Sunday 18 May (B,L) In the morning our coach takes us the short distance to visit the Roman remains

You are invited to join us on an exclusive rail based holiday to the central Beiras region of Portugal. Our tour will be at a leisurely pace with plenty travel trailer mini blind parts of time to see each place that we visit. We are based for all seven nights in the fine 4-star Hotel Vila Galè located right in the centre of Coimbra’s historical travel trailer mini blind parts quarter with views of the Mondego River. Highlights of the holiday include the Roman city at Conimbriga, Mondega travel trailer mini blind parts river boat trip, a Peninsular Wars 12-pointed star fort, the funicular and stunning beach at Nazaré, scenic Beira-Alta railway line, National forest at Buçaco, the Vale do Vouga narrow gauge lines and narrow gauge railway museum, and a boat trip around the Ria de Aveiro lagoon. If you want “off the tourist track” then this one has it all.
Thursday 15 May Various flight options from the UK with direct flights from Heathrow and Manchester. We will transfer to Oriente station on the recently opened extension to the Lisbon metro where we join the inter-city service (first class reserved seats). Our 90 minute journey takes us north to the fine river side city of Coimbra. We stay here for all seven-nights at the fine 4-star Hotel Vila Galé located right in the centre of Coimbra’s historical quarter with views of the Mondego River. It is also possible to travel overland from St Pancras via the Eurostar and Sud-Express direct to Coimbra.
Friday 16 May (B,D) Coimbra is the Oxford or Cambridge of Portugal, with the best and oldest University in the country dominating the skyline. The city holds an affection with the Portuguese travel trailer mini blind parts people like no other. travel trailer mini blind parts The name Coimbra coming from the nearby Roman city of Conimbriga. Finally freed from Moorish occupation travel trailer mini blind parts in 1064, Coimbra became the capital of Portugal when King Afonso Henriques moved it south from Guimarães in 1139. For visitors it still holds a wealth of historic interest. Following a short trip on the last trolley bus system in Portugal, we will have a local guide for our walk around the historical old centre. Coimbra’s two cathedrals lie in the shadow of the hilltop university. The Sé Velha (old cathedral) is regarded as one of the finest Romanesque buildings in Portugal, celebrating in stone the victory over the Moors in 1064. The Sé Nova (new cathedral) was founded in 1598. The Museu Machado de Castro is based around the lovely courtyards travel trailer mini blind parts of the former bishops’ travel trailer mini blind parts palace and contains some of Portugal’s finest sculpture, including medieval pieces. travel trailer mini blind parts Also present are furnishings, paintings and vestments from the 12th-20th centuries. An interesting feature is a maze of underground Roman passages containing Roman sculpture and artefacts. The afternoon is free for your own exploration when we recommend the fine Botanical Gardens in the shadow of a section of the 16th century aqueduct. The gardens cover 50 acres and were created in 1772 by the Marquês de Pombal and include a large tropical glasshouse. Tonight we will have our welcome dinner in the hotel. (10:00 – 13:00)
Saturday 17 May (B) In keeping with our leisurely travel trailer mini blind parts pace we leave today at 10.00 and catch an inter-city train (first class seats) for our journey along the fine Beira-Alta railway travel trailer mini blind parts line one of the finest in Portugal as we climb up into the Serra da Estrela mountains. Our destination is the old frontier town of Guarda. From here we travel by coach (approx. 25 miles) to the delightfully preserved border town of Almeida. The formidable defences of this town are in the form of a 12-pointed star. In 1810 this town featured heavily in the Peninsular Wars and was seized back from the French by the Duke of Wellington. We have plenty of time for lunch and for your own exploration of the town which includes a fine 17th century church, Portugal’s oldest alms-houses and military history including soldiers’ barracks and the armoury. In midafternoon we have a shorter coach transfer to the border station at Vilar Formoso for a local train back to Guarda. From Guarda we return to Coimbra on the Inter-City service. (10:00 –20:15)
travel trailer mini blind parts Sunday 18 May (B,L) In the morning our coach takes us the short distance to visit the Roman remains at Conimbriga the largest and most excavated Roman site in Portugal. Remains include one of the largest houses discovered in the Western Roman Empire. This opulent travel trailer mini blind parts villa, travel trailer mini blind parts known as the Casa de Cantaber, is built around ornamental pools in superb colonnaded gardens, with its own bath complex and sophisticated heating system. You will also get to see some of the finest mosaics anywhere in Europe. travel trailer mini blind parts We then travel to the small town of Mealhada, famous for its “Leitão” (suckling pig) restaurants for lunch in one of the oldest and mosttraditional restaurants there before joining a river boat for a cruise travel trailer mini blind parts along the Mondego River. Remainder of the day is free for your exploration of Coimbra. (10:00 – 17:00)
Monday 19 May (B) Leaving Coimbra at 09.52 our through train first takes us west towards the important port of Figueira da Foz. At Lares we join the Linha do Oeste line and head south to pass through the important regional town of Leiria. This line is a quaint country line retaining a lot of its un-modernised charm. Our destination is the inland station of Valado-Nazaré. We will be met by our luxury coach which will take us the short 15 minutes travel trailer mini blind parts down to the coast and the fine beach resort of Nazaré with its glorious sandy bay backed by steep cliffs. High above the town is the Ermida da Memória, reached by a vintage funicular railway travel trailer mini blind parts dating from 1889. Local legend has it that here is the site where the Virgin Mary saved the King from falling off the cliff during a deer hunt in 1182. We will have 3 hours in Nazaré for your own exploration, lunch or relaxation travel trailer mini blind parts on the beach. We return to Coimbra by train arriving back at the hotel by 6.30pm. (09:30 – 18:30)
Tuesday 20 May (B) Today we have a rail trip to visit the fabulous travel trailer mini blind parts narrow gauge lines which hang on to survival in the Vouga region, north of Coimbra. A short mainline travel trailer mini blind parts journey brings travel trailer mini blind parts us to Aveiro where we transfer onto the narrow gauge train. Apart from the new station at Aveiro this line has seen little investment and still retains much of the century-old charm. First we head southeast to the large town of Agueda before heading north to break our journey travel trailer mini blind parts at Macinhata. Here we can visit the narrow gauge railway museum which contains vintage rolling stock including steam locomotives charting the history of the Vouga system. After a one hour break we continue the short distance to Sernada do Vouga. This is the centre of this sparsely populated area from where the picturesque line to Viseu used to branch off. There is time for lunch in the small cafe/restaurant and for railway travel trailer mini blind parts enthusiasts there should be two steam locos in the shed which you are free to visit. Leaving Sernada we head north on a further 60km stretch of charming narrow travel trailer mini blind parts gauge railway, again pretty much unchanged in the last 100 years (apart from the modern rolling stock). Our destination is the coastal resort of Espinho.  From here we return by modern high speed train back to Coimbra on the main Iberia gauge (5ft 6in) line. Arrival travel trailer mini blind parts back in Coimbra is at 7pm. (08:15 – 19:00)
Wednesday 21 May (B,L) A rail free day today as we visit an ancient forest, have a farewell lunch at a historic hotel and then end the day with a leisurely cruise. First our coach will take us north (about 20 miles) to the National Forest of Buçaco. This is a magical place which was a monastic retreat as early as the 6th century. In 1628 the Carmelites built a house here, walling in the forest to keep the world at bay. In the secluded forest the monks established contemplative walks, chapels and a unique collection of over 700 species of tree. Today the forest remains pretty much untouched with the fabulous travel trailer mini blind parts Buçaco Forest Hotel at its centre. We can visit the forest, the remains of the Carmelite travel trailer mini blind parts monastery (including a cell that Wellington slept in) and see the Fonte Fria cascade. We will have our fine “farewell” lunch at the hotel. In mid-afternoon we rejoin our coach to travel to Aveiro, also known as the Venice of Portugal. The town has a series of canals and fine Art Nouvaeu mansions. At the Ria de Aveiro lagoon, which covers 25 square miles, we join a boat trip to explore this unique backwater. This is known as the Rota da Luz “route of light” running between travel trailer mini blind parts gleaming salt flats, pale beaches and sparkling ocean. We return to Coimbra early evening. (10:00 – 19:00). If returning to the UK by rail you leave Coimbra tonight travel trailer mini blind parts on the Sud-Express.