The stone battlements and tower of Penela Castle

40.0298° N · 8.3899° W Central Portugal

Old stones. New energy.

Make room
for Penela.

A castle town, a Roman valley, wild water, rural innovation and four parishes that know how to welcome people in.

Start exploring →See what’s on ↗

Scroll to enter Penela

01I’m visiting→02I live here→03I’m building something→04I’m young in Penela→

Penela in one viewFour parishes · One municipality

Small enough
to feel close.
Big enough
to surprise.

Penela sits south of Coimbra where limestone meets schist. Its story runs from Roman mosaics to a medieval castle—and forward into rural innovation, community programmes and a new generation choosing to make things happen here.

Read the story behind the landscape ↗

4: Civil parishes
1: Schist village
365: Days to enjoy Penela

Where to begin

Four places.
One Penela.

Start with four essential Penela landscapes: the castle, Pedra da Ferida, Louçainha and the Roman Villa of Rabaçal. Then open the full guide for villages, food and everything between them.

Explore all of Penela →

01 / Heritage

Penela Castle

Penela

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02 / Heritage

Penela Historic Centre Walk

Penela

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03 / Nature

Pedra da Ferida Waterfall

Espinhal

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04 / Nature

Louçainha River Beach

Espinhal

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Coming up

Penela,
on the calendar.

Confirmed municipal events and the annual traditions worth planning around. Dates link back to their public source.

Open the full calendar →

10 October 2026

CultureConfirmed

Castle Day: guided visit and children’s treasure hunt

Penela Castle hosts an 11:00 guided visit and a 15:00 treasure hunt for children aged 6+ on 10 October; advance booking is required.

11:00 guided visit · 15:00 treasure huntPenela CastlePenela Castle

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10–11 October 2026

CultureConfirmed

Receituário: music and poetry

Two performances: 10 October at 21:30 outdoors at Monte de Vez; 11 October at 17:00 at Sociedade Filarmónica Penelense.

Full programme in detailsMonte de Vez and Sociedade Filarmónica PenelenseMonte de Vez and Sociedade Filarmónica Penelense

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11 November 2026

BusinessConfirmed

Energy-bill guidance session in Cumeeira

DECO and Espaço Energia will hold a free energy-bill guidance session in Cumeeira on 11 November, from 10:00 to 11:00.

10:00–11:00Cumeeira parish · confirm the exact venueCumeeira parish · confirm the exact venue

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Young Penela

Not a corner.
A whole place
to grow.

Sports holidays, the Youth Municipal Assembly, school support, community projects, culture and places to meet—presented in clear, practical language for young people and families.

Enter Young Penela →

6to25

Find your thing.
Find your people.

Penela / 2026

Plan your visit

Your Penela.
Your pace.

Choose how long you have, what interests you and who is travelling. The planner will suggest a balanced route with time to enjoy each stop.

Your pace

What interests you most?

Who’s coming?

Built around you

Three choices.
A route that fits.

Choose your pace and priorities, and we’ll shape a practical itinerary around Penela’s essential places.

Read PenelaAll field notes →

01 / Field guide · 8 min

Make room
for Penela.

Small enough
to feel close.
Big enough
to surprise.