Sabugueiro, located on a plain above the Alva river, is Portugal’s highest settlement (an altitude of 1050 metres). It began with the shacks of shepherds who grazed their sheep and goats on the mountain’s meadows. The inscription on the rock near the Canariz Fountain bears witness to the area’s early settlement.
While shepherds and associated businesses (wool and cheese manufacturing) continue to exist, rural tourism has grown in recent years, and many traditional homes have been modified. As in the ancient days of Viriato, the shepherds still migrate to the Douro area in the winter and to the mountain in the summer.
The parish has a community oven and many local artisan businesses. The Fervença Waterfall, whose appearance varies with the seasons, and the former Covo Grande glacier, which is now utilized for climbing and walking, are notable. Sabugueiro is a must-see for anybody visiting Estrela Mountain.
The mother church, the church’s crucifix, the Ferreiro (blacksmith) fountain, and the ethnographic museum are all part of the village’s cultural and architectural history. Local cuisine includes queijo da serra (Estrela mountain cheese) and sausages, as well as roasted varieties and fish.
