Hello adventurous friends! I hope you are well! Swings are one of those things that bring you back beautiful memories of our childhood, I have the idea that everyone at some point in their life gets on one. Did you know that in Portugal there is a route with more than 11 swings within an extension of 13km which allows you to photograph the best views of the "Santo Quintino" parish? Don't miss my adventure.🧭🌎
The starting point is here: (38.995801, -9.143154). From there you have two options, either you can walk the entire route and complete all the swings in a 6-hour walking odyssey, or you can visit each of them by vehicle! It is an easy route to follow, however in some points you will have to climb more than two hundred meters, therefore I would classify it with as a "medium" level of demand. Personally, to me, the best time of the year to do this route would be in the spring when there is less rain and the climate is pleasant. In summer it is hot so you have to come mentally prepared as it will be very demanding.🌍🧭
The first thing that caught my attention was the beautiful views from each place. I would like to clarify that I only visited four swings because I did not have time to see them all, but with this experience, maybe it will motivate you to complete it the full track in one day! The first swing is the "Galhofos", located at 340 meters high and where you have a 180 degree view towards the north of the country. This path is one of the most complicated because you have to climb on a sand path as you can see in the photo. And well, imagine this terrain on a rainy day... That's why on rainy days I don't recommend this adventure, you can't take the car up to the swing so you just have to walk for about 15 minutes.🚙🌲
You already know me and that I always try to make my tours in Portugal very productive and educational, clearly this one would be no exception. As you can see, the area of "Santo Quintino" , is known for his many windmills due to his geographical location. The windmills began to stand out in Portugal between the 17th and 18th centuries because flour was made with various types of seeds, however it was the Romans who invented the Mills in the B.C. era.🧭🌏👩🏫
![beautiful structures.JPG](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-14-06-510-beautiful-structures-jpg)
![a mill with its accessories.JPG](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-14-06-891-a-mill-with-its-accessories-jpg)
A story almost a thousand years old🌅
![landscape.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-15-06-972-landscape-jpg)
![a break before continuing.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-15-06-532-a-break-before-continuing-jpg)
The parish of "Santo Quintino" has a long history, there is a record of people inhabiting the area since the bronze age more than 2 thousand years ago, however its most interesting point in history was in 1212 in the era of the conquests of the territory from the Portuguese to the Moors. Nevertheless, if you ask my opinion, the most interesting era for me was the time of the Napoleonic Invasion that we are going to learn through the visit to the military fort.🌍🚩
Second stop🌅
![other landscapes.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-15-06-216-other-landscapes-jpg)
![Casais do quintino.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-15-06-077-casais-do-quintino-jpg)
![panoramic.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-15-06-218-panoramic-jpg)
![panoramica.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-16-06-188-panoramica-jpg)
The next stop is at "Casais S. Quintino", it is the second swing that we have nearby, it is located 3km away from the first one. This one, for me, had the best view because we can see clearly the valley of "Casal do Barqueiro". In this area, just a few kilometers away, lived a civilization that is 3 thousand years old and clearly I will dedicate a post to them. This is the easiest way to access, you also can park your vehicle next to it and it has a picnic area if you want to spend a pleasant day with your family.🧭🌎
Let's try the local food🌅🥩
![local food.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-16-06-707-local-food-jpg)
I could not visit "Santo Quintino" without stopping by to try its local gastronomy. It is not a coastal area so the dishes are varied, you can eat from sea food to meat. We arrived at the "Alvarinho" Restaurant which is located in the village "Ponte do Sol" . The average prices are somewhat high, paying 50 euros for two people, however the quality, service and flavor are five stars! I ordered a fried fish with salad and rice, and my wife had a pepper steak, all tasty! They didn't have a typical dish from there so there is nothing new on the menu!🧭🥩🚩
Third stop🌅🧭
![baloico do seixinho.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-17-06-281-baloico-do-seixinho-jpg)
We have arrive now at the penultimate swing that goes by the name of "Seixinho". This was the least interesting of all, the view is quite boring and it is not high, let's say it is there to complete the route but nothing special! Access is easy, you can arrive either with your vehicle or walking, it is located almost in the center of the village!🌎🚩
Baloiço da Ponte🌅🌎
![baloico da ponte.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-22-06-345-baloico-da-ponte-jpg)
![some landscapes.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-22-06-904-some-landscapes-jpg)
This was the last one of all, it has the name: "Baloiço da Ponte" at 160 meters high and it stands out for a beautiful landscape of the nearest village. I think that due to the distance it should be the last to visit because it is further away from the rest but you cannot access it by car and just walk approximately 300 meters.🧭🌍
some photos of the center of the village🚙
![Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Ponte do Rol.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-22-06-296-igreja-de-nossa-senhora-da-conceicao-de-ponte-do-rol-jpg)
![benfica village.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-22-06-234-benfica-village-jpg)
Napoleon and his defeat🫅🏻🌎
![panoramic view of the fort.JPG](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-22-06-766-panoramic-view-of-the-fort-jpg)
![military fort do grilo.JPG](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-22-06-776-military-fort-do-grilo-jpg)
![history of the fort.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-22-06-570-history-of-the-fort-jpg)
Another site that we will visit while we are doing this tour is the military fort "do grilho" which is synonymous with Portuguese history. This fort along with others were part of the number 2 defensive line of Lisbon and in the 18th century they helped repel the troops of Napoleon that consisted of more than 70 thousand soldiers. We know a lot about Napoleon's conquests but little do we know that he lost several times while trying to invade Portugal with the help of Spain!🧭🚩🧑🏻🏫
![inside the fort.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://img.travelfeed.io/biologistbrito%2F2024-06-04-22-06-965-inside-the-fort-jpg)
The fort is located south of the village "Ponte do Sol", it consisted of 4 cannons and a garrison of 40 soldiers. My experience on this fantastic tour ends here, friends, I enjoyed it to the fullest! I hope another time I can do the complete trail and visit all the swings, maybe it will take us a day or two!🫅🏻🧭
![46aP2QbqUqBqpx5c7Zikd2HFMqywJNqDeZVr22vYLLq3mmDMvC912rHcgZVsjPXr3wLjkA8LKLBDRLTxVkouUowGoPo3.gif](https://images.hive.blog/DQmciMT2pJfBoY7qDgsnWBvroJHxJnDwidmmXaH9kKsn8uF/46aP2QbqUqBqpx5c7Zikd2HFMqywJNqDeZVr22vYLLq3mmDMvC912rHcgZVsjPXr3wLjkA8LKLBDRLTxVkouUowGoPo3.gif)
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