61 Best Sights in Coimbra and Central Portugal, Portugal

A short drive from Curia, the Aliança Underground Museum is set within the historic wine cellars of Aliança Vinhos de Portugal, dating back to the 1920s. This immersive museum winds through a kilometer-long underground network, where art and archaeology are displayed alongside aging wine barrels. The eclectic exhibits—curated from the private collection of Portuguese businessman and art patron José Berardo—include 18th-century Portuguese ceramics, African tribal art, and archaeological treasures from South America, India, and beyond. Tours conclude with a guided wine tasting featuring sparkling and still wines produced on site. English-language tours are available, but advance booking is essential.

On the Baixa district's Rua Ferreira Borges—one of the city's principal shopping streets—the very modest Arco de Almedina opens onto a courtyard. The 12th-century arch is one of the last vestiges of the medieval city walls, and above it are a Renaissance carving of the Virgin and Child and an early Portuguese coat of arms. The sino de correr (warning bell) was used from the Middle Ages until 1870 to signal the populace to run to the safety of the city walls.

Of the mighty complex of fortifications and dwellings that once made up the castle, only the tower and battlements remain. As you enter, note the scale-model replica of the caravel that carried Cabral to Brazil. On one of the side walls is a coat of arms with two goats, the emblem of the Cabral family (in Portuguese, cabra means "goat"). Don't miss the graceful but oddly incongruous Manueline window incorporated into the heavy fortifications. The castle ruins are on a rocky hill to the north overlooking town, and you'll find the small visitor information center next door.

On a hill between Coimbra and Figueira da Foz lies the well-kept castle of Montemor-o-Velho. Climb to the top and you'll be rewarded with some of the best views of the region. Montemor-o-Velho figures prominently in the region's history and legends. One popular story tells how the castle's defenders cut the throats of their own families to spare them a cruel death at the hands of the Moorish invaders; many died before the attackers were repulsed. The following day the escaping Moors were pursued and thoroughly defeated.

The castle walls and tower are largely intact. But, thanks to damage done during the Napoleonic invasions in 1811, little remains inside the impressive ramparts to suggest this was a noble family's home that once garrisoned 5,000 troops. Archaeological evidence indicates the hill has been fortified for more than 2,000 years. The two churches on the hill are also part of the castle complex; the Igreja de Santa Maria de Alcaçova dates back to the 11th century and contains some well-preserved Manueline additions.

The fairy-tale Castelo de Santa Maria da Feira sits 8 km (5 miles) northeast of Ovar. Its four square towers are crowned with a series of conical turrets in a display of Gothic architecture more common in Germany or Austria than in Portugal. Although the original walls date to the 11th century, the present structure is the result of modifications made 400 years later. From atop the towers you can make out the sprawling outlines of the Ria de Aveiro.

At the top of the town's hill are the ruins of the 12th-century Castelo Templário. Not much remains of the series of walls and towers that once surrounded the entire community. Adjoining the ruins is the flower-covered Miradouro de São Gens, which provides a fine view of the town and surrounding countryside.

The town's modern, interactive eco-museum describes the surrounding geology and countryside.

Traditional salt production methods are on display at this small open-air museum on the edge of town. You can walk around the salt flats, watch workers extracting salt, and learn about the tools and techniques used in the process.

At Aveiro's northeast edge, the city's train station is an attraction in itself: the exterior of the whitewashed building displays a huge collection of 1916 azulejo panels depicting regional traditions and customs.

The triangular 17th-century Forte de Santa Catarina in Figueira da Foz was occupied by French troops during the early stages of the Peninsular War. Although the interior isn’t open to the public, the bar-restaurant at the top offers sweeping views of the coast—a scenic spot to enjoy a drink as the sun sets over the water.

Facing Praça da República, in a small square a little way from the old town, you'll find the 18th-century Igreja da Misericórdia and its imposing baroque portal. The walls of the otherwise sober interior are resplendent with blue-and-white azulejos. Look out for the gilded altarpiece and finely carved woodwork, as well as the quiet courtyard next door, often missed by passers-by.

If the cathedral looks like a fortress, the 16th-century Igreja da Misericórdia across from it looks like a palace. The intricate rococo details around the windows and unusual entranceway are more dramatic than the simple, unfussy interior. An adjoining museum has a good collection of sacred art.

The 12th-century stone church contains fragments of original frescoes and a fine Pietà carved from a single block of granite. The tomb of Pedro Cabral is also in this church. Actually there are two Pedro Cabral tombs in Portugal, the result of a bizarre dispute with Santarém, where Cabral died. Both towns claim ownership of the explorer's mortal remains, and no one seems to know just who or what is in either tomb.

The exterior of this late-17th-century church is completely covered with blue-and-white azulejos. Inside, seven altarpieces span four centuries, crowned by a magnificent Rococo main altarpiece.

From the Old Town, the botanical garden sweeps down the side of the hill to the Mondego River. Designed by British architect William Elsden and two natural history teachers, Domingos Vandelli and Dalla Bella, it was created during the reform of the university in 1772 by the Marquis of Pombal. It's still a place of serious scientific study, with more than 1,200 species of plants covering 50 acres. There is also a foliage-filled greenhouse and a small botanical museum. The walk uphill along the marked trail takes takes around 45 minutes, or half that if you're headed down.

This bustling triangular plaza lined with cafés and restaurants sits at the foot of the Ponte Santa Clara over the Mondego River. The statue is of Joaquim António de Aguiar, and the pen in his hand represents the 1833 signing of a decree banning religious orders throughout Portugal.

Occupying an old house in the town center, the small Museu de Ovar has displays of traditional tiles and displays scenes from provincial life over the centuries. There's also a collection of mementos relating to popular 19th-century novelist Júlio Dinis, a native of Ovar and its most famous son.

Some of the world’s largest trilobite fossils—ancient marine creatures that could grow up to 90 cm long (nearly 3 feet)—are on display at this museum in Canelas, a village about 7 km (a 10-minute drive) southeast of Arouca, within the Arouca UNESCO Global Geopark. Set among the slate hills and forested slopes of the Freita Ridge, the fossils were discovered in nearby quarries and were key to the region’s Geopark status. Opened in 2006, the small museum showcases these Ordovician-era giants as its star attraction. Allow 20 minutes or so for the short film which tells the fascinating story of these creatures and their discovery in Arouca.

This small museum is housed in the old Paço Episcopal (Episcopal Palace). In addition to the usual Roman artifacts and odd pieces of furniture, the collection contains some fine examples of the traditional bordado (embroidery) for which Castelo Branco is well-known. Adjacent to the museum is a workshop where embroidered bedspreads in traditional patterns are made and sold.

This modern museum next to the city park may look a bit stark outside, but it holds one of the province's most diverse and interesting collections. The archaeological section consists mainly of Roman coins sourced from all over the Iberian Peninsula. A second gallery focuses on former Portuguese colonies in Africa, with highlights including some fascinating ritual objects. There is also a gallery dedicated to Portuguese marquetry furniture with exquisite inlaid carvings, plus another devoted to religious items. Exhibits have multilingual explanations.

Housed in a former seminary beside the cathedral, this palatial museum was originally created to display the works of 16th-century local boy Grão Vasco, who became Portugal's most famous painter. In addition to a wonderful collection of altarpieces by Vasco and his students, the museum has a wide-ranging collection of other art and objects, from Flemish masterpieces to Asian furniture.

Aveiro's opulent, palm-filled city park is the biggest green space in the city, attracting everybody from joggers and strolling couples to kids attracted by the playground and skate park. An open air kiosk, Café Macaca, is a lovely spot for a cold drink and a snack under the shade of the trees.

The 50,000-acre park along the Spanish border between Penamacor and Sabugal was created to protect the natural habitat of the Iberian lynx, which was threatened with extinction. Although this isn't a place of rugged beauty, it's nevertheless an attractive, quiet region of heavily wooded, low mountains with few traces of human habitation. Although you won't see the lynxes, the park also shelters wildcats, wild boars, wolves, and foxes. The northern boundary begins about 10 km (6 miles) southeast of Sabugal.

This 17th-century cathedral was patterned after the baroque church of Il Gesù in Rome, as were many such churches of the day. It took a century to build and shows two distinct styles as fashion changed from classical cleanliness to the florid baroque. Three enormous and elaborate gilded altarpieces are the highlight of the interior, flanked by 17th-century choir stalls moved here from Sé Velha (Old Cathedral). There's a pair of organs, both from the 18th century. A small and slightly bizarre ecclesiastical museum displays religious figurines in glass boxes.

A strange archaeological site on a dirt road has kept people guessing for years. The massive framework of granite blocks is thought to be of Roman origin, but experts are unable to explain its original function or provide many clues about its original appearance. Some archaeologists believe it was part of a much larger complex, possibly a Roman villa, and was subsequently used as a watchtower.

A strange archaeological sight on a dirt track signposted off N18 has kept people guessing for years. The massive, solitary, three-story framework of granite blocks is thought to be of Roman origin, but experts are unable to explain its original function convincingly or provide many clues about its original appearance. Some archaeologists believe it was part of a much larger complex, possibly a Roman villa, which was subsequently used as a watchtower.

The exterior of the baroque Igreja Matriz is covered with blue-and-white tiles, and well-executed azulejos depicting the Stations of the Cross line the inside walls of the small, dimly lighted chapel across the street.

This museum, housed in a stately early-17th-century palace-cum-monastery adjacent to the 18th-century Igreja da Misericórdia (Church of Mercy), is worth a visit. It documents the region's history with a collection of prehistoric and Roman objects, old paintings, arms, and ecclesiastical art.

Inside this 18th-century manor house you'll see a good collection of paintings by one of the country's most distinguished artists, Abel Manta. He was born in Gouveia in 1888 and died in Lisbon in 1982. Today the exhibition has been expanded with the superb modern paintings by Manta's son, João Abel Manta.

Construction on the fortress-like Sé started in 1390 but wasn't completed until 1540. As a consequence, the imposing Gothic building also shows Renaissance and Manueline influences. Although built on a smaller and less majestic scale, the cathedral shows similarities to the great monastery at Batalha. Inside, a magnificent four-tier relief contains more than 100 carved figures. The work is attributed to the 16th-century sculptor Jean de Rouen.