Rio Maior
At the foot of the Serra dos Candeeiros, far from the salt water of the coast, the Salinas da Fonte da Bica have been quietly producing salt since 1177. This is a salt mine, where fresh water passes through a subterranean layer of rock salt and transforms into salt water seven times more salty than the sea.
In the village of Fonte da Bica, where two tons of salt are produced each year, everything is geared towards the production of salt. The traditional wooden huts where salt was stored are well preserved, down to the inventive wooden latches that are resistant to the corrosive effects of salt. Enjoy a meal in the restaurant overlooking the salt pans, then pick up a bag of salt to take home as a souvenir.
