Fonte Benemole

Located between the small villages of Querença and Tôr in the department of Loulé is the protected area of Fonte Benémola. A place of great beauty, unknown to many, and a symbol of the great landscape diversity of the Algarve region. The area is crossed by the beautiful Menalva stream that, because it is fed by other streams, holds a good amount of water, even during the summer months. Fonte Benemola is located in the Barrocal, a transitional area between the busy tourist coastal area of the Algarve and the more mountainous area of the Sierra de Calderao and the Sierra de Monchique. The protected area is surrounded by 400 hectares of land, and is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, such as shrubs, reed plots and wild rosemary, as well as ash, willow and tamarisk. This is a bird paradise, one finds species such as the kingfisher, bee-eater, sleepy owls and herons, but also other types of animals such as amphibians, triton salamanders and turtles. Located in a traditional agricultural area, there are various old water wheels and water mills everywhere. A marked 4.5 km circular walk through the area can be made on both banks of the stream. Pay attention to following the correct route, and also runs a long distance walk through the area. At very high tide the crossing of the stream can sometimes lead to problems, then it is advisable to simply take the same road back to the place where the car or motorcycle is parked. More information (in Portuguese) is available via the link

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