Góis: Travel and tourism

The town of Góis, more than eight centuries old, lies in a narrow and deep valley, between the mountains of Serra do Carvalhal and Serra do Rabadão, at about 40 kilometres from Coimbra.

Besides the Renaissance mother church of Santa Maria Maior, it is worth admiring the Manueline bridge with its three arches, the castle and the panels on the ceiling of the city council (Paços do Concelho), representing fantasy and biblical figures; in the environs, various chapels offer dazzling views, such as that of Santo António das Neves, in the middle of the Serra da Lousã mountains, but still within the county limits.

Góis offers its inhabitants and visitors a modern camping park and fluvial beaches bathed by the clear waters of the river Ceira, but it is specially rewarding walking through the lovely valley, crossing old bridges over the impetuous river or admiring bucolic sceneries with forests and proud cliffs, such as the rock where the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Candosa stands.

The mountainz also affords a close contact with wild fauna, such as boars and foxes, besides different kinds of birds.

After these excursions, it is pleasant to return to the town of Góis and spend some hours walking through its calm streets, still full of old houses which show their personality in the masonry of doorways, windows and balconies and in the forged iron of the verandas.

At the central Largo do Pombal square, the fountain is unique, due to the Hispanic-Arab decorated tiles from the 16th century.