Vila de Rei – literally meaning “The Royal City “ is situated in the geodesic centre of Portugal which is marked on a peak by a geodesic pyramid in the Serra de Melriça. The view from this point is absolutely breathtaking and not to be missed. Vila de Rei owes its name to King Dom Dinis and it is in honour of his wife Dona Isabel that the festivals of the Rainha Santa ( Holy Queen ) are held annually in May. If you fold a paper map of Portugal into four at the central point will be Vila de Rei ! The area is fairly mountainous reaching nearly 600 metres high at the Serra da Melriça. The area of Vila de Rei is a perfect destination for visitors who enjoy a holiday in an area of largely unspoilt landscape filled with nature sports, hiking and wild swimming.
In this time of climatic change, the Centre of Portugal remains lush, green and water rich and boasts an abundance of waterfalls and amazing river beaches. If you are put off by the crowds on the coastal beaches, there are a number of amazing beaches on the river Zêzere, a tributary of the Tagus river. Within twenty minutes drive of Quinta do Eco are the beaches of Fernandaires and Lago Azul which boast sandy beaches, swimming pools, life guards, jet skis, wake boarding and even a zip wire experience. There are also the beaches at Cardigos (7 minutes away ) Pego das Concelhos (5 minutes ), Bostelim , Marmeleiro and many more, offering different experiences depending on your mood.
Twenty minute drive away is the Zêzere River . Fernandaires is our nearest beach on the Zêzere, great for SUP, wake boarding, swimming zip lining or just lying on the beach, it also has lovely little cafe. Further on outside the lovely little town of Ferreira do Zêzere is Lago Azul, also worth a visit. If you wish to explore in a different direction Pria Fluvial do Trízio is in the direction of Serta.
