The Barrocal Park is one of the newest tourist attractions in Castelo Branco – one that surprised us with its natural beauty and creativity in the built elements. This article exposes everything you need to know to visit the Barrocal and what to expect from that visit.
Opened in November 2020, Barrocal quickly became a reference in Castelo Branco, attracting thousands of visitors from the city and the country. Integrated within the UNESCO Naturtejo Geopark, Barrocal Park is just 1000 meters from the center of Castelo Branco. It is thus a unique space between city and nature.
What is Barrocal in Castelo Branco?
With a fascinating geological landscape and surprising biodiversity, Barrocal Park is unique. The granitic terrain built over 310 million years is the main feature of the Barrocal, with spectacular rocks shaped over millions of years through tectonic forces and different climatic epochs.
Built to promote contact with nature, Barrocal Park works as a living, interactive and dynamic museum. It makes known the geological characteristics of the region’s landscape, welcoming visitors and allowing them to travel and explore the Barrocal in a safe, fun, and comfortable way.
In Barrocal, we find paths, trails, viewpoints, and unique structures created to appreciate the park in the best possible way.
Main attractions to visit in Barrocal Park
Walking along the trails of Barrocal, we find several attractions, some natural and others built structures. Among those constructed, we highlight the viewpoints:
- Castelo Branco Viewpoint – best point in the park to observe the Castelo Branco skyline;
- Barrocal Viewpoint – at 425 meters of altitude and more than 40 meters above the Meseta, it is the ideal point to observe the landscape all around;
- Carvalhal Viewpoint – as the name implies, it is the ideal point to observe the dense oak grove in the region.
- Raia viewpoint – from there you can see the border area and its granitic landscape
- S. Martinho viewpoint – from there you can see the Chapel of S. Martinho, of medieval origin;
- Sra. de Mércoles viewpoint – where you can see the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mércoles hidden among the trees;
In addition to the spectacular viewpoints, we also have the unique structures that made Barrocal Park an international example and even earned it some awards such as:
- Lizard Tunnel – tunnel in the shape of an undulating lizard, with shaded areas that allow for rest from the intense sun in summer and visual effects.
- Abelharucos Observatory – fabulous observatory with a conical shape that allows us to observe the different birds of the Barrocal park;
- Círculo domo – the meeting point of the Barrocal and the place chosen for meetings, events and lectures;
- Barrocal Key – transports us from the entrance to a nature with time to be enjoyed;
In addition to the built structures, we also have some historical and natural points of interest:
- Rondoa Rock
- Giant mushroom
- Alien’s head
- Penedo das Escadinhas
- Rupestrian Sanctuary
Where is Barrocal Park?
The Barrocal Park is located in the southern part of Castelo Branco, about 1,000 meters from the city center and 600 meters from the bus and rail terminals. It is thus perfectly possible to walk to Barrocal, both from the historic center of Castelo Branco and from the bus and rail terminal.
If you go by car, there is ample free parking.
When to visit Baroque?
The Barrocal Park is a year-round destination. However, we note that it is not advisable to go hiking when the temperatures are very high as there are very few shades. The intense sun and high temperature will make the experience much less pleasant. So, if you go there at the summer peak, we advise you to visit Barrocal at the end of the day.
On the other hand, if it is raining it will not be an enjoyable experience either, as there are no shelters from the rain.
Parque do Barrocal – Opening hours
The Barrocal Park is open between 10 am and 5 pm in winter (October 1 to March 31), and between 9 am and 8 pm in summer. In both cases, the last entry for complete visits is made by an hour and a half earlier. The weekly closing day is on Mondays.
How much does it cost to visit Barrocal?
For now (2021), visits to the Barrocal are free. We should go to reception, where they give us audio guides explaining everything about Barrocal Park.
In the future, it is possible (and likely) that the Castelo Branco City Council will want to make the most of the investment made.
