Discover Anadia: Wine, Culture and Nature

If you’re looking for a hotel in Anadia, you can start by deciding what you’d like to focus on during your trip: the city brings together wine history and architecture with collections, walking trails and activities on the lake. The sites and activities offer different highlights and can help you plan your stay around your interests.

Cultural history and collections

The Aliança Underground Museum houses seven collections covering a range of cultural themes. These include African art, ceramics from Caldas da Rainha, historical material relating to Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, azulejos, minerals and fossils. The collections span subjects from art and ceramics to geological objects.

The Curia Palace Hotel opened on July 25, 1926, and is an example of Art Nouveau. The area, designated a Site of Public Interest, also includes the Chalet Navega, also known as Chalet das Rosas, the Capela da Senhora do Livramento, the Piscina Paraíso, a garage and the surrounding gardens. The designation therefore covers not just the hotel but several associated buildings and outdoor areas.

At the Igreja Paroquial de Tamengos, one phase of construction can be dated precisely: work on the main structure began in 1716 and was completed in 1721. The main altar features a limestone sculpture of Saint Peter from the late 14th century, made in a workshop in Coimbra. The construction history and the sculpture therefore represent different periods.

The Museu / Palacete José Luciano de Castro is housed in the palace where José Luciano de Castro lived. The palace was built in 1860. Another architectural period is represented by the Paço da Graciosa, which dates from the last third of the 18th century. Its late-19th-century Neo-Manueline structure is supported by 17th-century columns salvaged from demolished buildings in Coimbra. The Paço is designated a Site of Public Interest.

In Mogofores, the Capela Nª Srª da Piedade ou dos Pintos was built as a funerary chapel for the nobleman Cristovão Pinto de Paiva. It dates from the third quarter of the 17th century and is also designated a Site of Public Interest.

Wine history and culinary connections

The Estação Vitivinícola da Bairrada was founded on June 30, 1887, under the name Escola Prática de Viticultura e Pomologia da Bairrada. The first natural sparkling wine from Bairrada was made on its premises in 1890. Casa do Canto offers another historical connection: the winery dates from 1680. Its vineyards lie on the clay-limestone soils of Bairrada, where Baga is the preferred grape variety.

The Aliança experience begins with a journey through underground tunnels. It includes a tasting of Aliança Baga Clássico Tinto wine with small leitão (suckling pig) sandwiches, as well as a guided tour of the Aliança Underground Museum with a wine and food pairing commentary; the tour must be booked in advance. The experience thus combines wine and food with a museum visit, and a reservation is required for the guided tour.

Savory dishes associated with Anadia include leitão, chanfana and negalhos. Sweet treats include aletria, Amores da Curia, Bolo da Páscoa, Barriga de Freira and Bairradinos. These dishes and sweets offer different ways to explore the area’s culinary traditions during your trip.

Walks and outdoor activities

The municipal project description for Anadia Walking Trails, updated in 2022, lists six walking routes, each approximately ten kilometers long:

• Rota do Poeta/Trilho Vale do Boi
• Rota do Espumante e do Azeite/São Domingos
• Rota de Pedralva e São Lourenço do Bairro
• Rota do Espumante
• Rota de Algeriz
• Rota da Lagoa de Torres e Vilarinho do Bairro

The Rota do Espumante is in the União das Freguesias de Arcos e Mogofores. Each of the six listed routes is approximately ten kilometers long, making the list a useful way to compare their distances.

At Parque da Curia, paths wind around the artificial lake, lined by centuries-old trees and lush vegetation. Visitors can take boat and pedal-boat rides on the lake. This offers a choice between lakeside walks and activities on the water. As another link to the area’s thermal culture, Termas da Curia combines traditional thermal bathing with modern comfort and technology.

From Baloiço Maria-Gomes, you can look out over Anadia’s largest areas of vineyards. Anadia also has a high-performance sports center known as the Velódromo Nacional. Along with the walking routes and the park, these attractions show the range of themes to consider when planning your trip beyond architecture and wine history.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Sangalhos, Arcos, Monte, Alvarenga, Gafanha Da Nazaré, Espinhel, Nogueira do Cravo, Vila Nova de Monsarros

For the main travel overview: Aveiro.