Portugal regions – Central Portugal
The Central region of Portugal is literally the green heart of the country, featuring a varied landscape which ranges from wonderful beaches to charming mountain villages, rugged slopes and the highest peak in mainland Portugal. It offers a plethora of potential destinations.
The major focal point of the region is the city of Coimbra, home of the country’s oldest university, which boasts an absolutely magnificent 13th century library alongside some of the most beautiful Baroque architecture in all of Portugal. There are also a couple of very interesting historical town in the region, such as Viseu and Castelo Branco – which are totally worth visiting – as well as Aveiro – which is known by some as the ‘Portuguese Venice’ due to its canals, picturesque lagoons and gondola-shaped boats.
By going south along the coast, you’ll find a series of golden beaches and charming fishing villages, including historic Fatima, which is one of Portugal’s most famous pilgrimage sites, containing a vast shrine and a beautiful basilica.
For the more adventurous outdoorsman type of holidaymaker, the spectacular views and challenges of the Serra da Estrela will not cease to amaze. This region holds the sources of the MOndego and Zezere rivers, and there’s a natural park here that encompasses the largest area of protected forests in Portugal. The park has some wonderful crystalline lakes and hiking trails, great for hikers of all ages, and the great thing is that the valleys and ridges will transform with the season, you’ll get a different experience in summer and spring, than you will in winter. Not to mention that the autumn displays a dazzling array of colour.
As far as the cultural side of Central Portugal goes, you can expect a large number of cathedrals, museums, art collections and Roman ruins to choose from, as well as medieval fortresses and villages.
You can see and experience as many of these places of interest as possible with the help of our Algarve car rental services.
