The Castro do Pópulo lies on a hill between the Sabrosa and Vale de Cunho streams; both streams are tributaries of the Tinhela. Its setting in the landscape and the site's changing names give Pópulo a precise cultural and topographical context. The Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte Chapel and the PR6 and PR7 walking routes offer specific points of interest for a trip that can give different weight to history and hiking.

Castro and chapel: names, status and dating

The Castro do Pópulo is also known as Castro da Touca Rota and Castelo de São Marcos. All three names refer to the same site, not to three different places to visit. The Castro is classified as an “Imóvel de Interesse Público” (Property of Public Interest) in the União das freguesias de Pópulo e Ribalonga. The names help bring together alternative designations; the classification states the site's status.

The Capela de Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte, also called Capela do Pópulo, is believed to date from the 17th century. This cautious dating places it within a century, rather than giving an exact year of construction. The chapel is also a specific point of reference for the PR6 ALJ “Trilho das Muralhas”: the circular route begins and ends there, at the Castro do Pópulo. This route therefore brings together a named cultural site and a described trail.

The 2018 programme for the Festa em Honra de Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte included a solemn Mass and a procession. The year refers to that past programme and offers a dated glimpse of the festival. If you want to plan your trip around a specific event date, check the current event information.

PR6 and PR7: two circular routes with different points of reference

The municipal route description from April 2021 describes the PR6 ALJ “Trilho das Muralhas” as a circular route: it begins and ends at the Capela de Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte in the Castro do Pópulo, passes through Pópulo and offers a detour to Alto do Pópulo. There, it connects with the PR7 ALJ “Trilho do Alto do Pópulo–Perafita”. The route through Pópulo and the connection to the second trail are defining features of the PR6.

The PR7 is also described as a circular route. Its starting and ending point is at the information board in Alto do Pópulo; it also connects with the PR6. From Alto do Pópulo, it first follows the route of the Roman road from Tresminas to Vesúvio, before returning to the starting point via old paths. The trail thus links a clearly named starting point with a section on the Roman road and a return via old paths.

The route description published in April 2021 lists the PR7 as 11.5 kilometres long, with a stated duration of 3 hours 50 minutes. These figures provide a specific timeframe for planning this route. If the route is changed, its length and duration may differ; check the current route before setting out if these figures are important to your day's plans.

You can use different criteria to choose between the routes: the PR6 focuses on the route through Pópulo and the connection to Alto do Pópulo. For the PR7, you can also consider its stated length and duration, as well as the section on the Roman road. This can help you decide what matters most to you: should your stay focus mainly on the named cultural sites, or would you like to include the described circular routes in your plans? This makes it possible to consider Pópulo as a destination based on specific interests without treating the two routes as the same.

Discover more destinations: Alijó, Pinhao, Vilar de Maçada, Cotas, Santa Eugénia, Vale De Mendiz, Castedo, Favaios

Go to the main travel overview: Alijó.