An invitation to Slow travel in Portugal: «This part of Portugal is
not for people that have the formed soul to delude themselves with
the first aspect of the things. At first, what most impresses is the
hostility feeling that the environment receives who comes (...).
Later, slowly, the inclemency becomes likeable. On the rude of the
nature our personality grows until the fullness and the greater
frivolous of this world hears the I speaking. Of the harshness frees
a caress that enlace and captive. It is as the perfume of the
rockrose. And we desire to stay there, for the eternity, to live, as
lizard of the rocks, from nothing». (translation from the writer
Aquilino Ribeiro 1885-1963)

The county of Satão is part of the Dão Lafões Tourism Region,
characterized by pinewoods and verdant fields in contrast with
granite and schist valleys and highlands crossed by rivers and
streams, and also belongs to the Dão Wines Demarcated Region, with
its extensive vineyards cultivated on a zone of plateaux. The remote
past of the region is confirmed by the presence of many dolmens and
by the pre-historic graves, and the county itself was founded in the
12th century. Sátão's long history thus offers a rich architectural
patrimony of ancient manor-houses and a large number of churches and
chapels displaying rich gilded woodwork. It is worth visiting the
Romanesque Mother Church, with a beautiful sculpted portal, and the
stone pillory of Ferreira das Aves, the former Town Hall and pillory
of Rio de Moinhos and the church of the ancient Convent of Our Lady
of Olive, with fine 17th-century woodwork and panels of tiles and a
valuable tabernacle.
The N.S. dos Caminhos sanctuary is one of the biggest religious
centres in the region. The magic of the place makes the visitors
wish to return again. The Vouga river springs is near the Lapa hill.
It´s a wonderful place to make a picnic and swim in the summer. In
the Coja river valley, 6 km away, the Cavaca springs is a leafy and
pictorial place. The water is good for gall bladder, bowel,
rheumatism, hypertension and respiratory diseases treatments.
The local gastronomy preserves rural flavours in typical dishes such
as veal cooked in a clay casserole or red beans with cabbage and
pork, but the county's speciality is a variety of excellent cured
meats and sausages, besides the well-known Dão wines. The Dão wine-
growing region produces quality wines with a long tradition. It
is 'protected' by the mountains of the Estrela and Caramulo, which
are always there in front of you wherever you go, offering a variety
of interesting contrasts. Discover, too, the famous mountain cheese,
always accompanied by a glass of Dão wine!