Caminho da Água da Gorreana | Beautiful & Underrated Trail at Gorreana Tea Plantation
The Caminho da Água da Gorreana trail is a short but lovely out-and-back hiking path located at the Gorreana Tea Factory. The trail highlights the cultivation of the tea plants and follows alongside the Gorreana Stream.
There are four main highlights of this walking path, the water tank of the Gorreana Tea Factory, a Roman stone arch bridge, a mill, and the Cidreira Waterfall. The beginning of the walk also highlights the canals used for water irrigation.
This scenic hiking trail is often overshadowed by the loop trail of the Gorreana Tea plantation that is located just across the street.
Don’t skip the Caminho da Âgua trail! It’s informative and beautiful and the best part is, the trail sees little foot traffic.
Here’s a short hiking guide to the Caminho da Agua da Gorreana walking path.
Table of Contents
Disclosure: This is part of my Hikes & Adventures series, which means these treks can be strenuous and challenging. These are my experiences and I am not an expert. Please have all the proper equipment, verify the weather conditions, use professional resources, do your own research, be mindful of constantly changing trail conditions, and take into consideration your own physical abilities and/or limitations. These guides are for entertainment purposes only. Please see my full disclosure for more information here.
- Caminho da Água da Gorreana Hike Map & Overview
- How to Get to the Trailhead
- What to See on the Lovely Caminho da Água da Gorreana Trail
- Things to Do at Chá Gorreana
- More Worthwhile Hikes on São Miguel Azores
- Conclusion | Caminho da Água da Gorreana Hiking Guide
Caminho da Água da Gorreana Hike Map & Overview
- Out & Back Trail | Trilho Caminho da Água da Gorreana – TM 05
- Trailhead: Gorreana Tea Factory
- Official Trail Markers: TM 05 is well-marked with blue and red blazes and informative signboards for points of interest
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total Distance: A little over 1 mile (1.7 Km)
- Excursion Duration: +/- 40 minutes
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Caminho da Água da Gorreana Municipal Trail
This hiking trail is not part of the official Azores island hiking trail but rather, run by the Ribeira Grande Municipal. Ribeira Grande Municipal oversees and maintains a total of seven hiking trails. The Caminho da Água da Gorreana trail is officially marked as the Trilho Municipal 05 (TM 05).
The Caminho da Água da Gorreana translates to the “Walk of Gorreana Water.”
How to Get to the Trailhead
The Trailhead for the Caminho da Água da Gorreana is found right near the parking lot entranceway of the Gorreana Tea Factory. There is an official signboard here.
Chá Gorreana (the tea factory) is easy to reach by car. A majority of the visitors to São Miguel will rent a car and explore the island independently.
Additionally, there are public buses that run between Ponta Delgada and the nearby village of Maia. Buses also depart from Ribeira Grande, which is only a little to the east of the Gorreana Tea Plantation.
There are guided tours to the Gorreana Tea Factory, but many tours do not include the Caminho da Água da Gorreana trail. Hiring a private driver allows for a more personalized visit.
What to See on the Lovely Caminho da Água da Gorreana Hike
The Caminho da Água da Gorreana trail is a fantastic and short hike. Don’t skip it. The Caminho da Água da Gorreana trail is definitely worth walking!
The four main highlights of the Trilho Gorreana are the water tank of the Gorreana Tea Factory, the stone Roma stone arch bridge, the ruins of a stone mill, and the Cidreira Waterfall (Salto do Cidreira). The trail is mostly on a dirt path and follows through a quiet section of the tea plantations that leads to a fern and moss-covered waterfall.
The start of the trail is right alongside the irrigation canal. There are stellar views of the hedges of the Camellia Sinensis shrubs. This trail allows for an intimate walk through the manicured rows of a quiet area of the tea plantation.
The first point of interest on the trail is the Gorreana water tank. Water is collected here from the stream to use in the tea manufacturing process.
The trail winds through the fields and leads to the Roman arch bridge. This lovely stone bridge allows passage over the Gorreana Stream and underneath the car road.
The pathway continues to the ruins of an old stone water mill. This water mill was used to grind corn and is strategically located on the stream. The mill sits in ruins but is a beautiful section on the trail to the Cidreira Waterfall.
The moss has reclaimed the crumbling structure.
Continue on the dirt path. Eventually, the path will turn from earth to a wooden walkway.
Salto do Cidreira
At the end of the walkway is the Salto do Cidreira, or the Cidreira Waterfall. This scenic waterfall is found in the lower sector of the Gorreana Stream. The water flows through the stream where it is collected in the holding tank at the beginning of the trail.
The Cidreira Waterfall is nestled in a small gorge and is truly a great place to relax and enjoy the tranquility of this hiking path. When ready, simply follow the same trail back to the trailhead in the parking lot.
After visiting all of the four main stops on the Caminho da Água da Gorreana Trail it’s easy to see the importance of the water that built one of the oldest tea plantations in Europe.
🥾 Trilho Caminho da Água da Gorreana | TR 05 Ribeira Grande Municipal Trail | Round Trip Distance: 1.7 Km (A little over 1 Mile) | Duration: +/- 40 minutes
More Things to Do at Chá Gorreana
The Gorreana Tea Factory is Europe’s oldest tea factory and has been producing black and green teas since 1883.
It’s free to visit Gorreana, so don’t miss a tour of the tea factory. The factory can be visited independently or with a guide. If using a guide, it’s encouraged to leave a tip.
Stop in at the connected cafe to sample teas produced right next door. The Gorreana cafe sells sweets, cookies, scones, and homemade tea-infused ice cream. Sip tea on the outdoor terrace or in the bright and open cafe. The cafe also has a gift shop that sells loose-leaf teas and other Gorreana tea products.
On top of the Caminho da Água da Gorreana, stroll through the main tea plantations. The loop trail is marked as a PR 28 SMI hiking trail and is just over 2 miles (3.4 Km).
The Gorreana Tea Factory is possible to visit on a rainy day or when the sun is shining. All of the highlights of the Gorreana Tea Factory can be explored over 3 hours.
➯ Detailed Azores Travel Guide | How to Make the Most of a Visit to Chá Gorreana
More Worthwhile Hikes on São Miguel Azores
Gorreana Tea Factory is home to two awesome hiking trails on São Miguel island. The island boasts 30 official hiking trails and numerous municipal trails.
If you love hiking, here are some of the best hiking trails in São Miguel.
✔ The Salto do Prego – Sanguinho hike boasts two very lovely and different waterfalls with a wander through the lost hilltop village of Sanguinho. If you only have time for one hike on São Miguel make it this one.
✔ Janela do Inferno is an adventurous trail to the “Window of Hell” and showcases beautiful old aqueducts and the opportunity to walk through old water canal tunnels.
✔ Salto do Cabrito hike is a great forest path that includes a stop at a hydroelectric power station, a dam, and a gorge waterfall. There’s also a bonus to soak in the Termas das Caldeiras, one of the more local São Miguel hot springs.
Psst… These are some of the best hikes in the Azores
Conclusion | Caminho da Água da Gorreana Hiking Guide
This is a quick hiking guide to the Trilho Caminho da Água da Gorreana hiking trail. Although short in distance, this hiking trail showcases the beauty of the Gorreana Stream and its importance to the tea cultivation process.
Highlights of this underrated hiking trail include a walk through the quiet section of the tea plantation, water channels, a water tank, an arch bridge, an old stone mill, and a beautiful gorge with a waterfall.
The Camino da Água trail at Gorreana Tea Plantation is worth hiking!
Have you walked this trail on São Miguel? What did you think? Any trail updates I should know about?
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