Days in the Sun | Little Portugal

Today, something on a slightly smaller scale! It was back to Coimbra for us. This time we crossed the Mondego and headed into Santa Clara to visit a miniature village – Portugal dos Pequenitos.

Portugal dos Pequenitos is a miniature theme park containing diminutive versions of Portuguese houses and monuments. Designed in 1940 by Cassiano Branco, the first section is dedicated to the former Portuguese colonies which leads to an impressive monumental display. Finally, the third section showcases regional houses.

No visit to Coimbra is complete without a stroll at Portugal dos Pequenitos. Although primarily designed for children as a space to learn and discover, the child in me is always attracted to miniature villages. I can’t resist!

Overseas

The first section of the park is dedicated to Portugal’s overseas collonies spread across South America, Asia and Africa and the Pacific Islands.

Guinea Bissau

Missions Chapel

Macao

Henry the Navigator, Madeira and the Azores

Madeira

Monumental Portugal

Following a wander through the colonies, we now enter the area of the park dedicated to Monumental Portugal. It’s an impressive part of the display with intricate stonework, all hand carved to scale.

D. Maria II National Theatre
Lisbon

Staines Glass Window
Tomar

Regional Houses of Portugal

Continuing further into the park, meandering through Coimbra, Minho and the Algarve, you now see the even smaller models of the regional houses of Portugal. There are plenty of models to explore and the children seem to really like this section.

Douro Manor House

Minho Manor House

Tips if you are visiting

The park is open all year, but opening and closing times vary, so it is best to check the website before you visit.

It’s also worth mentioning that currently, there are no restaurant or cafe facilities. There are ice cream stalls (closed when we visited in April) and a few vending machines selling drinks and snacks. There are plenty of places to sit and relax. If you have young children, bringing a picnic lunch will be a terrific idea.

The ticket office was slow on the day we visited. We can only assume that it will be even slower in high season. You can buy tickets in advance online, speeding up your entry to the park.

The staff at Portugal dos Pequenitos were very welcoming. You’ll probably get your picture taken on entering (no obligation to buy), so smile!

Website: www.portugaldospequenitos.pt

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