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Location
Lagares is a typical small Portuguese village full of friendly people, it has a bread van, meat van, fish van and grocery van which will deliver to the door.
A ten minute walk takes you to Travanca do Mondego with a mini-supermarket, two café/bars and a couple of primary schools.
It is 4km to the beautiful little town of Sao Pedro de Alva with schools, health centre, numerous cafes and restaurants, grocery stores, two banks, hardware stores, post office etc.
Nearby larger towns include Mortagua 10km, Penacova 15km and Santa Comba Dão 20km and it is a 30 minute drive to the centre of the historic university city of Coimbra.
Lagares is idealy located in it's beautiful rural surroundings yet close enough to the main routes of the IP3 and the IC6 to give you easy access to the whole of central portugal.
An hours drive to the east takes you to the beautiful National Park of the Serra da Estrella, whilst an hour west takes you to the coastal areas of Figueira da Foz and Praia da Tocha.
Lagares is conveniently situated 2 hours from Lisbon and 1½ hours from Porto airports. |
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Local area
The immediate local area surrounding Lagares is ideal for those who enjoy nature and the outdoors, there are literally hundreds of miles of forest tracks to explore and are ideal for walking, mountain biking and horse riding.
Lagares is less than 2km away from the Barragem da Aguiera dam where the rivers of Criz, Dão, Modego and Alva meet to form one of Portugal's largest bodies of water, it is the location of the new Montebelo Aguiera lake resort and marina. This area is ideal for any kind of inland water activities from fly fishing to sailing.
There are plenty of local river beaches dotted around the area surrounding the dam and it's rivers, a perfect way to spend the day swimming, sun-bathing or paddling about in a blow up dingy. Many of the river beaches have Barbecue areas, restaurants and bars to helping you to enjoy your day out.
For golf lovers it is only a twenty five minute drive to one of the few the 27 hole golf courses in Portugal. Located between the mountains Serra da Estrela and Serra do Caramulo, the beauty of the Montebelo golf course combines perfectly with the interesting layout and lovers of golf will be drawn by the features of the course - whatever their handicap.
Coimbra
In terms of historic significance and romantic beauty, Coimbra is second only to Lisbon and Oporto. Its ancient buildings cling to the side of the hill that rises above the curves of the river Mondego, the ornate buildings of the famous University of Coimbra are its crowning glory.
Reputed to be the second oldest in the world, the Universidade de Coimbra opened it doors in 1290 and has produced many nationally and globally acclaimed academics. Beyond the university, Coimbra has much, much more to offer..............
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Conimbriga
The ancient city of Conimbriga is situated 10 miles south of Coimbra , it is the largest Roman settlement in Portugal and is classified as a National Monument.
The city walls are largely intact, and the mosaic floors and foundations of many houses and public buildings remain. In the baths, you can view the network of stone heating ducts beneath the now-missing floors. Archaeologists estimate that only 10 percent of the city has been excavated, so you're likely to see new discoveries if you return to Conimbriga after a previous visit.
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Buçaco
The Buçaco National Park, which lies 15 miles northeast of Coimbra on the northern slopes of the Serra do Buçaco, is virtually unrivaled in its scenic beauty and richness of vegetation. Although it is possible to drive through the Buçaco's 260 acres of forest, it is well worth taking the time to explore them using the network of attractive footpaths leading to idyllic glades, picturesque fountains and springs, and magnificent viewpoints.
A good starting point inside the park is the Palace Hotel do Buçaco, formerly the Portuguese royal palace.
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Aveiro
Famous for its lagoon, this town is crisscrossed by canals where colourfully painted moliceiro boats sail. Deserving a special mention the Cathedral (15th-18th centuries) and Gothic cross; Misericordia Church and Sao Bartolomeu Chapel; 18th century churches of Santo Antonio and Sao Goncalo. Regional Museum, housed in the ancient Convento de Jesus.
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Castelo Branco
Around the 13th century castle lies a medieval quarter, with its Manueline portals. In the old Episcopal Palace, is the Francisco Tavares Proenca Junior Museum. Other old monuments are the Pacos do Concelho (16th-17th centuries), Graca Convent (16th-18th centuries), Santo Antonio dos Capuchos Convent (16th century), Misericordia Velha Church (16th-18th centuries).
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Figura da Foz
Its nickname, Rainha das Praias (Queen of Beaches) leaves us in no doubt as to the main attraction at Figueira da Foz. True to form, the summer months see its long stretches of golden sands attract swarms of beach lovers who come to swim, surf or simply soak up the rays of Figueira’s apparently above average amount of sunshine.
The picturesque quality of this beach setting is enhanced by the surrounding green hills of the Serra da Boa Viagem, from where commanding views of the scenery abound.
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