Costa da Prata

Overview:

The Costa da Prata (Silver Coast) includes a long strip of land that stretches along the coast, beginning north of Lisbon and ending just before Porto. This area of Portugal is a year-round sportsman's paradise with its bounty of mountains, forests, glacial lakes, spring waters and the Atlantic Coast. This region boasts many fishing villages, medieval towns, monasteries, convents, churches, castles, and archaeological sites, including the 12th-century Abbey of Santa Maria in Alcobaça, where the tragic love story of King Pedro I and his beloved Inês de Castro outshines even that of Romeo and Juliet. This region is also the setting of the many fierce battles that defined the country as a nation. The region has lots of colorful military history and it was here that Napoleon was defeated in battle. Coimbra, the location of Portugal's oldest university and its famous baroque library, is found in the Costa da Prata. People in this region are said to be exceptionally welcoming, enjoy their traditions and festivals and incorporate their regional specialties of cheese, sausage and mountain honeys into their cuisine.

Karen Brown Itineraries that traverse this section: Port to Port

SIGHTSEEING: Alcobaça, Aveiro, Batalha, Buçaco, Coimbra, Conímbriga, Fátima, Óbidos, Tomar.

HANDICRAFTS: Porcelain, ceramics, crystal.