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Survival Guide
Boom Surroundings
Boom is held in a place made up of history, secular culture, and a dreamy nature.
Boom is situated in the Geopark Naturtejo. Which means that it is placed in the Global Network of National Geoparks created by UNESCO. A Geopark is a place where geological heritage and geological knowledge is linked with broader aspects of the natural and cultural environment, which are often closely related or determined to geology and landscape. Geopark Naturtejo is one of the 53 selected National Geoparks from 17 countries in the world.
Boom venue is surrounded by both a sublime nature and a secular culture embedded in the villages around Boom. Boom Festival’s site is also a region where there are some of the most ancient records of human presence in Portuguese land. It’s also an area where tribes of the ancient people called “Lusitanos” lived for a long time. These mountain people, whose name is still today used to call the Portuguese inhabitants, had a remote but important role in the History of Iberian Peninsula.
In this mountainous region of Beira Baixa, there originated a habitat of small towns coexisting intimately with Mother Nature. Some of them have resisted winds of historical changes and remain as a living proof of other times. One of the attractive aspects of this area is a circuit of Historical villages.
Idanha-a-Nova: The Nearest Point
Capital town of the second biggest geographically speaking state in Portugal. It’s the nearest village to Boom Festival. All basic commodities are available here.
It’s difficult to point its origins but it’s assumed that the construction of the castle in 1187 by the Knights of the Temple is a landmark. Presently, in this region the ancient and the progress live in harmony.
This village breathes history! We can see the ruins of the Castle, Churches, Chapels, Palaces, stoves for the community or museums.
All the small towns surrounding the festival are very unique and are a way to discover the most remote origins of this area of Iberian Peninsula.
10 Historical Small Towns
The 10 Historical Villages are placed in an area that is covered by Serra da Estrela (Star Mountain), the highest ridge of mountains in continental Portugal. Is a field of great historical and cultural patrimony with its populations, weather, ancestral habits and natural paradises.
Agriculture is very important and one of its richness are local wine, cheese, chestnut or olive-oil. Constant in the landscape is stone, great masses of it, specially granite and schist, originating wonderful scenarios.
Close to the Boom Festival 2008 are 3 of the 10 existent Portuguese Historical Towns, namely: Monsanto, Idanha-a-Velha e Penha Garcia.
Monsanto
Monsanto is in the Northeast of Idanha-a-Nova placed in the slope of an elevation called hilltop of Monsanto (Mons Sanctus as it was called in the past). This is a very magical village and mountain. Special energies flow from this mountain. Its highest point is 758 metres.
It’s probably the best preserved ancient village in Portugal. Monsanto is 22 Km from the Boom location. To get to Monsanto follow the road EN 239 and then get the road EM 567.
A Piece of Monsanto’s History…
Very ancient place with registers of human presence since the Palaeolithic. The archaeology has found also Lusitanian marks and Roman villages and thermal baths. Evidences of Arabic and from the Knights of the Templar presence are also found.
Paganism and the legend of Monsanto
Monsanto has a unique mystic to itself, is a village where the influences from the past have a strong input to its character. One of these examples is the Party of the Crosses or Castle Party (May 3 or the following weekend) that is based on the Legend of the Circle.
Once upon a time… during the period of Arabic Occupation, the Castle of Monsanto was surrounded for 7 years. All the population was curfewed there, and day after day all the food was shorter after years of difficult life on the mountains.
One day people got together to discuss their situation, and then someone proposed that they should show their persistence to the invaders, because they would never surrender or be defeated! That person proposed that the last food they had should be sent to the opponents: one calf and a piece of corn.
They feed the calf with the corn, gave him a bit of water and then sent the animal to the front lines of the invaders.
Famished, the Arabics soldiers slaughtered the calf and found a portion of corn on its stomach, they exclaimed: “with so much fresh meat and cereals they can feed their animals. We will never defeated them!”. They gave up this battle went out defeated from that land, giving peace and freedom to Monsanto.
Myth or reality… we invite you to find out!
Penha Garcia
Penha Garcia impresses by the majesty of its position. It was an ancient fortress. From the past remains the castle, churches, the geographical marks and some pieces of the struggles during Napoleonic invasions. From the top we can observe a great valley with the Ponsul river, with its ancient mills.
Exotism made by natural conditions that shows geomorphologic and fossils. There are some people in this area that still remember gold prospectors looking for gold in the sands of the river…
Geologic and zoological richness, botanical (Mata da Penha Garcia- Vale Feitoso) landscapes with its habitats motivated the registration of this area as a unique biotype.
Idanha-a-Velha
Idanha-a-Velha is 15 Km from Idanha-a-Nova, 12 Km from village of Monsanto.
History...
Idanha-a-Velha was possibly founded in I A.C. After Lusitanians and Romans came the Germans, Swedish and Muslims, and in the end the Knights of the Templar took control of the place. The name “Idanha”- has its origin in two words: the Visigothic “Egitania” and Arabic “Idania”.
Its patrimony includes a rich legacy of ancient peoples like the Lusitanians, Romans, Visigothics, Swedish, Germans, Muslims. The Medieval influence as well makes this region very rich and unique historically and culturally.
Other Nice Places Near The Boom
Termas de Monfortinho (Monfortinho Termal Waters)
Here is the idyllic place to rest before, after or during the Boom! Monfortinho is a small town placed in Serra de Penha Garcia (Penha Garcia Mountain), the place that originates the Erges River.
Here you can feel medicinal waters, with its miraculous powers. Bacteriological pure, with high standards of minerals and thermals, these waters are good for the health. You can rest and have some days in good and peaceful pools with an ambience of healthy waters.
Relax and enjoy the powers of Mother Earth in Monfortinho. Several hotels and guest houses are available in this town. A deserved rest for the Boom goers…
Natural Patrimonies
The fauna around here is amazing we can discover many different rare and nearly extinct species. There are almost 277 different vertebrates, like wolfs, fox, harts or eagles.
We need to mention also the flora and vegetation, being identified 47 families, and 192 genres with a sum of 322 species. Jasmine, olives, cork-oak, pine-tree, oak or roses are just a few beings that can be seen almost everywhere.
Accomodations @ Idanha-a-Nova and around
(For international calls please use +351)
Idanha-a-Nova
Accomodations:
Albergaria Estrela da Idanha - AR 277 200 500
Casa das Jardas - Turismo Rural das Jardas, Lda 277 202 135
Parque de Campismo Municipal 277 202 793
Pousada da Juventude 277 201 127
Restaurants:
Restaurante O Corredor 277 202 442
Restaurante Baroa, Lda 277 202 920
Restaurante O Portão Velho 277 201 010
Champs Sport Bar & Restaurante 277 202 608
Restaurante Senhora da Graça 277 202 572
Marisqueira Tróia Mar 277 202 949
Helana - Restaurante 277 201 095
Restaurante Bar O Espanhol 277 202 902
Restaurante Senhora do Almortão 277 202 205
Restaurante Espaço Latino 277 202 343
Café Restaurante "O Moinho" 277 202 850
Snack-Bar Esplanada 277 202 862
Idanha-a-Velha
Restaurants:
Café Lafiv 277 914 180
Ladoeiro
Accomodations:
Hotel Idanhacaça 277 927 130
Casas da Raia
Residencial O Tachinho 277 927 620
Restaurants:
Restaurante Âncora 277 927 604
Restaurante O Tachinho 277 927 620
Restaurante do Hotel Idanhacaça 277 927 130
Café-Restaurante Arco-Íris 277 927 115
Restaurante Flor da Campina 277 927 311
Monfortinho
Restaurants:
Restaurante Fontela 277 434 569
Termas de Monfortinho
Accomodations:
Hotel Astória 277 430 400
Hotel Fonte Santa 277 430 300
Pensão Boavista 277 434 213
Pensão Residência Portuguesa 277 434 218
Pensão das Termas de Monfortinho 277 430 310
Casas da Raia
Pensão Caetano 277 434 164
Pensão Garrancho 277 434 214
Pensão Martins 277 434 264
Pensão Residência Familiar 277 434 279
Pensão Luís 277 434 152
Pensão Beira Baixa 277 434 115
Residencial Nogueira 277 434 293
Residencial Felicidade 277 434 143
Restaurants:
Restaurante Central 277 434 219
Restaurante Beira Baixa 277 434 115
Restaurante O Garfo 277 434 154
Restaurante O Paladar 277 434 220
Restaurante do Campo de Tiro 277 434 142
Restaurante das Piscinas Municipais 277 434 190
Restaurante Balhoa 277 434 342
Casa do Café 277 434 156
Restaurante do Hotel Astória 277 430 400
Restaurante do Hotel Fonte Santa 277 430 300
Restaurante Ibérico 277 434 536
Monsanto
Accomodations:
Pousada de Monsanto 277 314 471
Casas da Raia
Casa da Maria 277 314 457
Restaurants:
Restaurante da Pousada 277 314 471
Adega - O Cruzeiro 277 314 528
Restaurante Lapa da Moura 966 150 424
Restaurante Horizonte 277 314 658
Café - Restaurante Jovem 966 794 412
Oledo
Accomodations:
Casa de Oledo 277 937 132
Restaurants:
Restaurante Ponte de São Gens 277 937 490
Casa de Comida de Oledo 277 937 165
Penha Garcia
Accomodations:
Casas da Raia
Quinta da Ribeirinha 277 366 477
Café - Restaurante O Nico - Dormidas 277 366 294
Restaurants:
Restaurante Raiano 277 366 350
Restaurante O Javali 277 366 116
Restaurante O Nico 277 366 294
A Frágua - Petiscos Regionais 277 366 477
Café D. Garcia 277 366 381
Café Aliança 277 366 155
Restaurante Cozinha do Chefe/ Café Freixo 277 366 177
S. Miguel D' Acha
Restaurants:
Restaurante Snack-Bar O Castanheiro 277 937 618
Restaurante Bom Petisco 277 937 293
Segura
Restaurants:
Café Flor do Erges 277 466 233
Snack Bar "O 33" 277 466 166
Zebreira
Restaurants:
Café-Snack-Bar O Pimba 277 427 478
Churrasqueira da Zebreira 277 427 163