Regoufe Wolfram and Tin Mines

Set in the remote mountains of Regoufe, this former mining complex played a crucial role during World War II. Although mining began in the early 20th century, it was in 1941 that the site gained new life under the “English Company”, a British-backed operation that brought infrastructure like electricity, roads, and telephone lines to the village.

The most active area, known as Poça da Cadela, still preserves the ruins of mining galleries, administrative offices, workshops, a power station, warehouses, and miners’ housing – spread over 57 hectares. The hillside also features a striking series of laundry tanks and machines used to process the valuable wolfram ore, also called “black gold.”

While the underground galleries are not safe to enter, the site remains a fascinating open-air museum of industrial heritage, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Freita and Arada mountains.