| SEIA |
Seia was captured from the Moors in 1057 and officially recognised
as a municipality in 1136.
Set at the foot of mainland Portugal's highest mountain, the
Serra da Estrela, it is a light and airy town with broad streets
lined with shops selling the local ewe's-milk cheese (queijo
da serra) and high-quality sheepskin goods.
What to see: Dominating the town from a hilltop, Seia's
parish church is of Romanesque origin but rebuilt after the
Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century. An imposing 18th-century
palace, the Casa das Obras, also known as the Solar dos Albuquerques,
houses the town hall; the future Duke of Wellington used it
as his headquarters during the French invasions. Other landmarks
nearby are the Solar dos Botelhos, a restored 16th-century granite
manor house with three Manueline windows,
Nearby: The N339 road ascends steeply to Torre,
the top of Serra da Estrela, situated 29 km south-east of Seia.
Visitors planning to drive up the mountain in winter should
check the notice board beside the town's 18th-century Misericórdia
church, which indicates whether or not the mountain roads are
passablee. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
