The Portas da Vila Trail is a “Short Route” (PR) hiking trail marked and signposted in accordance with European and local guidelines. This “trail” is the sixth hiking route included in the Santa Marta de Penaguião Municipal Network, promoted by the municipality. The trail, stretching five kilometers, takes us to the heart of this beautiful municipality in the Duriense region, allowing us to visit part of the “sister” parishes of S. Miguel de Lobrigos and S. João Baptista de Lobrigos. The original Mother Church of São Miguel de Lobrigos was founded in 1191. The former parish of S. João Baptista de Lobrigos was an abbey under the patronage of the Marquises of Arronches and was one of the wealthiest abbeys in Portugal. This parish benefited from the new charter granted by King Manuel I to Penaguião on December 15, 1519. This route begins at the chapel in the village of Laurentim, in the parish of S. Miguel de Lobrigos. We follow the old path lined with walls that “carve out” a path through the vineyard landscape and which served as the access route to the town of Santa Marta de Penaguião. The landscape offers a true palette of colors throughout the year, but it is during the fall season that this bucolic setting is adorned with the warm yellows and reds of the vines, enriching the scenery and delighting those who walk and visit the region. High above, the ancient and simple chapel of Nossa Senhora da Guia stands out in the landscape; its pilgrimage is celebrated on the first Sunday of August. Shortly after a brief visit, we follow traditional paths downhill, where some wild animals seem to welcome those walking in silence, now appearing and now disappearing suddenly.

The old olive trees continue to flank and support the land demarcated by schist walls, built by the hard-working and wise hands of the people of this region who shaped this landscape, leaving us a unique legacy of great cultural value in its many aspects: culture, environment, society, and architecture. We delight in strolling through the villages of Outeiro, Casaria, and Quinchosos, all part of the parish of S. João Baptista de Lobrigos. The various vineyard estates stand out in the landscape, painted in the various shades of the foliage from the different grape varieties grown here, which give rise to some of the most aromatic and prized “nectars” of the Douro region. We continue through these charming places, gradually leaving them behind as we begin to descend once more, passing between walls and along narrow paths, through unique landscapes that lead us to the village of Laurentim, where this short but scenic route—rich in fantastic panoramic views— began.