta da Benta, Quintas, Ribeiro da Coroa, Rio Cimeiro, Rio Fundeiro, Salão de Baixo, Salão de Cima and Vale Serrão.
Dornes is located on a small peninsula on the edge of Zêzere in the municipality of Ferreira do Zêzere and borders across the river Zêzere with the parish of Cernache do Bonjardim, municipality of Sertã and district of Castelo Branco and in the municipality of Ferreira do Zêzere it borders Águas Belas, Beco and Paio Mendes.
The most interesting points in Vila de Dornes are: Dornes Templar Tower, Church of Nossa Senhora do Pranto, Castelo de Bode Dam and phenomenal views over the Zêzere river.
The Pentagonal Tower was built by the Knights Templar to watch over the Zêzere River, the Church of Nossa Senhora do Pranto originated from a previous temple ordered to be built by Queen Santa Isabel in the late 18th century.
The tower in the village of Dornes was built by the Knights Templar on the banks of the Zêzere river as a watchtower and defensive bastion for the region during the Christian Reconquista.
The Tower with an unusual pentagonal design was built in limestone and slate on the site of an ancient Roman tower. The Tower holds several military symbols on the edge of the portal, resulting from its ancient defensive function.
In the 16th century, in a more peaceful period, it was adapted as a bell tower for the nearby Main Church and overlooking the waters of the Castelo de Bode reservoir.
The Torre de Dornes is today part of a spectacular landscape and is one of the most important tourist attractions in the region.
In the surrounding area you can visit the Castanheira river beach located in the Castelo de Bode reservoir (20 km from Dorne), practice water activities, Lago Azul floating pool in the waters of the Zêzere river, Ana de Aviz river beach, Fragas de São Simão and Cernache do Bonjardim.
Visitors who do not want to complete the entire route can cut it in half using a duly marked variant.
Visitors who choose to cut the route in half will have to give up seeing the Zêzere islands and the village of Rio Cimeiro and the entire route is around 9 km.
The best time to visit Dornes is in the months of June to September with pleasant temperatures and the rest of the year is quite rainy.
The town of Dornes is called the Enchanted Peninsula or Mythical Land of the Templars, planted on a small peninsula of the Zêzere river and has one of the most beautiful trails and hiking trails in Portugal: the Vigia do Zêzere trail.
The Templars were a military order of Chivalry that existed for around two centuries in the Middle Ages (1118-1312) and founded in the aftermath of the First Crusade of 1096 with the initial purpose of protecting Christians who returned to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem after its conquest.
Its members took vows of poverty, chastity, devotion and obedience and wore white cloaks with a red cross and their symbol was depicted by a horse mounted by two knights.
The village of the Templars is a small village on the banks of the river Zêzere surrounded by a magnificent landscape and stories related to the formation of the nationality and the Order of the Templars and was voted one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal.
Dornes is located on lands handed over to the Templars by the first Portuguese Kings at the time of the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula to the Muslims, forming part of the support for the defensive line of the Tagus.
In this place, the cult of Nossa Senhora do Pranto emerged, making Dornes flourish since the 12th century with a charter granted by D. Manuel I in 1513 and it would be the seat of the Council until 1385.
Dornes is nestled on a peninsula on the banks of the Zêzere River in one of the many curves and curves of the route of what is the second longest river in Portuguese territory.
The Zêzere begins in Serra da Estrela next to Cântaro Magro and runs 200 meters in a southwest direction to finally flow into the Tagus River.
Along the walking trail, as we follow several forest paths, we are treated to landscapes over the Dornes peninsula, Castelo de Bode Reservoir, the village of Rio Cimeiro, the islands of the Zêzere river, the Yellow Penedos, Lagar and Ribeira de S. Guilherme.
The trail does not pose any major difficulties, it is very well signposted and runs on dirt roads and along small sections of paved road with almost no movement of cars and which take us to see small villages.
PR1 FZZ - The Dornes Trail - Vigia do Zêzere starts next to the Tourist Office that runs through the center of the town and follows the route of the river Zêzere towards Vale Serrão and Rio Cimeiro to return to Dornes via a forest path that passes through Peralfaia.
The circular trail is 19 km long, takes 5 hours and is moderately difficult.
The town of Dornes is the historical/religious headquarters and the places that make it up are Barrada, Cagida, Carril, Casal Ascenso Antunes, Casal da Mata, Frazoeira, Joaninho, Junqueira, Lameirancha, Macieira da Rocha, Peralfaia, Quinta da Benta, Quintas, Ribeiro da Coroa, Rio Cimeiro, Rio Fundeiro, Salão de Baixo, Salão de Cima and Vale Serrão.
Dornes is located on a small peninsula on the edge of Zêzere in the municipality of Ferreira do Zêzere and borders across the river Zêzere with the parish of Cernache do Bonjardim, municipality of Sertã and district of Castelo Branco and in the municipality of Ferreira do Zêzere it borders Águas Belas, Beco and Paio Mendes.
The most interesting points in Vila de Dornes are: Dornes Templar Tower, Church of Nossa Senhora do Pranto, Castelo de Bode Dam and phenomenal views over the Zêzere river.
The Pentagonal Tower was built by the Knights Templar to watch over the Zêzere River, the Church of Nossa Senhora do Pranto originated from a previous temple ordered to be built by Queen Santa Isabel in the late 18th century.
The tower in the village of Dornes was built by the Knights Templar on the banks of the Zêzere river as a watchtower and defensive bastion for the region during the Christian Reconquista.
The Tower with an unusual pentagonal design was built in limestone and slate on the site of an ancient Roman tower. The Tower holds several military symbols on the edge of the portal, resulting from its ancient defensive function.
In the 16th century, in a more peaceful period, it was adapted as a bell tower for the nearby Main Church and overlooking the waters of the Castelo de Bode reservoir.
The Torre de Dornes is today part of a spectacular landscape and is one of the most important tourist attractions in the region.
In the surrounding area you can visit the Castanheira river beach located in the Castelo de Bode reservoir (20 km from Dorne), practice water activities, Lago Azul floating pool in the waters of the Zêzere river, Ana de Aviz river beach, Fragas de São Simão and Cernache do Bonjardim.
Visitors who do not want to complete the entire route can cut it in half using a duly marked variant.
Visitors who choose to cut the route in half will have to give up seeing the Zêzere islands and the village of Rio Cimeiro and the entire route is around 9 km.
The best time to visit Dornes is in the months of June to September with pleasant temperatures and the rest of the year is quite rainy.
