4 Best Sights in Coimbra and Central Portugal, Portugal

Coimbra's best loved family attraction, Portugal dos Pequenitos is made up of scale models of Portuguese houses, castles, and monasteries that children of all ages can play in. The well-maintained structures replicate Portugal's most important buildings and monuments, all built to the scale of a five-year-old. There are also sections devoted to scaled-down versions of typical buildings in the former Portuguese colonies, as well as traditional houses from across the country's diverse regions.

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.

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.

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.