These are areas perhaps you won’t find in tourist books but there are wonderful beautiful places with great architecture and especially great wines of Portugal. I took off from Lisbon by car into the countryside of Portugal ! The wonderful village of Curia was/is a very memorable trip, always love to go to these places , and always looking forward to be back, eventually This trip was very nice and good cheers I am updating this older post with new text and links for you and me, Therefore, let me tell you a bit on this is Curia in Portugal !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The village of Curia is in the Tamengos parish part of the town of Anadia, district of Aveiro, It is 4 km from Anadia, 15 km from Murtede, 224 km from Lisbon , and 30 km from Coimbra, I came by car from Lisbon along the A1 highway dir Coimbra continue past Murtede and on exit/saida 14 take the N234 highway dir Casal Comba and bear left onto Rua Varzea continue on Rua Mario Navega and bear left onto Rua Dr Americo Couto into the village of Mealhada at roundabout bear left onto the N1 road continue out of village on the N1 road then make a sharp left turn onto the M619-1 road , on narrow road bear right onto Rua Pinheiro Manso and continue past a small chapel then turn right into the Palace Hotel da Curia,
The Palace Hotel da Curia where I stayed is an Art Nouveau style hotel inaugurated in 1926, designed by architect Manuel Joaquim Norte Júnior, winner of 5 Valmor awards. Among its various facilities, the Olympic-sized swimming pool, built in 1934, stands out, being the second oldest in the country. The hotel I was based is one of the legendary spas thermes in the region; The Palace Hotel Curia is now part of the Almeida hotels group, This was a wonderful stay I say my best in Portugal as in my time there the hotel was practicallyoff season just for me and it is beautiful,
Some of the things to see in Curia are the several spa thermes baths with a nice Belle Epoque or Art Nouveau architecture The thermes here are good with sulphuric calcium and magnesium especially good for gout , stones, urinary infections, hypertension ,rheumatic pains and muscles strains. Currently, after several restoration and investment programs, it has once again become a sought-after location, not only for treatments but also for relaxation, walks, enjoying various sports facilities, and even for its nightlife. The Thermal Park, a park of approximately 14 hectares surrounding the thermal complex and the Hotel das Termas, where, amidst the beautiful woods and gardens, you can find picnic areas, tennis courts, a fitness circuit, and an artificial lake of approximately 1 km² , which, when built, became the largest artificial lake in the Iberian Peninsula, and where you can take calm boat or pedal boat rides. Hotel do Parque Curia , an Art Nouveau style hotel built from scratch as a hotel and in operation since 1922. The hotel remains in operation to this day, belonging to the same family for 4 generations. The Estacao de Caminho de Ferro or Railway Station, a prominent station in the region, richly decorated with tiles depicting traditional local activities, such as grape harvesting and roasting suckling pig in the Bairrada style. A Golf Course in operation since 2004, with 9 holes and crossed by the Cértima River. It is the newest tourist infrastructure in Curia.Because it’s in the Bairrada winegrowing district, Cúria offers some of the finest wines of the region. It’s also the home to famous local cuisine, including roast suckling pig, roast kid, and sweets.
A bit of history tell us the area was already known to the Romans, who knew and exploited the springs, naming it Aqua Curiva (healing water), which gave rise to its current name. The Curia thermal baths are among the oldest thermal resorts in the country, known since Roman times, but they were forgotten for several centuries until 1865, when one of the engineers of La Chapelle who directed the railway works of the Northern Line, having heard about the waters of Curia, tried their benefits for a skin disease he suffered from and for which there seemed to be no cure. The fact that he was cured after bathing in the thermal waters spread the word about the qualities of these waters not only in Portugal but also in France, where La Chapelle was originally from. The thermal baths had their golden age between the 1920s and 1950s, when they were sought after by spa-goers from all over the country and abroad. Spa-goers were then offered other leisure facilities such as a tea room, casino room and cinema, which are now closed and under renovation. As thermal tourism declined, so did Curia, which, in order not to lose its former appeal, had to turn to other avenues. Maintaining the thermal possibilities of its facilities and together with the new thermal building completed in 1993, the thermal baths now also offer modern beauty, massage and relaxation centers, thus expanding the range of potential tourists who can visit Curia.
The official Almeida hotels on the Palace Hotel of Curia: https://www.almeidahotels.pt/en/hotel-curia-in-coimbra/
The Portugal National Tourist Office on the thermes spas of Curia : https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/147945
The Central Portugal tourist office on the Palace Hotel of Curia : https://www.centerofportugal.com/entity/curia-palace-hotel-spa-golf
There you go folks, a dandy car ride into the countryside of Portugal. Many memorable moments in Curia, and looking forward for a repeat, it is unmistakable real Portuguese heavens. Again, hope you enjoy this post on this is Curia in Portugal !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 