for tourists & foreigners living in central portugal
A picturesque town dominated by the walls of a Moorish Castle. This castle was built in 1087 by the governor of Coimbra, as part of the line of defences of the Mondego valley. Its squat towers provide wonderful views over the town and of the wooded Serra da Lousã. The Church within the castle walls – São Miguel – dates back to the 16th century. Amongst the houses in the medieval part of town are the pillory in Manueline style, the Renaissance Church of Santa Eufémia, and the beautiful Misericordia Square with its church.
Penela has many amenities, including a range of shops, weekly market (Wednesday), banks, post office, café-bars, restaurants, cinema, internet café, schools (nursery, primary & secondary), doctors, dentists, library, indoor & outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, sports centre, football ground, karate & kendo clubs, motocross & 4×4 clubs, parasailing, gym, massage & beauty spa, horse riding, and river beaches for swimming and fishing.
Louçainha, set in mountains and surrounded by trees, has natural fresh water pools for swimming, and a café and picnic area. Loucainha is set in the Serra da Espinhal and lies approximately 6 kms to the east of Penela and is south of Miranda do Corvo.
for free summer bus service to Louçainha.
Penela is host to a number of colorful folk festivals, the largest of which is the Feira de São Miguel/Feira das Nozes (Walnut Festival) on 29th September (the town’s annual holiday) when local walnuts and honey are for sale. Other festivals/markets in the region include:
Penela:
Festa de Santo Amaro – 1st Sunday in June
Festa de Santo António Convento de Santo António – the Sunday closest to 13th June
Festa da Senhora da Nazaré – 15th August
Espinhal:
Mercado Semanal (Weekly Market) – Mondays
Feira Mensal do Gado (Monthly Market) – 3rd Thursday of each month
Festa da Nossa Senhora do Pranto – 2nd Sunday closest to 13th June
Podentes:
Feira Mensal (Monthly Market) – 3rd Sunday of each month
Festa da Nossa Senhora do Pranto 2nd & 3rd Sundays in September
Rabaçal:
Feira Mensal (Monthly Market) – last Wednesday of month
Feira de Santa Maria Madalena – 15th August
Penela Local Council (Câmara Municipal de Penela):
Praça do Município, 3230 – 253 Penela
Telephone: 239560120 / Fax: 239569400
email: cmpenela@cm-penela.pt
website:
Tourist Office:
Posto de Turismo Municipal de Penela, Praça do Município, 3230 – 253 Penela
Telephone: 239561132
email: turismo@cm-penela.pt
Porto is approximately 1.5 hours drive and Lisbon 2 hours. Silver Coast (Costa da Prata) beaches approximately 35 minutes, and the Algarve (Faro airport) approx. 5hrs.
Situated to the north of Coimbra, Luso is famous for its mineral and thermal waters, which have their source below the chapel of São João. The mineral water is bottled for sale and thousands of litres are drunk daily throughout Portugal, but the water also flows freely from the town’s fountains and springs.
Luso is one of Portugal’s most important spa towns and its hot-water springs became popular in the 18th century, although the town dates back to the 11th century. Today a variety of treatments are available and the waters are said to be particularly beneficial for arterial disease and rheumatism.
Luso is situated in the Serra do Buçaco, a wooden ridge about 15km long running north from Penacova. Nearby are Buçaco Palace and the national forest. Carmelite monks have inhabited and cultivated this area since the 6th century; a monastery was founded in the 17th century and a wall built around a section of the forest on the southern slope of the ridge, to ensure their seclusion and solitude for spiritual contemplation. The monks planted a huge variety of trees and exotic plants – over 500 species are present to this day, and some of the trees date back to the 1600s. The forest is open to the public and offers many beautiful walks amongst the trees, following the “stations of the cross” and little hermitages, to the “Cruz Alta” at the top of the hill.
The palace was built in 1900 in the impressive and ornate Manueline style. The former royal summer residence and hunting lodge is now the and offers luxury accommodation and a first class restaurant.
The area is also famous for being the scene of the where Wellington, with his army of British and Portuguse soldiers, won victory over 66,000 troops during the unsuccessful French invasion of Portugal in 1810.
Buçaco Military Museum
Museu Militar do Buçaco, Buçaco 3050-361, Portugal
Phone: 231939310 / Fax: 231939310
Porto is approximately 1.5 hours drive and Lisbon 2 hours. Silver Coast (Costa da Prata) beaches approximately 35 minutes, and the Algarve (Faro airport) approx. 5hrs.
Góis is a pretty riverside town on the Ceira River, in a valley between the Carvalhal and Rabadão mountains, about 40km (25 miles) from Coimbra. The town has a rich history dating back over 800 years.
There are many festas in the town throughout the summer and one of Portugal’s biggest in August. The town’s facilities include a range of shops, bars, cafés and restaurants, schools, parks & picnic areas, and a campsite.
Góis Local Council (Câmara Municipal de Góis):
Praça da República, 3330-310 Góis
Telephone: 235770110 / Fax: 235770114
email: geral@cm-gois.pt
website:
Parishes (freguesias) in the gois municipal district: