2 Best Sights in Coimbra and Central Portugal, Portugal

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

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.