There’s no need to be afraid of the wolves at the Centro de Recuperação do Lobo Ibérico located near Malveira, 10km east of Mafra. The centre is home to a pack of around 20 wolves that can no longer live in the wild. Set in a forested valley, the centre aims to boost the rapidly dwindling numbers of Portugal’s Iberian wolf population (now just 300 in the wild) by affording them safe shelter in a near-to-natural habitat. As the wolves are free to roam in their large enclosures, there’s no guarantee that you’ll spot them, but encounters are frequent. Advance bookings are essential. The sanctuary is best reached by private transport.
