Santa Maria da Feira, trip to the small medieval town

Santa Maria da Feira is not very large and easily reachable from Porto via a daily bus service which offers several trips a day.

Its strategic position identifies the city as a convenient place to stay and move around. In addition to its proximity to Porto, Feira is only a ten minute drive from the beach Espinho, a tourist destination for surf lovers. There is also a train or a bus to reach the ocean. bus which takes you to the Portuguese beaches in about 30 minutes.

Castillo de Santa Maria da Feira

The city is particularly known for its main monument the “Castillo de Santa Maria da Feira”. The Castle of Feira, in fact, is considered one of the most impressive buildings of all the medieval military architecture of the entire Portugal.

The castle stands on a hill surrounded by greenery and can be reached on foot from the city centre. The main architectural construction style is Gothic, but over time the construction has undergone various influences. Nowadays the structure is still very well cared for and almost completely intact. It is possible to take a tour inside the walls by paying a ticket of only 3 euros. Upon entering you find yourself in front of an open space that leads to the main entrance of the castle.

The wall protecting the entire construction is very fascinating. Furthermore, from the walls it is possible to admire part of the town of Feira and the surrounding valley. From the main entrance you find yourself in a large room where inside there is a screen where you can view the history of the castle. Continuing towards the left side of the room there is an exit which, in addition to leading out towards the right side of the castle, offers two other possibilities, going down into a sort of basement or going up to the upper rooms of the structure.

In the basement there is a cistern for collecting rainwater. Going up the stairs, however, you reach the upper room, the main one, which is very large and characterized by three large fireplaces and a wood-burning oven. From the main room it is possible to go up to the mezzanine where, on the sides, there are marble benches to sit on and admire glimpses of the exterior of the castle through stone "windows". From the mezzanine it is possible to exit onto the terrace where there are various stations for military sentries. Outside the castle, more precisely on the opposite side of the entrance, there is a small lawn in which there are two medieval war tools.

Medieval journey in the land of Santa Maria

But the medieval spirit of Feira is not due to the presence of the Castle alone, in fact, in August a unique and highly anticipated event is held by the citizens of Feira and beyond. Named "Viagem Medievale em terra de Santa Maria", the event lasts ten days, during which all citizens participate in masks to contribute to the rebirth of the medieval era. The event is divided into places and thematic areas, below those of the 2014 event:

• Knight's Hotel
• King's Archer
• Baths of San Giorgio
• King's Castle
• Falconry
• Convent
• Horse stable
• Basket Market
• Gardens of the medieval journey
• Lake of Enchantments
• Liça
• Forest magic
• Paper mill
• Military order
• Moments of medieval life
• Little artists
• Little warriors
• City
• Elvas Square
• Camera square
• Path of the Warrior
• Ascent of the battlements
• Shuk
• Training of the squires
• Castle path
• Music in the chapel
• Castle village
• Exhibition: The images of the trip

In each of these places the atmosphere of the medieval period is recreated with games, competitions and shows that recall the historical context of reference.

The event is organized down to the smallest detail, the website is very well looked after. In fact, inside, it is possible to obtain all the information regarding the event, the possible types of accommodation and tickets. It is only by participating in the event that one can fully understand the medieval atmosphere.

Among other things, we recommend you visit the Europarque of Santa Maria da Feira, a park surrounded by greenery just four kilometers from the city center.

Portuguese nightlife

As for nightlife, the city offers a good nightlife at the weekend, with several small but nice venues offering various types of music, all within walking distance of the historic centre. We suggest you go there in August during the "Viagem Medievale" period, in this way you can enjoy a warm climate, ideal for going to the seaside and trying the surfing experience.