An adventure through the Schist Villages of Lousã
5.0
90 Ratings
Coimbra

Explore the magical Schist Villages of Lousã, where medieval architecture meets breathtaking landscapes. Discover the beauty and history of these unique, ancient settlements.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Coimbra - Program 1
    Lousã Castle
    Candal Shale Village
    Cerdeira Shale Village
    Program 2
    Shale Village of Stye
    Talasnal Shale Village
    Young Couple Shale Village
    Witchyard
  • Lousa - One of the possible starting points. We pick up your accommodation.
  • Serra da Lousã - we will visit the villages described above in the programs
  • **Aldeias do…
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What's Included
  • Qualified technical guides
  • Tour photos
  • Personal Accident and Liability Insurance
  • Transportation from accommodation (Coimbra and Lousã)
  • Tea and coffee
Additional Information

The villages of Shale have already been dubbed “magical villages,” their names sound like Romans, Arabs and even barbarians, but it is their characteristic appearance that makes them so fantastic. These structures dating back to medieval times emanate an architectural beauty that is still difficult to match today, even more fascinating are the places…

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Location
Mondego's Verde Park
Avenida Lousã
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(90 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Maps630841
Oct 4, 2025
What a great tour and guide!! - Great adventure! Sergio was knowledgeable, super guide and really made the trip extremely interesting. He was a wealth of information and was easy to talk to. Highly recommend, you won’t be disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cathm704
Oct 2, 2025
Tour of Schist villages - Fatima was our guide and she arrived at our accomodation promptly, drove us safely, and was wonderful company. She was very informative about the Coimbra district as well as the the villages themselves. We visited Gondramaz and another 1 which I can’t name but was also fascinating. We thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and rate it as a highlight of our month in Europe. Thank you Fatima, we highly recommend your tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
1valhead
Sep 25, 2025
Private tour of remote Lousa villages - We were picked up at our hotel in Coimbra and transported to charming remote mountain villages. Sergio was knowledgeable, professional, personable, patient w our questions and enthusiastic about his home region. He is a very competent driver, both on the streets of Coimbra as well as the narrow, winding roads above Lousa - and his jeep is very clean! This experience exceeded our expectations.
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140ellynm
Jul 13, 2025
jeep tour of shale villages near Coimbra Portugal - The tour was great. Sergio was very knowledgeable and professional and the villages were interesting and picturesque. He even sent photos he took which was a nice added touch.
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X665fhmarkusb
Jul 6, 2025
Great experience in Coimbra - We had a great afternoon and really enjoyed the tour. Sergio and Fatima are amazing guides. We learned a lot about the history of the schist villages and as it was a private tour we could also chat about everything else. They even brought a DSLR to shoot beautiful photos of our trip and sent them to us for free. I can strongly recommend the tour to everyone who planned a stay in or around Coimbra!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bluesky57
Jun 22, 2025
Xisto villages - The tour exceeded my expectations, Sergio was very knowledgeable and made a pleasant day , we had plenty of time to look around , take Photos and even to stop for a beer. Sergio even bought us a cake 😃
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Passport04708298016
Jun 20, 2025
A time travel hand in hand with those you know - We were lucky to make the visits to the villages of Xisto with Sergio, in addition to having a great knowledge of the area, has a human warmth and a facility to communicate that made an experience Super recommended the villages of xisto are a real time travel and with an exceptional guide makes one keep the memory of the visit forever
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O246fslarryl
May 16, 2025
Loved this tour!! - Sérgio was very knowledgeable regarding the history and culture of the Schist villages. He “brought them to life”. Was very patient answering our questions (and we had a lot!).
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S_prakash65
May 5, 2025
One of a kind experience with Sergio - Sergio is a special guide. He is passionate, knows a lot about ecology and history, is patient, generous and drives safely. If you want more than a guide for your adventures in central Portugal, no one better than Sergio.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Waltero290
Apr 27, 2025
Quality Villages Visit - Sergio and Fatima did an excellent job showing us the Schist villages. They are both friendly, knowledgeable and have excellent English skills. They are also good drivers. The villages are very beautiful and interesting to walk around. We learned a lot of history and about local plants and geology. A great afternoon activity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Check Availability
From $81
From $81
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).
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