Why move to Viseu District
With a sizeable city at its heart and many secluded villages to explore, Viseu is perfect for anyone looking to escape the busy cities and coast to the east.
The only district of Portugal not bordering Spain or the sea, Viseu is home to numerous mountains, a network of rivers and rugged terrain. You’ll find the district’s capital almost in the geographical centre, around 50 kilometres east of the Atlantic. In winter the peaks of the six surrounding mountains are layered deep in snow. Its position, naturally sheltered by mountains helps to create its own distinct ecosystem, with hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters.
Viseu is one of the largest and most interesting cities in central Portugal. It was named ‘Viso’ by the Romans because of its splendid views, and flourished as an important crossroads for trade. In modern times it has been voted the city with the best quality of life in the country and you don’t have to spend long here to understand why. The historic centre with its squares and cathedral remains beautifully preserved, while the modern part of town is a pleasure to navigate with wide streets, parks and some of the best shopping centres in the country.
The district is famous for its smoked ham and sparkling wine, and you won’t want to miss a glass or two of Raposeira, Portugal’s answer to Champagne produced in the town of Lamego to the north. This charming location near the Rio Douro is overlooked by a Baroque shrine accessible by a decorative stairway. The town centre is full of handsome manor houses and the surrounding area populated by a surprising number of historic churches, monasteries and fortifications – all built following the Reconquista from the Moors in the 12th century.
Another shrine can be found in the hilltop town of Sernancelhe, an important pilgrimage site. In the town you’ll find more handsome manor houses alongside small whitewashed homes which gather around the older granite walls of earlier fortifications. You can find more typical medieval homes built in schist stone in the pretty villages of Aldeia da Pena and Aldeia da Póvoa Dão.
The river Vouga runs through Vouzela, an attractive town that offers a beautiful setting and a thermal resort. The town’s centre is navigable via a Romanesque bridge with willows overhanging and attractive houses lining the riverside along with public gardens. Stop here and enjoy some of the local sweet egg-based pastries or sip on a glass of Lafoes, the locally produced wine, before departing over the viaduct and heading to the oldest spa in Portugal.
Life here mostly revolves around the vibrant central city of Viseu and it provides good links in all directions. Like much of central Portugal, the smaller towns and villages are less accessible by public transport, so your own car could be essential if you’re looking to get away from it all.