Arouca, a less than one hour drive from Porto, is one of those places that rewards those who venture out of established tourist circuits. This small rural gem in the Portuguese interior hides secrets that will be revealed to anyone who explores it without haste, savoring each step through a village settled in a place that has been inhabited since the times when the Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula.
Life in Arouca is relaxed. Without great pretensions, but happy and free from the stress of big cities. Its people stroll aimlessly, among architectural gems, guided by the attractive smell of sweets baked in the small shops near its important monastery. And not far from the center of the village, nature shines in all its splendor in the form of mountains, rivers, and forests where you can easily get lost.
THE RETREAT OF QUEEN MAFALDA
A good starting point to begin our exploration of Arouca is its most important historical monument: Arouca Monastery.
The modernity of the immaculate visitor reception area makes us question whether that imposing building was actually built in the 10th century. More than a millennium of history treasures a place that served as a residence for members of different religious orders, but also for personalities like Queen Mafalda, daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal.
Arouca Monastery.Alamy
Mafalda, in the early 13th century, became queen of Castile for a short period. After her return to Portugal, Sancho I donated the monastery to his daughter and chose it as her residence, leading a monastic life focused on helping others. Mafalda died in 1256 and was beatified in 1792. She is buried in Arouca, a place to which she belonged body and soul. In one of the rooms of the monastery, they show an original and illustrative video – made with drawings – that summarizes Mafalda’s life.
