Waterfall hiking trail one hour by bus from Lisbon. Spring 2025

Since we moved closer to the Atlantic two years ago, leaving the creeks and ribeiras of Serra de Estrela behind, I've missed the sound of bustling and plunging water. The ocean has its charms. It has a rhythm but lacks a flow. I’ve hiked to many large and small waterfalls during my travels, but I've never had the chance to stand under one. For a long time, I’ve dreamed of feeling the primal force of the current on my skin. So, when I found out about a hike along a cascading river just outside Lisbon—especially after the heavy April rains that filled all the waterways—I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

To reach the trailhead, we took a bus from Lisbon to Loures, and then another bus to Bucelas. From the station, we followed a tarmac road that quickly turned into a dirt path leading to Ribeira do Boição. The trail eventually took us down to a swirling stream that we crossed via an improvised bridge made of a long wooden log. On the other side, a full waterfall awaited us, rushing and splashing between the trees. It tumbled off the edge of a cliff with unstoppable force, creating a shimmering curtain. Beads of water glistened in the sun, giving the whole scene a festive mood. I put on my bathing suit and carefully approached the rapids. Standing under the waterfall, I immediately felt the current's power on my shoulders. It was as if nature were a Thai masseur, pressing my most sensitive points. My long-time dream had finally come true.

After that refreshing experience, we kept following the trail alongside the meandering stream. It led us to three more cascades that were quieter and more intimate, with a soothing, calming character. Cascata da Contradinha flowed down a moss-covered wall into a shallow pool dappled with sunlight. Dense foliage shielded the area from the sunrays, creating a shady oasis beneath a natural canopy. Further down the trail, we came upon its smaller sister, Cascata Santiago dos Velhos, barely visible through the intertwined ivy. We paused for a while, listening to the murmur of the water, before continuing on to the more exposed and hilly part of the route.

The next section of the trail grew slightly more demanding as we ascended to its highest spot. An abandoned windmill atop the hill stood as a reminder of a time when human ingenuity merged with nature's raw power. At the uppermost point, we came upon a two-hundred-year-old fort, part of the Lines of Torres Vedras, which were built to defend Lisbon from French troops during the Peninsula war. Fierce piercing wind at this elevation brought back memories of our not-so-distant past—the intense hike in Lanzarote, where strong gusts nearly toppled us. From there, the trail descended pleasantly through green, vineyard-lined hillsides back to Bucelas. Outside of town we followed a path alongside the Trancão River, which flows into the Tagus. It was a fitting end to a hike dedicated to the enduring force of water.