Fonte De Ferro

On the banks of the Tagus, Abrantes (20 minutes’ drive) is dominated by the hilltop Castelo de Abrantes, a former Moorish fortress with a garden for shaded strolls (and a skatepark, if half-pipes are your thing). In the town centre, the MIAA - Museu Ibérico de Arqueologia e Arte de Abrantes houses a collection of artworks by Maria Lucília Moita. A medieval castle with crenellated walls and towers overlooks Belver (20 minutes), while the Museu do Sabão in town displays a collection of soap bars and explores the science behind producing soap. Cross the Ponte de Belver bridge to reach the other bank of the Tagus and the Praia Fluvial do Alamal beach. Coimbra was the original capital of Portugal. Its university is renowned for the 18th-century Biblioteca Joanina library, housed in an elegant Baroque building. The Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Coimbra is a top spot for a shaded stroll, or head to the riverfront Parque da Cidade Manuel Braga.