blue lake, where the dam is the destination
You call it a beach, but what you have in front of you is an inland cove created by the Castelo de Bode reservoir, with water the colour that justifies the name. The Praia Fluvial da Castanheira, known locally as Lago Azul, is wedged between the wooded slopes of the Zêzere basin, in a recess of the reservoir where the water almost seems to close in on itself.
Ferreira do Zêzere has a direct relationship with the reservoir: the territory was partly transformed by the construction of Castelo de Bode, and this stretch of the bank is one of the most accessible for those coming from the town. It isn't a beach you stumble across. There's a road, there's infrastructure, there's an atmosphere that mixes local families with those who come from outside for a day by the water.
What sets this place apart from other points on the same reservoir is the human scale of the cove. The water doesn't open out into an open lake: you have a visible opposite bank, wooded, with no buildings. The feeling is of being held by the landscape, which is completely different from the reservoir beaches with wide horizons. If you know Castelo de Bode from other spots, this corner of the Zêzere will surprise you with its intimacy.
what you'll find
- the blue-green colour of the water, tied to the depth and clarity of the Castelo de Bode reservoir
- slopes of pine trees and dense vegetation closing the horizon on both sides
- organised access, with a support area designed for local use
- close to the town, which brings an atmosphere of residents rather than tourist circuit
