Local Area

Nearest shops, banks and restaurants are located in Tabua approximately 5 km or five minutes drive away. This is also where the weekly Sunday market is held where you can breakfast on barbequed chicken washed down with a breakfast wine. There is an indoor market where you can buy bread, local and regional cheeses, presunto/cured ham, fish, meat, fruit and vegetables. The outdoor part of the market is mainly for the sale of garden plants, vegetables and also live poultry.

The indoor/outdoor swimming pool is in Tabua, as is the modern library where you can use the computer facilities if required. There are quite a few good restaurants here, and a three course meal including your jug of wine can cost as little as 5/6 euros per head. At the moment there are approximately three supermarkets in Tabua for your weekly shopping.

Other activities

The Senhora da Ribeira marina on the River Mondego is approximately 12 minutes drive from the cottage. From here you can eat in the restaurant overlooking the marina activities, which include fishing, swimming, boating and water ski ing. This is also a pleasant location for a picnic.

The Atlantic.

90 minutes drive from Vila Seca is the spectacular coastline known as the silver coast, namely Figuiera da Foz. Apart from the beach and the sea, which is great for surfing, there are many other interests including Arts, Museum, Palaces and buildings of archaeological and historic interest. Figuiera also has a Casino, which is open from 15h00 to 0400h daily.

Coimbra

This is a lively, busy city approx 40 minutes drive from Tabua. It is a university town and is known as the Oxford of Portugal. Conimbriga lies southwest of Coimbra and has roman ruins that are well worth a visit.

Luso

Famed for its drinking water. You can sample this from the spring that is situated in the main square. Nearby is Bucaco National Park. A 500 year old forest which has 700 different types of trees, a palace, which has now been converted into a hotel, gardens, and a small museum about the Duke of Wellingtons campaign against the French.

Viseu

The nearest golf course is in Viseu that is approx 45 minutes away.

Santa Comba Dao

This is another must see town where the River Dao runs, and where you can still occasionally see the Portuguese women doing the laundry on its banks. Santa Comba Dao has a large fire station that also houses a small zoo. It is quite interesting to see the animals and birds passing the time of day and not getting at all bothered about the helicopters taking off and landing in close proximity to them. Again, there is a weekly market held here, which is much larger than the one held in Tabua. Driving time from the cottage is approx. 15 minutes.

Tabua