| CELORICO DA BEIRA |
Reaching an altitude of 500 metres, Celorico da Beira is a small town nestling on the edge of the Serra da Estrela mountains, 50 km east of Viseu in the heart of central Portugal.
Its most famous son, Sacadura Cabral, made aviation history in 1922 by making the first-ever flight across the South Atlantic with fellow Portuguese pilot Gago Coutinho.
The pastures surrounding Celorico da Beira have long been a source of the region’s famous Serra cheese, which is made from the milk of locally-reared ewes. Made during the winter months, the cheese is pale and slightly runny, with a thin rind. From December to May the local cheese market is held in the Praça Municipal, while every February a lively fair dedicated to cheeses attracts visitors from all over Portugal.
What to see. The main focus of the town is its lumbering castle of pre-Roman origin, which was later refurbished by King Dinis in the 14th century and sacked by the Spanish in 1762.
Restored in the 18th century, the parish church of Santa Maria served as a hospital for English forces during the Peninsular War.
Nearby. Standing in a field of wildflowers a few kilometres west of Celorico da Beira, between Fornos and Matança, the large lonesome figure of an ancient dolmen is a sight worth seeing.
Rising to more than 1,000 metres, Guarda to the south-east claims to be the highest city in Europe. Dating back to 1390, its fortress-like cathedral is striking for its flying buttresses, fantastic pinnacles and grimacing gargoyles.
Lying to the south-west, and guarded by the towers of its medieval castle, the historic village of Linhares is considered one of the most picturesque places in Portugal. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
