What to see and do in Cernache

Cernache is a small parish in the historic municipality of Coimbra, on stage 9 of the Portuguese Way. It holds some of the route's must-sees: the Roman ruins of Conímbriga, among the best preserved in Portugal, the Quinta dos Condes de Esperança with its Romanesque tower, the parish church, and the Museu Moinho das Lapas, the last survivor of the 72 mills that once stood here.

This area, in the surroundings of the centre of Coimbra, is a historical area due to its importance in the advance of the conquest of the Kingdom of Portugal against the Muslims in the Middle Ages. The environment agglutinates references and vestiges of the different cultures that populated these lands.

Roman remains of Conímbriga

They are the best preserved Roman ruins in Portugal, constituting one of the most important sites in the Iberian Peninsula. The remains that we find tell the story of a city that was divided by a wall, erected quickly to defend itself from enemy attacks.

The ruins are very extensive. On the one hand we can see the domestic character through mosaics, fountains, baths, etc., and on the other hand the overcooked wall that divides the buildings that are closer to it.

The visit, which costs around 4€, includes the entrance to the monographic museum where you can learn a little more about the history of Conímbriga.

Quinta dos Condes de Esperança

It represents the old entrance to the village of Cernache, crowned by a Romanesque tower. It was acquired by the Society of Jesus and currently functions as a school.

Parish Church of Cernache

Originally, it is a small chapel small chapel in Romanesque style that will undergo several remodelling and enlargements in Renaissance style.

Moinho das Lapas Museum

Of the 72 mills that were located in this territory in the past, this is the only one that remains. For this reason, its construction and surroundings have become a museum.