Buçaco Forest

#142 among destinations in Portugal

Nature, Forest, Natural attraction

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Facts and practical information

Buçaco Forest is an ancient, walled arboretum in the Centro region of Portugal and home to one of the finest dendrological collections in Europe. The forest measures 1450 meters by 950 meters and covers an area of 105 hectares; the perimeter wall is approximately 5 kilometres in circumference and punctuated by a series of gates, one of which bears the text of 17th-century papal bulls forbidding women to enter and threatening to excommunicate anyone harming the trees, though neither stipulation is currently legally binding under Portuguese law. More than 250 tree and shrub species grow in the forest, including huge centenarians and exotics introduced by Portuguese mariners during the Age of Discovery. In 2004 Portugal submitted Buçaco Forest to UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Sites. ()

Local name: Mata Nacional do Buçaco Coordinates: 40°22'38"N, 8°21'55"W

Location

AveiroPortugal

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Day trips

Buçaco Forest – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Convento de Santa Cruz do Buçaco, Mealhada, Serra do Buçaco.

~1730 ftW
Monastery
Convento de Santa Cruz do Buçaco
9 min walk • Convento de Santa Cruz do Buçaco is a former Carmelite monastery in the Mata Nacional do Buçaco protected forest of the Serra do Buçaco, Portugal. It was constructed in 1628. It closed in 1834 following the suppression of male religious orders and dissolution of the monasteries in Portugal at the end of the Portuguese Civil War.
4.5 miW
City
Mealhada
115 min walk • One of the main highlights of Mealhada is its renowned culinary scene, particularly its succulent roasted piglet known as "Leitão." This local delicacy has become synonymous with the city and attracts food enthusiasts from far and wide.
2 miSE
Natural feature, Nature, Natural attraction
Serra do Buçaco
52 min walk • Serra do Buçaco is a mountain range in Portugal, formerly included in the province of Beira Litoral. The highest point in the range is the Cruz Alta at 549 m, which has views over the Serra da Estrela, the Mondego River valley and the Atlantic Ocean.