Ramalhal strawberries: the route through Portugal’s strawberry capital

In May, there is a scent that hangs over the fields north of Torres Vedras – sweet, fresh and unmistakable. It is the scent of strawberries ripening in Ramalhal, the parish that, for almost two decades, has become the Portuguese capital of this fruit. And it is just a 15-minute drive from Quinta da Carlota.

Only a few minutes from our door, Ramalhal lives May in strawberry mode: fields of cultivation stretching into the distance, homemade sweets coming out of kitchens, artisanal liqueurs and, towards the end of the month, a festival that fills Ameal with visitors from across the region.

How Ramalhal became the strawberry capital

The story begins in 2005. A group of residents from Ameal, a village belonging to Ramalhal, decided to organise a small festival to raise funds to restore the church’s old wine cellar. They called it the Strawberry Festival – the product that best represented the land. Almost twenty years later, the festival reaches its 19th edition in 2026, and the region is now recognised nationally as a reference point for strawberry production.

The result is plain to see: several local producers, sweets, jams and liqueurs made with fruit picked nearby, and one of the most beautiful agricultural landscapes in the entire Oeste region.

The Strawberry Route: walking among the strawberry fields

For those who enjoy walking, the Strawberry Route (PR11) is one of the loveliest experiences in the spring calendar. It is a circular, well-signposted walking route that starts at Largo 1.º de Maio, in Ramalhal, and passes through Abrunheira, Ameal and Vila Facaia, among strawberry-growing fields, farmland, streams, chapels, wayside crosses, bandstands and old fountains – a journey through some of the most authentic elements this region has to offer.

The full route (PR11) is around 20.2 km long, but there are two shorter alternatives for those who prefer a lighter morning:

• 1 -11.4 km, with a few more marked climbs, ideal for those looking for a walk with a little more pace.
• 2 – 10.6 km, the ideal option for those who want to walk at a gentler rhythm.

These are routes with few inclines for most of the way, on dirt tracks with some paved sections, suitable both for experienced walkers and for those setting out on their first walk.

A morning itinerary: from Quinta da Carlota to the strawberry fields of Ameal

We suggest the following plan for a day in May, designed from Quinta da Carlota:

• 00 am – breakfast at the Quinta. Before setting out, take a quick walk through the garden, where our own strawberry plants are already beginning to bear fruit.
• 00 am – departure for Ramalhal. In around 15 minutes, you will reach Largo 1.º de Maio, the starting point of the Strawberry Route.
• 30 am – begin the PR11.2 walk (10.6 km), among strawberry fields, streams and the rural landscape of Abrunheira, Ameal and Vila Facaia. In May, you are likely to come across producers working in the fields — do not rush; it is worth stopping for a conversation and tasting the fruit from those who grow it.
• pm – return to the Quinta. The afternoon is free for the pool, the house fruit basket, available free of charge to all guests, or a nap beneath the olive trees.

For those who prefer to walk less, there is a shorter version: a visit to the centre of Ramalhal and Ameal, a stop at local producers to buy strawberries and sweets, and a return by the end of the morning. Around an hour and a half in total.

The Ameal Strawberry Festival

If your stay coincides with the end of May, it is worth setting aside time for the Ameal Strawberry Festival. The 19th edition takes place in 2026, with the traditional Strawberry Route Walking Event included in the programme on 31 May. During the festival, Ameal fills with stalls selling fresh strawberries, jams, homemade liqueurs, cakes, live music, traditional demonstrations and activities for families.

It is one of the liveliest moments in the regional calenda,  and a delicious way to close the month.

May is the month

There are fruits you buy in the supermarket, and there are fruits you go and fetch. Ramalhal strawberries belong to the second group. In May, with the light stretching later into the day and the fields at their very best, this is one of the finest reasons to spend a weekend between Quinta da Carlota and the strawberry fields of Ameal. Book your May stay with us.