Hotel Meliá Palácio da Lousa * * * *

 SPORT FACILITIES  AT THE PROPERTY OR NEARBY  AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES

Local attractions
City of Coimbra
Old Cathedral
Machado de Castro Museum
Holy Cross Church and Monastery
University

Leisure
Swimming pool
Facilities for traditional sports and adventure sports
TV room
Nearby: hunting, trekking, swimming in the river, museums and monuments 

Restaurants and bars
Varied breakfast buffet
Restaurant A Viscondesa, specialized in regional cuisine
Poolside bar
Bar

 

Meeting rooms
5 Halls for conferences, workshops, congresses and banquets for up to 400 people
Audiovisual equipment
WIFI Internet access

The Palácio da Lousã was nominated for Best 4 Star Hotel in Portugal in the Publituris Awards 2007. Being among the best 5, is already an achievement that makes us very proud, since the awards are attributed to the best companies and professionals within the Portuguese tourism industry. Serra da Lousã S.A., the owner of Palácio da Lousã, and its Board of Directors, are very happy to share this achievement with the ones who were paramount to the earning of such an important public recognition in just 3 years of existence: our employees, shareholders, business partners, friends, and above all, our clients. Their special needs, demands and their very high expectations, are a daily contribution for a constant evolution of our hospitality levels.

ABOUT THE REGION

Stretching from the Spanish frontier to the sea, the Beiras region of central Portugal provides a natural link between the cool, green meadows of the north and the hot, dry pastures of the south.
Coimbra, the provincial capital, is the birthplace of six kings and the seat of Portugal's first university, reputedly the second oldest in the world. Its old cathedral is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe.
Occupied by the Moors, Coimbra was captured by the Christians in 1064, becoming the capital of the country under the first Portuguese dynasty. The capital was later transferred to Lisbon in the 13th century.
Further inland towards Spain, the peak of the Serra da Estrela (Star Mountain) range is the highest point on mainland Portugal. Rising to 1,993 metres (6,539 ft), it is home to a modern ski resort and topped by a small stone toe known as the Torre. The region is notable for its tasty cheese, which is still made by hand and highly prized for its rich flavour.
Nearby, the ancient Roman town of Covilhã is the best place from which to explore the region, while Monsanto to the south east is officially regarded as Portugal's most typical village. Built atop a steep rocky mass in the centre of a broad valley, Monsanto's ancient castle commands a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside.
Other towns worthy of note in the Beiras region include Aveiro, with its salt pans and Venetian style canals, and the pretty spa town of Buçaco. Meanwhile Lousã is a charming town due to the beauty of the landscape in which the plains join the mountainous ridge, and to its magnificent 18th-century houses.