Mira De Aire can be explored from three different perspectives: the Polje Mira-Minde shapes the view of the landscape, the PR12 is a circular hiking trail that starts and ends in Mira de Aire, and the Museu Industrial e Artesanal do Têxtil (MIAT) is dedicated to textile history. The Grutas de Mira d’Aire and the Parque Aquático Aqua Gruta also offer distinct experiences. You can tailor your stay to nature, exercise, industrial history or the leisure facilities mentioned.
Polje Mira-Minde: Landscape Through the Seasons
The Polje Mira-Minde is a flat depression with temporary springs formed by several streams that seep into the ground. It is the largest polje in the region, measuring 4,000 m long and up to 1,800 m wide. Its length is more than twice its maximum width of 1,800 m.
In winter, the polje fills with water and forms a large lake. At this time of year, birds found there include mallards, moorhens and coots. The water and birds characterise its winter appearance, while the flat depression and its dimensions describe its basic form. From the Miradouro Mira de Aire, you can look out over the Polje Mira-Minde. The viewpoint complements these seasonal features with a specific view of the landscape.
Circular Trail and Viewpoint
The PR12 – Rota do Polje Mira-Minde is a circular hiking trail that starts and ends in Mira de Aire. If you want to make hiking a focus of your visit, this circular route begins and finishes in the same town. Its activity differs from that of the Miradouro Mira de Aire: there, you look out over the polje; on the PR12, the hike itself is the main attraction.
Textile History at the MIAT
The Museu Industrial e Artesanal do Têxtil (MIAT) links a specific manufacturing process with the industrial history of Mira de Aire and Minde. It is housed in a building constructed in 1924 as the Dom Fuas carpet factory. At the MIAT, visitors can follow the wool-processing stages, from shearing through washing, carding, spinning and dyeing to weaving. The sequence shows how the steps follow one another, from raw material to woven product. The museum aims to honour the memory of the generations who made Mira de Aire and Minde important centres of Portugal’s textile industry in the 20th century.
Caves and Water Park
The Grutas de Mira d’Aire are also among the caves in the Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros that are set up to receive visitors and have various visitor facilities. The Parque Aquático Aqua Gruta has an adults’ pool with a diameter of 18 m and three water slides. Check these facilities before your visit. The caves and water park offer further points of interest alongside the landscape and textile history.
Discover more destinations: Mendiga, AlqueidĂŁo da Serra, Porto De MĂłs, Juncal, Arrimal, Pedreiras.
Go to the main travel overview: Porto De MĂłs.
