Cheeses of Serra da Estrela
Portugal's highest mountains, where Bordaleira sheep give milk for a soft, thistle-set cheese eaten with a spoon.
Made, aged and sold here
Best time: December to April for the cheese; summer for walking.
The Serra da Estrela is the highest range in mainland Portugal, a granite massif of glacial valleys, pastures and stone villages. Its shepherds make Queijo Serra da Estrela, the country's best-known cheese, from the raw milk of Bordaleira and Churra Mondegueira sheep, set with thistle flower. Towns such as Seia, Gouveia and Celorico da Beira trade it, and some hold winter cheese fairs.
The cheese
Serra da Estrela cheese is made in the cold months, from about November to April. The milk is set with cardoon thistle, the curd pressed gently by hand into cloth moulds and aged for at least thirty days. Young, the inside is soft and buttery, so the top is cut off and the paste scooped out with a spoon. Aged longer, the cheese becomes firm enough to slice.
The mountains
The Serra is a natural park with trails up to Torre, the highest point, and glacial valleys such as the Zêzere. The Serra da Estrela dog, a big guardian breed, was bred to protect the flocks. Linhares da Beira and other granite villages stand on the slopes, and Celorico da Beira has held a cheese market in winter.
A trail idea for Serra da Estrela
- Seia A gateway town with museums and cheese shops.
- Celorico da Beira A castle town known for its winter cheese market.
- Torre The highest point of the range, snowy in winter.
- Linhares da Beira A granite village with a castle above the valley.
Written by the EveryCheese desk with AI assistance. Background: "Serra da Estrela" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets, caves and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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