Culture

Schist villages

These beautiful stone villages (Aldeias do Xisto) are dotted around the area, often tucked away between hill slopes and via windy lanes. They are all different and some sell locally produced handicrafts and offer food and accommodation.

The nearest to us is Casal de São Simão – only a 15 minute drive. The restored stone houses are really beautiful and you can wander down the valley to the water falls and rocks at Fragas, with clear water to swim in and even a café for a quick drink or snack. There is also a restaurant at the top serving traditional regional food.

If you want to explore more schist villages take our guide book out for the day or download the app “aldeias do xisto” on your smartphone.

Local markets and fairs

Pedrógão Grande has one on Monday mornings, where people meet to buy and chat. Fresh fruit and vegetables, grown locally are for sale as well as freshly made goat cheese and stalls specialising in random rusty garden tools and big pants (not on the same stall). You have to visit to see! Check out the Pedrógão app “Municipio de Pedrógão Grande”.

Figueiró dos Vinhos is a little bigger and is every Saturday morning, same sort of goods but more variety.

For a really local experience go to Vila Facaia, just along the road, their market is on Sundays and although small it’s worth calling (in various languages). They sell plants and produce.

Castanheira de Pera has on Saturday mornings a traditional fruit and veg market, opposite the town hall, where local produce is sold. And at Christmas time there is a Christmas fair. A large yule log is lit and burned for the Christmas period, outside the town hall and there are rides, fun and games for the children. Also a number of the unused shops are handed over to the local artisans, who then sell their homemade Christmas decorations, some used for traditional Christmas scenes, others sell beer and hot wine with traditional food snacks, which brings a lovely feel to the town over the Christmas period. 

Tomar

Former seat of the Order of the Knights Templar, Tomar is a city of great charm for its artistic and cultural wealth, whose greatest expression is in the Convent of Christ, one of the chief works of the Portuguese Renaissance. Whatever your reason is for visiting the city, climbing up to the Templar castle and discovering the monumental work of the Convent of Christ is a must. From the Convent, you can walk down through the Sete Montes Woods to the historic centre.

Coimbra

On the banks of the river Mondego, Coimbra is famous for its University, the oldest in Portugal and one of the oldest in Europe, which over time has shaped its image to become “the city of students”. But there is much more to see in this old towns many narrow steep streets and centuries-old buildings. Also Coimbra’s fado music is world famous and the old town is home to numerous fado houses.