Coimbra and Central Portugal
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Coimbra and Central Portugal - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Judaria and Museu Judaico
On steep sloped roads behind the Castelo de Belmonte, a cluster of old houses makes up the Juderia. Belmonte had (and, in fact, still has) one of Portugal's largest Jewish communities. Many present-day residents are descendants of the Marranos: Jews forced to convert to Christianity during the Inquisition. For centuries, many kept their faith, pretending to be Christians while practicing their true religion behind closed doors. Such was their fear of repression that Belmonte's secret Jews didn't emerge fully until the end of the 1970s. The community here remained without a synagogue until 1995. A small museum situated within a former 18th-century Catholic church includes a permanent exhibition about the Jewish period; it is also an important center for Jewish studies in Portugal.
Rua da Portela, Belmonte, Castelo Branco, 6250-088, Portugal275 088 698Sight Details
Rate Includes: €4 museum, Closed Mon. -
2. Castelo de Belmonte
Of the mighty complex of fortifications and dwellings that once made up the castle, only the tower and battlements remain. As you enter, note the scale-model replica of the caravel that carried Cabral to Brazil. On one of the side walls is a coat of arms with two goats, the emblem of the Cabral family (in Portuguese, cabra means "goat"). Don't miss the graceful but oddly incongruous Manueline window incorporated into the heavy fortifications. The castle ruins are on a rocky hill to the north overlooking town, and you'll find the small visitor information center next door.
Belmonte, Castelo Branco, 6250-048, PortugalSight Details
Rate Includes: €2, Closed Mon. -
3. Centum Cellas
RuinsA strange archaeological sight on a dirt track signposted off N18 has kept people guessing for years. The massive, solitary, three-story framework of granite blocks is thought to be of Roman origin, but experts are unable to explain its original function convincingly or provide many clues about its original appearance. Some archaeologists believe it was part of a much larger complex, possibly a Roman villa, which was subsequently used as a watchtower.
10 km (6 miles) north of Belmonte, Belmonte, Castelo Branco, 6320-536, Portugal -
4. Eco-Museu do Zêzere
The town's modern, interactive eco-museum describes the surrounding geology and countryside.
Belmonte, Castelo Branco, 6320-536, Portugal275 088 611Sight Details
Rate Includes: €1.50, Closed Mon. -
5. Igreja de São Tiago e Panteão dos Cabrais
The 12th-century stone church contains fragments of original frescoes and a fine Pietà carved from a single block of granite. The tomb of Pedro Cabral is also in this church. Actually there are two Pedro Cabral tombs in Portugal, the result of a bizarre dispute with Santarém, where Cabral died. Both towns claim ownership of the explorer's mortal remains, and no one seems to know just who or what is in either tomb.
Largo do Castelo, Belmonte, Castelo Branco, 6250-048, Portugal275 088 698Sight Details
Rate Includes: €1 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Torre de Centum Cellas
A strange archaeological sight on a dirt road has kept people guessing for years. The massive framework of granite blocks is thought to be of Roman origin, but experts are unable to explain its original function or provide many clues about its original appearance. Some archaeologists believe it was part of a much larger complex, possibly a Roman villa, and was subsequently used as a watchtower.
Estrada da Torre, Belmonte, Castelo Branco, 6250, Portugal
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