Mata dos Medos

This is a natural reserve called Mata dos Medos which lies within the bigger protected landscape of Paisagem Protegida da Arriba Fossíl da Costa da Caparica. It is a wide area of mostly pine trees and shrubs on top of sandy grounds, with an absolute breathtaking view of the sea and the coast at times.

The forest was planted by the order of King João V during the 18th century, in order to protect the agricultural lands further inland from the loose sand which had a tendency to spread with the winds and cover all the good farming areas. This preventive measure was a good one and sometimes you can hear people referring to this place as the Pine Trees of the King. The word Medos comes from the name of those sandy formations left by the wind (called Medos or Médões in Portuguese).

The natural reserve is mainly famous for the beautiful and old stone pine trees, but you may also find maritime pine, strawberry trees, wild lavender and thyme. The fresh smell from the vegetation in combination with the salty sea air is one of the loveliest parts of this protected area. It is a great place for bird watching as well and you may see some rabbits, foxes, badgers, common genet and hedgehogs if you are quiet and patient.

It has several hiking trails (both short and long ones) which passes through. Pick one and go for as long as you can muster, most of them have excellent viewpoints (miradouros), shady parts to protect from the sun and good paths to walk upon. Since the ground is sandy remember to wear suitable shoes without too many holes (sandals are quite a bad choice). If you bring your doggy with you, remember to keep it on a leash, many people don't do this and their dogs scare away all of the wildlife and other passersby as well. Great place for you to enjoy a moment with nature, have a picnic or do some cross country jogging or biking. This is my go to place whenever I need to get away from traffic and the city.