New for 2026: A €12 Million Adventure Park in Castanheira de Pera — and More Reasons to Explore Central Portugal
Central Portugal is quietly becoming one of Europe’s most exciting “off the beaten track” destinations — and a €12 million adventure park planned for Castanheira de Pera, around 45 minutes from Pombal, is set to give families one more reason to come.
When travel writers look for the next great European escape, they keep landing on the same answer: Central Portugal. A 2026 feature in The Portugal News called the region “Portugal Without the Crowds” — and for good reason. Here you can tour a 12th-century Templar castle in the morning, swim at a river beach with a waterfall in the afternoon, and have a UNESCO monastery almost to yourself. Now the region is adding a brand-new family attraction to the mix.
A €12 Million Adventure Park for Castanheira de Pera
In August 2026, Portugal Resident reported plans for a major new adventure park in Castanheira de Pera — a municipality in the Leiria district, nestled in the forested hills of the Serra da Lousã. The €12 million project is set to bring a new-scale outdoor attraction to a region already known for its river beaches and nature trails.
Castanheira de Pera sits roughly 45 minutes by car from Pombal — comfortably within a day-trip radius from Casa dos Duques. Details such as the opening date and the exact range of attractions were still being finalised at the time of the announcement, so it’s worth following Portugal Resident and the official Castanheira de Pera tourism channels for updates.
Why It Matters for Your Holiday Base
A new adventure park changes the holiday calculus for families. Suddenly, “a quiet house in the countryside” also means a day out with climbing walls, ziplines or forest trails — without driving to a coastal resort. It joins an already rich list of things to do within an hour of Casa dos Duques:
- 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites — Batalha Monastery, Alcobaça Monastery, the Convent of Christ in Tomar, and Coimbra University, all within 30–50 minutes. See our Central Portugal guide.
- Atlantic beaches — Praia da Leirosa (37 min) and Figueira da Foz (47 min) with its 2 km city beach; Nazaré (65 min) for the famous big waves. More in our beaches guide.
- River beaches — Praia Fluvial do Mosteiro (50 min) and the spectacular Penedo Furado waterfalls (60 min), open roughly June to September.
- Castles & Roman ruins — Pombal’s Templar castle (10 min), Leiria Castle (25 min), and the Roman town of Conímbriga (35 min).
Why Stay at Casa dos Duques?
Casa dos Duques is the ideal base for this kind of holiday: a quiet, characterful house in the historic town of Abiul, from which every day trip above is a relaxed drive away — and where the “rest days” are just as good as the adventures:
- 4 bedrooms sleeping up to 8 guests (6 adults + 2 children + 1 baby)
- 8-metre swimming pool and 450 m² garden with lounge areas and barbecue
- Original character preserved — stone walls, terracotta floors, high ceilings, fireplace
- Fully equipped kitchen and modern amenities including WiFi
- Guest Favorite on Airbnb, rated 4.97/5
Between the new adventure park, the UNESCO sites, the beaches and the quiet countryside, Central Portugal is shaping up to be the smart family choice for 2026 and beyond. Book Casa dos Duques and be there when it all opens.
Sources: Portugal Resident (August 2026) for the Castanheira de Pera adventure park announcement; The Portugal News (2026) for the “Portugal Without the Crowds” feature. Project details such as opening dates and attractions were being finalised at the time of writing — always check official Castanheira de Pera tourism channels for updates. Distances and drive times are approximate, based on OpenStreetMap/OSRM.