10 Best Sights in Coimbra and Central Portugal, Portugal

Its varied landscape makes the spectacular Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela a favorite in Portugal for outdoor pursuits, including hiking, cycling, and fishing. In the winter the mountains are blanketed in snow, making this an excellent spot for winter sports. Until the end of the 19th century, this mountainous region was little known except by shepherds and hunters. The first scientific expedition to the Serra da Estrela was in 1881, and since then it has become one of the country's most popular recreation areas. In summer the high, craggy peaks, alpine meadows, and rushing streams become the domain of hikers, climbers, and trout fishermen. The lower and middle elevations are heavily wooded with deciduous oak, sweet chestnut, and pine. Above the tree line, at about 4,900 feet, is a rocky, subalpine world of scrub vegetation, lakes, and boggy meadows that are transformed in late spring into a vivid, multicolored carpet of wildflowers. The Serra da Estrela Natural Park is home to many species of animals, the largest of which include wild boar, badger, and, in the more remote areas, the occasional wolf.

A 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.

If the cathedral looks like a fortress, the white, rococo Igreja da Misericórdia across from it looks like a palace. The fussy ornamentation around the windows and unusual entranceway are more impressive than the interior.

The exterior of the baroque Igreja Matriz is covered with blue-and-white tiles, and well-executed azulejos depicting the Stations of the Cross line the inside walls of the small, dimly lighted chapel across the street.

This museum, housed in a stately early-17th-century palace-cum-monastery adjacent to the 18th-century Igreja da Misericórdia (Church of Mercy), is worth a visit. It documents the region's history with a collection of prehistoric and Roman objects, old paintings, arms, and ecclesiastical art.

Inside this 18th-century manor house you'll see a good collection of paintings by one of the country's most distinguished artists, Abel Manta. He was born in Gouveia in 1888 and died in Lisbon in 1982. Today the exhibition has been expanded with the superb modern paintings by Manta's son, João Abel Manta.

Construction on the fortress-like Sé started in 1390 but wasn't completed until 1540. As a consequence, the imposing Gothic building also shows Renaissance and Manueline influences. Although built on a smaller and less majestic scale, the cathedral shows similarities to the great monastery at Batalha. Inside, a magnificent four-tier relief contains more than 100 carved figures. The work is attributed to the 16th-century sculptor Jean de Rouen.

This massive stone structure with twin square bell towers lends the plaza a solemn air. Construction on this cathedral was started in the 13th century and continued off and on until the 18th century. Inside, massive Gothic pillars support a network of twisted, knotted forms that reach across the high, vaulted roof; a dazzling, gilded, baroque high altar contrasts with the otherwise somber stone. The lines of the 18th-century upper level are harsh when compared with the graceful Italianate arches of the 16th-century lower level. To the right of the mannerist main portal is a double-tier cloister, which is connected to the cathedral by a well-preserved Gothic-style doorway. The cathedral's Sacred Art Museum has reliquaries from the 12th and 13th centuries. For great views of the cathedral, head a block south to the tiny square of Praça de Dom Duarte.

This castle keep, on a small knoll above the cathedral, and a few segments of wall are all that remain of Guarda's once extensive fortifications. From the top of the ruins you get an impressive view across the rock-strewn countryside toward the Castilian plains.