In the heart of Portugal, there are places that seem to have been left behind by time.
Small historic villages, far from the big cities and the main tourist routes, where we can still find a genuine Portugal, shaped by stone, landscapes, history and tradition.
Penha Garcia is one of those places.
I already knew this village from passing through, but I had never explored it by bike.
Located in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova, very close to the Spanish border, it was one of the places we wanted to discover during a recent cycling trip through the Portuguese countryside.
And we are very glad we did.
We quickly realised that Penha Garcia deserved much more than simply driving through.
Discovering Penha Garcia by bike
There are places where a bicycle is simply a means of transport.
In others, it becomes part of the experience itself.
Penha Garcia clearly belongs to the second group.
Cycling through its small, peaceful streets, surrounded by old stone houses, doors, windows and traces left by generations of people, feels like travelling back in time.
The small stone houses, simple and beautiful, seem to grow naturally from the landscape and give the village a very special identity.
There are no wide avenues here, no crowds and no queues to visit monuments.
There is silence, authenticity and time to stop and observe.
And by bike, we can do it at exactly the right pace.
An 800-Year-Old Castle
At the highest point of the village stand the ruins of Penha Garcia Castle.
Reaching the castle and seeing where this fortress was built inevitably makes us think about the effort and courage of those who, around eight centuries ago, raised these walls on such high and rugged ground.
Its location was, of course, no coincidence.
Close to the border, this position made it possible to control a vast area, defend these lands from possible invasions and protect the local population.
Today, there are no longer borders to defend from these walls.
What remains are the ruins, a testament to the courage of our ancestors in the formation and defence of Portugal, and an extraordinary view over the surrounding landscape.
The Old Watermills
From the castle, we descend into the valley and discover a completely different side of Penha Garcia.
Stone is still everywhere, but now it is joined by water and vegetation.
Along the watercourse, we find old watermills that, for generations, used the force of the flowing water to turn their millstones and transform grain into flour.
They remained in operation until the mid-1980s, and some of the village's older residents still remember seeing them working and buying bread there.
Today, unfortunately, the mills are silent.
But they remain part of the landscape and are an extraordinary reminder of a time when water, agriculture and these small buildings played an essential role in the lives of local communities.
They are probably one of Penha Garcia's greatest treasures.
And finally, a swim
Following the water, we come across one last surprise.
Between the rocks, the water forms a small natural pool with crystal-clear water.
After several kilometres of cycling, exploring the village streets, climbing to the castle and descending to the old watermills, there was only one possible way to finish this adventure:
a refreshing and well-deserved swim.
And that is exactly what we did.
Where We ate in Penha Garcia
After a few hours on the bike and a good swim, there are few things better than discovering the flavours of the region as well.
This time, we returned to O Raiano, a restaurant we had first visited several years ago.
And we also returned to a dish we remembered very well: wild boar stew.
It is one of the restaurant's traditional dishes and remains an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys the rich, authentic flavours of this region.
Known for its regional cuisine, the restaurant also offers a varied menu.
The portions are very generous — many are easily enough for two people — and the prices are affordable.
It was good to return after several years and once again find exactly the kind of restaurant we enjoy on these trips: traditional food, generous portions and the flavours of the region.
Cycling Portugal
Discovering the Country on Two Wheels
This film is part of Cycling Portugal, a collection of videos we have been building over the years through different cycling trips and rides across Portugal.
Some of these rides take us over more challenging terrain, while others follow quieter paths, low-traffic roads and the many cycle routes and dedicated bike paths that can now be found throughout the country.
Some take us to places we already know very well, but where there is always something new to discover.
Others lead us through small villages, roads, mountains and landscapes we have never explored before. And that is when we truly set out into the unknown.
We love sharing the places we pass through and the things we discover along the way.
For some of those who follow us, these places will be completely new. For others, they may bring back fond memories of a journey, a landscape or moments experienced many years ago.
There are places we visit and forget. Others stay with us.
And very often, those are the places that make us want to return — or inspire those who have never been there to one day experience them for themselves.
If one of these films can inspire someone to make that journey, or simply bring back a happy memory, then sharing it has already been worthwhile.
In every ride, we continue to look for the things that have always made us want to travel by bike: that incredible sense of freedom, our passion for cycling, for the outdoors and for discovery.
Penha Garcia was another one of those discoveries.
And it certainly won't be the last.
