Portugal Guide
The Beira Litoral
The province of Beira Litoral is dominated by the city of Coimbra, a wonderfully moody place, full of ancient alleys and lanes, spreading around the country's oldest university. As a base for exploring the region, the city can't be beaten, with Portugal's most extensive Roman site, Conímbriga, 16km to the southwest, the castle at Montemor-o-Velho, 32km west, and the delightful spa town of Luso and ancient forest of Buçaco under an hour's journey to the north.
Beira's endlessly sandy coastline, from Figueira da Foz north as far as Porto, has been dubbed the Costa de Prata ("Silver Coast"). Although slowly succumbing to development, it remains one of the least spoiled coasts in Portugal, backed by rolling dunes and pine forests. Following the delightful Rio Mondego upstream from Coimbra, you'll come to see why it has been celebrated so often in Portuguese poetry as the "Rio das Musas" – River of the Muses. A tributary of the Mondego, the Dão, is the source of some the country's finest wines.
Highlights
1 Velha Universidade, Coimbra Wind your way up to the splendidly sited university, with its striking Baroque library.
2 Roman ruins at Conímbriga Mosaics, baths, forum, aqueduct and a mighty defensive wall survive at Portugal's finest Roman site.
3 Kayaking down the Mondego Paddle between Penacova and Coimbra down the meandering Rio Mondego.
4 Serra do Açor A little-visited mountain range full of serendipitous delights – schist villages, river beaches, mountain walks and elegant old bridges.
5 Mata Nacional do Buçaco Spend the day in the shaded Buçaco forest, and then drop down into the neighbouring spa town of Luso for afternoon tea.
6 Caramulo A hiking base in the midst of a stunning mountain range, with an excellent museum of art and automobiles.
7 Figueira da Foz Central Portugal's finest resort, with some great beaches and local walks.
8 Aveiro Cruise on a traditional boat through the canals of Aveiro.