As your family travels throughout Portugal, your kids can walk on Roman stone-paved streets and roads, explore Roman towns and even step into Roman buildings nearly 2,000 years old. Touring some of these can be an approachable history lesson.
The Romans occupied Portugal for more than 700 years, from the third century B.C. to the fourth century A.D., building cities connected by roads, farming the land and — for the wealthy — living in luxurious villas. You can find Roman sites from the Algarve in the south to the northern border with Spain.
Some of the best sites lie in the Alentejo region, south and east of Lisbon. Towering above a square in the walled city of Évora, you’ll find 14 marble columns of the Templo Romano, the best-preserved Roman building in Portugal. It’s part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage site, which also includes a Roman aqueduct.
South of Lisbon, walk through the ruins of the Roman town of Miróbriga, discovering its forum, temples and shops, along with a hippodrome where chariot and horse races once entertained the crowds. Kids can walk on a 2,000-year-old Roman road and across an arched bridge to find two bath houses whose hot pools and baths were heated by a tile-lined underground hypocaust system.
South of Evora, the Roman country villa of São Cucufate is still standing, an impressive building even after nearly 2,000 years. Beginning as a small villa in the first century, it was later enlarged with a long façade and several courtyards and galleries.
North of Lisbon, near the university town of Coimbra, you’ll come across Conímbriga, a major Roman city that has been excavated and preserved to tell the story of its inhabitants and their era. Walking its streets, you’ll see foundations of houses, the forum, shop entrances, elaborate baths, an aqueduct and a temple.
But the real treasures of Conímbriga are the luxurious villas built around gardens with pools and fountains. The mosaic floors are magnificent works of art, with intricate geometric patterns and other designs. In the museum are artifacts, as well as exhibits showing what the city would have looked like at its height.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedNorth America
Apr 25, 2024Discover 5 of the Best Hotels Near National Parks
If your family travel happens to take you to a national park, look no further than the list of hotels below.
Sponsored Content
Make the Most of Hamad International Airport When Transferring
Making travel plans can be exciting; did you know planning on how to spend time at the airport the right way can enrich the overall trip experience? As a transfer hub, traveling through Doha's Hamad International Airport is a unique experience, as waiting never feels like waiting at one of the best airports in the world.
Travel Tips
Apr 25, 2024Protect Family Trips with Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection
Summer family travel is quickly approaching. Where is your family headed? A Forbes Travel Advisor study recently found the cost of travel for a family of four for a three-night stay with airfare averaged about $3,600. Protect your family travel spending with Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, offering a variety of travel insurance packages tailored to all types of travel.
Parents
Apr 24, 2024Treat Mom to Tea at The St. Regis Atlanta
Are you planning family travel to Atlanta for Mother’s Day this year? For those in the area on May 11 and 12, celebrate mom with a Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea at The St. Regis Atlanta. Afternoon tea is a hallmark at the property and this year’s Mother’s Day version will honor Audrey Hepburn and her iconic role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Sponsored Content
United Continues Its Global Expansion
United Airlines keeps soaring to new heights, recently announcing another expansion of its leading global route network. The airline added new non-stop flights between Newark (EWR) and Marrakesh (RAK), Morocco; Tokyo (NRT) and Cebu (CEB), Philippines; and Houston (IAH) and Medellin (MDE), Colombia. That’s not all: United also plans to increase flights to popular worldwide destinations including Hong Kong (HKG); Seoul (INC), South Korea; and Porto (OPO), Portugal. Following the recent agreement to increase flights between the U.S. and Chinese governments, the airline now adds four weekly flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Shanghai (PVG).
Multigenerational
Apr 22, 2024Travel Sustainably with BWH Hotels
BWH Hotels invites family travelers to experience sustainable practices across its global portfolio. The brand prioritizes sustainable and responsible tourism through its Because We Care program and various partnerships with eco-friendly brands.
ShareThis