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The varied terrain of Portugal offers the visitor a multitude of options, from the beautiful green forests and snow-capped mountains in the North and Central areas to the cliff-lined fine sandy beaches of the South. The area of Portugal frequently tagged the "Green Heart" of Portugal, is the Central region. This is due to the lush covering of pine and eucalyptus trees over the valleys and mountains. The place is filled with breath-taking natural beauty. The fantastic, natural environs in which visitors find themselves in Central Portugal is hard to miss.
It is important to hire a car to explore the scenery of rural Central Portugal and the beaches of its Silver Coast. Alongside the natural beauty of Central Portugal are passtimes for the more active person. Passtimes include: kayaking; mountaineering; mountain-biking and fishing. Many river beaches abound in Central Portugal, offering restaurants, bars, water sports and pedal boats. They are ideal for those who do not like to travel to the coast. There are other places and attractions to explore in Central Portugal, such as the Montebello Golf and Spa Resort, or a visit to the historic university city of Coimbra .
The capital of Portugal from 1139 to 1260 was Coimbra. However, it is now the principal city of the Central region. An major tourist draw in Central Portugal is the University of Coimbra. It sits regally on top of a hill overlooking the city and is the chief seat of learning in Portugal. The university has a stunning Baroque Chapel; the ceiling of the Library is inundated with complex carvings and contains over 300,000 historical books. and of note, are the 18th century Botanical gardes, noted as some of the most celebrated in Europe.
Coimbra was formerly a Roman enclave of the Aeminium, and some remains are still in existence, such as an aqueduct and cryptoporticus and the close by ancient city of Conimbriga has some of the most impressive Roman ruins found anywhere in Europe. There are also some good museums in Coimbra, celebrating other periods than the Roman era. There is the Museo Nacional Machado de Castro, seen as the most key in Portugal and the City Museum.
Providing the Central area with its life-blood is the mighty Mondego river, snaking through the valleys. The Mondego flows through villages, towns and mountains on its journey, however, it is most impressive flowing through the city of Coimbra. Enjoyment of the Mondego can be by just sitting and taking in its energy on the banks, by ferry ride, kayaking, or sipping a glass of wine at a bankside bar.
The citizens of Central Portugal welcome all with hospitality, friendliness and warmth, typical of the Portuguese. At first the language can seem unmanageable and challenging but still making the endeavour of learning the basics and trying to verbalize to locals in their own tongue will earn you many more smiles and very regularly lead to a free glass of home made wine or port.
Migrant working is an historical fact of the Portuguese people, with an average of 30% working in other countries at any occasion. They have a long history of migrant working. Those who select to visit, live or work in Portugal are greeted with a very accepting viewpoint from the Portuguese citizens. This is due to the reality that on average, 30% of the community work abroad.
Central Portugal has a large assortment of places to visit and experiences to be had. It is a region of amazing natural beauty imbued in history, custom and culture. The place is surrounded in magnificent natural beauty, is overflowing with history, culture and tradition.
