Parque de Campismo Sertã

After days at the beach or swinging around in trees, take to the car for day trips around old parts of pretty Portugal, such as to the district capital Castelo Branco and its spectacular Jardim do Paço Episcopal (Garden of the Episcopal Palace) with ponds, terraces and staircases surrounded by statues of allegories and kings. The city is 40 minutes' drive from the site. Another must-see is Portugal's former capital, Coimbra, just under an hour's drive away. Set on the Mondego river, it's home to a historic university famed for its Baroque library and 18th-century bell tower. There's also a medieval Old Town that's home to the 12th-century cathedral of Sé Velha; less virtuously, Coimbra also has a busy live music scene and holds one of the biggest student parties in Europe, the Queima das Fitas, each May. For fishing, canoeing, boating and nature spotting, the Cabril reservoir is 20 minutes' away.