Conímbriga – Rabaçal – Penela

For those who love history, from the middle ages to the romans, and even to prehistoric times, the area around Conímbriga, Rabaçal en Penela is a terific place to go. Also the landscapes are very beautifull, with old vineyards, olive trees and pine trees. You will think you are in Tuscany.

Conímbriga, just south of Coimbra, was in roman times a big city. Nowadays only ruins remain, but it is still stunning. It is one of the biggest archeological sites of Portugal. There is also a museum and you can have a light meal here.

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Close to Conimbriga is the charming village of Rabaçal. The village is in Portugal famous for its goat cheese. In Rabaçal there is a small museum that hosts artefacts from a former Roman villa just on the edge of the village. Usually there are one or two students from the Coimbra University at work in the museum. They will explain about the exhibition. If you ask the students, they will guide you to a place just outside Rabaçal to a closed area, where they will show you the most amazing mozaics that once belonged to the Roman villa.

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Opposite the Museum, is Restaurante “O Bonito”. This is the most typicall Portuguese restaurant you can get. It is not romantic. It has concrete walls, a tiled floor, a bar and football on the television. What you don’t get: a menu to choose from, a waiter standing at your table pointing out what’s what on your plate, or a smile (well, sometimes you’re lucky). What you do get is simple choice between meat or fish. First a soup, followed by a big plate as main dish, always fresh and homemade. And offcourse dessert. Accompanied by water, a half liter wine each person and coffee, and all this cost around 7 euros each person.

Serra de Janeane

Just a few kilometers northwest of Rabaçal is the Serra de Janeane. Leave Rabaçal to the north, you will find the signposted road to your left. You can make beautifull walks in this area, for example to the Buracas de Casmilo. The Buracas are open grotos, hollowed out by water in the prehistoric times. There is a signposted walk from the small village of Casmilo.

Castelo de Germanelo

About two kilometers east of Rabaçal lies the Castelo de Germanelo, on the top off a hill. Once this was a castle in a chain of castles, build by Don Afonso Henriques in 1142, one of Portuguese heroes, to protect the Portuguese against the Moors.

Walking up and around the hill can be exciting for those who are interested in fossils!

Penela

East of Rabaçal is the small town of Penela, known for its castle ruin. The ruin is worth a visit, and the small winding streets of Penela are charming. Sometimes there is a medieval market.