Colmeal is situated at the centre of several convergent routes through the mountains, and is the capital village of the freguesia. The village derives its name from “colmeia” meaning “beehive”, and is famous for its delicious heather honey.
Because of the scarcity of usable land in this area, the local inhabitants used to rely heavily on hunting in the past, but nowadays it is the production of goat’s cheese, the local honey and handicrafts that helps to support the village.
The local patron saint of Colmeal is San Sebastian, and the church is dedicated to his name. Every January the saint is honoured when a cup of wine and a little packet of figs is given to every member of the community, in remembrance of a time when the village fell victim to an epidemic.
Today visitors make their way to Colmeal to experience a community in the heart of the mountains, to participate in local festas and to enjoy the swimming at a number of excellent river beaches. The village has a well-stocked shop and two café-bars, and a weekly bus service to Góis for the Tuesday market.