Traill's Crest Loft

The traveller to Portugal is spoilt for choice on where to visit. It has beautiful sandy beaches in the South and beautiful forests and snow-capped mountains in the North and Central areas. Eucalyptus and pine trees inundate the valleys and mountains of Central Portgual, giving it the tag of the "Green Heart" of Portugal. The region is engulfed with outstanding natural beauty. Those who pay a visit to Central Portugal cannot miss the outstanding nature of the environs in which they find themselves.

A car is very important for visiting the stunning countryside of rural Central Portugal or for travelling to the coastal areas and beaches of the Silver Coast. Throughout Central Portugal there natural characteristics such as mountains, forests and rivers in addition to adventure attractions such as kayaking, mountaineering, hiking, mountain-biking or more unhurried pursuits such as fishing. For those who do not want to travel far from rural areas to arrive at a beach, then Central Portugal is inundated with river beaches. Different draws comprise golf resorts like the Montebello Golf and Spa Resort set in beautiful, relaxing surroundings or a jaunt to the stunning and historic university city of Coimbra.

Coimbra was the capital of Portugal from 1139 to 1260. Today, it is the main city of Central Portugal. Dominating the city underneath is the University of Coimbra. It is the chief seat of learning in Portugal and one of its main tourist attractions. The university has a exquisite Baroque Chapel; the ceiling of the Library is decorated with intricate carvings and contains over 300,000 historical books. and more than 32 acres of 18th century Botanical gardens noted as some of the most fabulous in Europe.

The city was a Roman tract of the Aeminium, with an aqueduct and cryptoporticus still existing. Conimbriga, close was an ancient city and has some of the best Roman ruins in Europe. Further to Roman history, there are a fair collection of museums in Coimbra. There is the City Museum and the Museo Nacional Machado de Castro, the most important in Portugal.

Winding through the whole of Central Portugal is the powerful Mondego river which is the life-blood of the region. When the River Mondego reaches Coimbra, it is at its most impressive. There are many ways to revel the River. Examples are, kayaking, ferry ride, sitting and watching on its banks, or eating a meal at a bankside cafe.

The populace of Portugal are renowned for their warmth, friendliness and hospitality, never is this more so than in the area of Central Portugal. A payoff of homemade wine or port is regularly the paymnet for those who attempt to learn and speak to locals, after making the effort to memorize the basics of this oftentimes challenging language.

The Portuguese citizens have a lengthy history of being migrant workers with an average of 30% of the country's native population being abroad working at any one point in time. Virtually all families in Portugal have someone who is working in another country and this leads to a extremely adaptable attitude to those coming into Portugal, either as a visitor, to live or to work.

If a traveller is looking for variety of experiences and differences of place to visit, then Central Portugal is the place to go. It is an area of spectacular natural beauty infused in history, custom and culture. History, culture and tradition are embedded in the place and magnificent scenery surrounds and engulfs it.