Góis is a charming town in Coimbra District, in the deep, narrow valley of the Ceira river. There are about 2 000 habitants. It’s a peaceful and green place, there is a clean river beach Praia Fluvial da Peneda where you can rent kayaks or bikes or simply chill in the bar. Another beach not so far from the city is Praia Fluvial das Canaveias. Picturesque bridge was build by order of the king John III of Portugal (Dom João III de Portugal) in 1533. That’s why it’s called Ponte Real – Royal Bridge. Góis is also a perfect starting point for exploring the surrounding areas of Aldeias do Xisto (Schist Villages): Comareira, Aigra Nova, Aigra Velha and Pena.
Where to stay?
I recommend staying at the camping Góis Camping, it’s calm, with a lot of shadow, well-located (3 minutes walking distance to the center). Very kind and helpful staff and lovely bungalows.
Price for 2 people with own tent: 12 EUR per night
Bungalow: 45 EUR per night
More info: http://goiscamping.com
Other accommodation options:
Casa da Avó Olinda – Góis
Casa da Aigra – Aigra Nova – schist village
Where to eat?
Beira Rio: Try the traditional dish from this region: Chanfana (goat meet) or Bacalhau à Casa, Frango de Churrasco, Sopa de Presunto.
Av. Padre Dr. António Dinis, Nº 73, 3330-340 Góis
Casa Ti Maria: Small place, mostly starters.
Rua Santo António Nº 2, 3330-310 Góis
Pizzaria Encosta da Seara: Tasty pizza from the oven. Also Portuguese dishes, try Grelhada mista (mix of grilled meat).
Av.ª Augusto Nogueira Pereira, n.º 16, Lt2, 3330-235 Góis
What to do?
If you are going to visit Góis, take one of the walking trails. Just don’t do it like me, blonde, at noon in heat of 30℃ 😅. There are 9 official trails, you will find them described at www.cm-gois.pt in the tab Percursos Pedestres (hiking trails). The descriptions are unfortunately only in Portuguese but it’s easy to figure them out.
I chose route number 1 (PR 1 GOI) which starts in the village built from schist: Agira Nova. The route is almost 10 kilometres long, which leads mostly on the slope of the hill. Only short part of the route leads in the shade of trees along the stream. There are three other schist villages (Aldeias do Xisto) along the way: Agira Velha, Pena and Comareira. I have seen a deer 🦌 (which was more surprised than I was and ran away), quails 🐤, rabbits 🐇, chickadees 🐦, dragonflies 🦋, grasshoppers 🦗 and not a single person on a trail 💚
Other info:
Each year a Motards Festival takes place in Góis: www.goismotoclube.pt
Estrada Nacional No. 2 – the so-called Portuguese Route 66 connects the country from North to South in an adventure through the most varied landscapes, from the vineyards of the Douro, the Alentejo fields to the beautiful beaches of the Algarve, through its 738km distance. And the beautiful city of Góis is on this route!
