Discover Santa Maria Da Feira

The Festa das Fogaceiras takes place every year on 20 January. At its heart is the procession of the Fogaceiras: girls carry Fogaças on their heads. The tradition began in 1505 with a vow to the martyr São Sebastião, when a major outbreak of plague struck the region.

Festivals, castle and history

The Viagem Medieval also has a historical connection to the Castelo de Santa Maria da Feira: it began in 1996 in the castle’s Praça de Armas. The Castelo is one of Portugal’s most important military monuments. The variety of its defensive structures, built between the 11th and 16th centuries, makes it a unique example of Portuguese military architecture.

At Castro de Romariz, history reaches back to a fortified settlement from the 5th century BC, with layers of habitation extending to the 1st century AD. Archaeological finds include pottery, glass, metals, coins and inscriptions. The chronology and types of finds offer two different ways to view the site: its long history of settlement and its material remains.

Museums and crafts

The Museu do Papel Terras de Santa Maria is housed in two former paper mills dating from the early 19th century. Its permanent exhibition explores paper production in both its artisanal and industrial phases. The exhibition’s subject therefore intersects with the history of the buildings.

The Museu Santa Maria de Lamas displays sculptures made from cork agglomerate, as well as industrial archaeology machinery used in the early days of the cork-processing industry. The sculptures and machinery draw attention to different sides of cork’s history: the material as a medium for artistic forms and as part of a production process.

The Museu Convento dos Lóios has been housed since 1992 in the centuries-old building of the Convento dos Lóios. Its permanent exhibition areas focus on archaeology, history and ethnography. The Igreja do Espírito Santo (Matriz) forms part of an architectural complex comprising a church and monastery. The congregation of Saint John the Evangelist was based there; it was also known as the Lóios or Cónegos Azuis.

River landscapes and trails

The Parque das Ribeiras do Rio Uíma encompasses wetlands, terrestrial areas and human activity in an extensive river floodplain. Walking trails explain the protected riverside ecosystems. If you are interested in the connection between landscapes and nature, you can explore both in the same park.

The “Guardiãs do Castelo” interpretation trail offers self-guided visits to the trees and shrubs in Mata das Guimbras and Quinta do Castelo. Take particular care with navigation on the municipal walking trails: they are neither signposted nor marked, and can only be followed using a GPS track. They can also be used for walking, running or mountain biking. If you plan to use these trails, make sure you have the GPS track.

A mixed-surface circular route is 3.6 km long and starts and ends at Praça da República, by the town hall. The Caminho Português de Santiago follows a route of about 17 km through the municipality of Santa Maria Da Feira; the precise local route may change. The two routes differ considerably in length.

Nature and leisure spots

The Zoo de Lourosa is devoted exclusively to birds and is considered Portugal’s only ornithological park. The collection described comprises around 500 specimens from 150 different species, housed in 80 enclosures. These collection figures may change.

Praia Fluvial da Mâmoa has two bathing areas, one on each riverbank, as well as landscaped leisure areas and parking. It is open for use seasonally. Porto Carvoeiro lies at the northern edge of the municipality, on the River Douro. Various sports are practised there, and it is a destination for leisure and relaxation.

Regional specialities

Fogaça da Feira is a symbol of the region’s confectionery tradition and is made daily at several bakeries in the municipality. Its four peaks represent the four battlements of the keep at Castelo de Santa Maria da Feira. In parts of the municipality, the family tradition of making Regueifa da Páscoa using personal recipes and baking it on a bed of cabbage leaves continues. Lúpulo Feirense grows on the banks of the River Cáster in Santa Maria Da Feira.

Discover more destinations: Caldas de São Jorge, Guisande, Milheirós de Poiares, Lourosa, Argoncilhe, Souto, Fornos, Santa Maria De Feira, Sanguedo, São João De Vêr, Vale, Sanfins.

For the broader travel overview: Aveiro.