Serra da Freita

Bernardo Conde

Biography

Bernardo Conde is a photographer passionate about travel and people. He currently dedicates himself to cultural discovery and adventure trips in a professional way, already counting in his portfolio with trips to Iceland, Mongolia, Madagascar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Kenya, Morocco, Italy, France and neighboring Spain, among others. Bernardo clearly assumes himself as a traveller. But it is on foot that he likes to travel, photograph and make contact with people, since this is how he feels more genuine contact with everything that surrounds him. In his photographic portfolio, he tells stories from Africa, Asia and Europe. Since the beginning of 2013, he has also become a Tour Leader in countries such as Iceland, Morocco, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Nowadays, for the Nomad agency, he works with experiences in countries such as: Madagascar, Mongolia and Iceland.

He also coordinates the Trilhos da Terra Photography Center, where he is a gallery curator, photography trainer and carries out commercial photography work.

In 2017, he had the idea of creating an International Travel and Adventure Photography and Video Festival and, with the help of 3 friends and a huge team of volunteers, he helps organize the National Geographic Exodus Aveiro Fest, which takes place at the end of November in Aveiro.

MEET ME ON INSTAGRAM

What does this saw make you feel?

Freita is the mountain that makes me feel most at home and it is no wonder that, since my teenage years, I came to Freita to live epic adventures. I remember in a camp near Merujal, next to the old guardhouse, going out into the night to walk around the mountains for 2 or 3 days with a backpack. Since then, it has been ingrained in me, from the discovery of imposing waterfalls such as Frecha da Mizarela to the smaller ones, from the granite boulders, the natural pools, the wild baths in its fresh water, the variation of colors throughout the year, its starry sky, my fascination with the lives of the shepherds who give life to the mountains… I often call it my Imaginary Scotland because of the environments and landscape it creates. It is for these reasons that I feel it as a home, as that extension of us and that always leads me to think about it when I do Astrophotography or Nature Photography Workshops. It is through the combination of Freita, Arada, Gralheira, Montemuro that we can travel back in time through the geology and human component of their villages. And speaking of villages, it would be impossible not to mention the most magical village I know, Drave, once with much more difficult and remote access. Its scenic surroundings, the river, the ponds, the houses, the bridge, make it a special place.

Activities in the Sierra, Trekking Tips

The extension of Freita and surrounding mountains, has a variety of landscapes quite diverse, here are some of the Trekks I recommend:

- Pre-History Journey

- On the Escarps of Mizerela

- Black Gold Route

- Magic Village

If you want to plan a visit, you can consult the Arouca Geopark website http://aroucageopark.pt/pt/explorar/ and if you want to have more intense experiences you can always use companies such as:

- http://www.desafios.pt/atividades/

- https://justcome.pt/tours/passeio-com-o-pastor-arouca-geopark/

Restaurants, accommodation and artisans

For sleeping, if you like camping, I recommend Parque de Campismo do Merujal, Retiro da Fraguinha, or Drave, which is a Scout base camp. If you want another type of bed, you can always go, for example, to the Hotel Rural da Freita.

To eat, I have two tips: the restaurant Palestra, in Arouca, and the Restaurante Mira Freita, in the Vale de Cambra area. Just thinking about any of these makes my mouth water. So if you go there to eat, make room because it's all too good. And don't forget the Casa dos Doces Conventuais de Arouca with a fabulous variety of sweets.