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Penela
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 & 4x4 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.
Timetable 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
Diary of Events
Penela Local Council (Câmara Municipal de Penela):
Praça do Município, 3230 - 253 Penela
Telephone: 239560120 / Fax: 239569400
email: cmpenela@cm-penela.pt
www.cm-penela.pt
Tourist Office:
Posto de Turismo Municipal de Penela, Praça do Município, 3230 - 253 Penela
Telephone: 239561132
email: turismo@cm-penela.pt
Location map: mapquest.com
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.
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