There are several athletes who, on the 26th and 27th September, will cover the entire route of the GRZ- Grande Rota do Zêzere, from the source in the Serra da Estrela to the mouth in Constância.
Athletes such as climber João Garcia, Olympic mountain bike athlete David Rosa, canoeist Emanuel Silva, silver medalist at the London Olympics, and canoeist  Francisca Laia,  silver medalist in K1 200 at the under-23 canoeing World Championships,  did not want to miss out on taking part in the transportation of the tribute that will contain water from Covão D'Ametade and the various crossing points along the river, and that will be symbolically kept at the end of the journey, thus celebrating the World Tourism Day.

At each of the crossing points and where the tribute is filled with a little more water from the river, each of the GRZ partner towns prepared a party to celebrate the inauguration of their respective sections of the route. Anyone can join the party and/or follow the relay route.

Programme of the route

26 September
8:30am – Covão D’Ametade (Manteigas) – Mountain Biking
9:35am – Vale de Amoreira (Manteigas) – Trail Running
10:25am – Valhelhas (Guarda) – Mountain Biking
11:55am – Ponte de Alvares (Covilhã) - Trail Running
12:30pm – Camping Tortosendo (Covilhã) – Mountain Biking
2:20pm – Aldeia do Xisto of Barroca (Fundão) – walk
3:45pm – Dornelas do Zêzere (Pampilhosa da Serra) – Mountain Biking
4:20pm – Aldeia do Xisto of Janeiro de Cima (Fundão) – walk
5:10pm – Aldeia do Xisto of Janeiro de Baixo (Pampilhosa da Serra) – Mountain Biking
5:35pm – Cambas, (Oleiros) – Trail Running
6:15pm – Abitureira (Oleiros) – Mountain Biking
7:40pm – Sobral (Oleiros) – Trail Running
9:30pm – Arrochela (Sertã) – Mountain Biking
10:10pm – Sra. da Confiança (Sertã) – Trail Running
10:30pm – Philippine Bridge (Pedrógão Grande) – Mountain Biking
11:50pm – Bouçã – Foz de Alge (Figueiró dos Vinhos) – Trail Running

27 September
8am – Foz de Alge (Figueiró dos Vinhos) – Mountain Biking
8:45am – Dornes (Ferreira do Zêzere) – Canoe
10:45am – Trízio (Sertã) - Canoe
11:45am – Zaboeira (Vila de Rei) – walk
12:30pm – Cabeça Gorda (Vila de Rei) – Mountain Biking
1:25pm – Macieira (Vila de Rei) – Trail Running
2:40pm – Penedo Furado (Vila de Rei) – Mountain Biking
3:20pm – Fontes (Abrantes) - Mountain Biking
3:45pm – Souto (Abrantes) – Trail Running
4:30pm – Cabeça Gorda (Abrantes) – Mountain Biking
5.25-5.35pm - Constância - Arrival of joint Trail Running, Mountain Biking, Walking and Canoeing

Multi format race

The 370 km long GRZ passes through 13 municipalities: Manteigas, Covilhã, Guarda, Fundão, Pampilhosa da Serra, Vila de Rei, Oleiros, Sertã, Pedrógão Grande, Figueiró dos Vinhos, Ferreira do Zêzere, Abrantes and Constância. The route is designed to be multimodal, and can be carried out on foot, by bicycle and canoe. It can take place in a continuous and linked way, in sections or even in  multimodal circuits, using more than one modality. The innovative character of the 13 intermodal stations along the route contributes to this aspect.

Located in places close to the river, the Intermodal Stations are multifunctional support structures, which allow users of the route to alternate their mode of travel along the itinerary (pedestrian, mountain bike and canoe), without having to leave the route to change the equipment used, i.e. bicycles and canoes.

During the course of the GRZ planning work, different concepts were developed that were capable of taking this route to a higher level than those that currently exist at a national and even international level - intermodal stations being one of them. There are complementary routes, either circular ones of the Small Routes type, such as the Schist Paths,  around points where the GRZ passes, or derivations from the main route that take users to nearby geographical areas and points of interest, such as the Aldeias do Xisto, river beaches, reservoirs and dams, among others.

The territory, the brand and the spirit of partnership

With the launch of the GRZ, and similarly to the network of walking trails Schist trails and the network of Biking Centres, the Aldeias do Xisto provide the territory with another infrastructure of permanent animation, which can be enjoyed by anyone at any time.

The macro approach to the territory based on a municipal scale has been the key to the intervention that the Aldeias do Xisto brand has been leading for the development of tourism in the region. The GRZ, due to its size and importance, its variety and attraction factor, the set of partners it brings together and its innovative nature, represents the experimental spirit of the Aldeias do Xisto.

The municipalities and the private partners of the Aldeias do Xisto will jointly manage and boost the Great Zêzere Route, taking care of its maintenance and developing programmes and events around the route. A group has already been set up for this purpose.

Getting the most out of Zêzere river

The Zêzere river valley is one of the territorial units that make up the area of the Aldeias do Xisto and one of the most environmentally diverse natural areas in the country. The creation of the Grande Rota do Zêzere (GRZ) was designed to allow users to enjoy closer contact with natural heritage.

The Zêzere River rises in the Serra da Estrela, at about 1900 m altitude, near Cântaro Magro, where the largest glacial valley in Europe begins (13 km). Moving southwest through the Beira Interior, Pinhal Interior and Médio Tejo regions, it flows into the river Tejo, west of Constância, after a running for about 248 kilometres. After the Mondego, it is the second largest river in Portugal.

The GRZ’s route spans several scenic views, where you can appreciate the richness of the region’s fauna and flora, as well as the human elements that have long established themselves on its banks. Nature and human culture blend in surprising shades along the way, showing this to be one of Portugal’s best kept secrets.