Dark Sky® Aldeias do Xisto is the second Starlight Tourist Destination in Portugal. A space for observing the night sky combined with the preserved heritage of these historic locations.

Right in the Centre of Portugal, Aldeias do Xisto is a region untouched by time, with its historic villages nestled on the slopes of the mountains. The preservation of these spots away from major development centres protected them from the high levels of light pollution existing in urban areas. What could be a weakness has become an advantage for these Villages whose skies are as pristine and clean as the areas surrounding them.

This is how Dark Sky® Aldeias do Xisto came to be, the second Starlight Tourist Destination in Portugal, whose certification was awarded by the Starlight Foundation. This Dark Sky® region enjoys a privileged location due to its low population density and its particular beauty, thanks to the natural barrier that the mountains in the area have created to protect it from the light pollution of nearby cities.

The Aldeias do Xisto region, a destination of excellence in its own right, extends over 5000 km2 and includes 27 villages spread over 19 municipalities in the districts of Castelo Branco, Coimbra and Leiria. Although concentrated, they are found across four zones with different morphologies - Serra da Lousã, Serra do Açor, Zêzere and Tejo-Ocreza -, each offering unforgettable landscapes and experiences to those who visit them.

The connection between these people and nature has always been one of their strong points, keeping village traditions alive. Among the Lousã, Açor and Muradal mountains we find a sea of green meandered by rivers such as the Zêzere, Ceira, Alva and Ocreza and by water bodies including the Alto Ceira, Santa Luzia, Cabril, Bouçã, Aguieira, Fronhas and Castelo de Bode dams.

Aldeias do Xisto, Pampilhosa da Serra ©Miguel Claro - Dark Sky®

As the Aldeias do Xisto are already a calling card for the Centre of Portugal, Dark Sky®'s recognition is yet another invitation to a programme that starts with discovering the villages by day and ends with observing their clear, starry skies by night.