Dornes

Peace and tranquillity. Dornes, the “Enchanted Peninsula” is a must visit. Winner of the “7 Wonders of Portugal” in the Riverside Villages category and located on a peninsula surrounded by the waters of the Zêzere, this historic land is surrounded by a stunning landscape. In addition to the historical and monumental interest, Dornes is a charming village full of cultural and religious traditions such as Círios and Pilgrimages.

Dornes is a town in the county of Ferreira do Zêzere, with an area of 21.91 km² and 594 inhabitants. It was the county seat between 1513 and 1836.

A very ancient land, it even predates the foundation of the nationality, as attested by the monuments and archaeological remains that have been found here. Already in the first dynasty, there are some documents that refer to it, with the presence of a churchgoer from Dornes being documented in the Foral of Arega, in the beginning of the 13th century.

Later, in the 15th century, Dornes, as the Commander General of the Order of Christ, had as Commander D. Gonçalo de Sousa, a very influential man, from the House of Infante D. Henrique, who ordered the construction, in 1453, of the Church of Our Lady of Pranto. This place of worship gave the village part of the importance that led, in 1513, to the attribution of the Manueline Foral (charter).

Here were born, a century later, many of the heroic fighters who, around 1650, during the War of Restoration, fought on the borders to ensure national independence.

From the economy of the people of Dornes, we highlight the production and sale of chestnut wood, a tradition that we have already found described since the 14th century and which continued until the end of the 19th century. Also, fishing was, for a long time, the main activity and always had a significant weight in the local gastronomy.

Also in the 19th century, the reform of Rodrigo da Fonseca, extinguished the municipality of Dornes, integrating it since 1835, in the municipality of Ferreira do Zêzere.

However, it was tourism that took Dornes out of its anonymity when the town began to emerge as a destination for those seeking tranquillity and unobstructed  horizons. Visitors should save some time for a tour of the streets lined with lime-roofed houses and to climb to the heights of the Templar tower to obtain a panoramic view over the Zêzere and the surrounding landscape.

Afterwards, it is essential to dive on the river beach when the heat gets too hot, observe the Zêzere on one of the boat trips and end the visit with a walk to the point where the land meets the water.

Many call Dornes the village of the enchanted peninsula. At the end of the visit, it is likely that you will join the chorus of those in love with her.