Celorico de Bastos, in the district of Braga, is one of the towns covered by the Romanesque Route. However, this region has even more to offer. So, we decided to create this simple itinerary, easily carried out during one day, to introduce you to this village.
Pedro Lemos miniature village
The Miniature Village of Pedro Lemos owes its name to its builder: Pedro Lemos. This artisan built more than 50 buildings in total, many of them recreations of works from the region, such as the Castle of Arnóia, another location that we recommend visiting.
The fame of this museum (free entry) became so great that the Parish Council decided to tar the entrance to the village and provide signage, giving it an even more realistic image.
Church of the Divine Savior of Fervença
This Church has, in its construction, a great mixture of styles, referring to different historical periods.
Despite its unusual façade, where the immense windows are different from the usual, this small Church has a very simple interior, with white walls leading to a modest but beautiful altar.
As part of the Romanesque Route, the visit to the Church must be booked in advance (paying a fee) or during worship hours (Saturday at 4 pm and Sundays at 8 am).
castelo de arnóia
This former military castle is located on a small hill, with short access but over steep terrain and sometimes dirt. It is a very small castle, with a triangle-shaped wall and a large tower.
To our great surprise, the tower was open, with free access, and even allowed to climb to its top. However, we do not recommend this climb for anyone who is afraid or uncomfortable with heights, as it is done through steep wooden stairs that, despite having an arched protection, are a little scary.
church of santa maria de veade
With a breathtaking altar, the Church of Santa Maria de Veade was rebuilt where a 13th-century church would have once stood.
Despite the beautiful sides, decorated with different symbols, it is on the altar that this church conquers: a rounded altar full of gold carvings.
Como acontece com as outras Igrejas pertencentes a esta Rota, a visita à Igreja só é possível através de marcação (com o pagamento de uma taxa) ou no horário do culto (domingo às 8h).
Church of the Divine Salvador de Ribas
One of our favorite churches on the Route of the Romanesque, the Igreja do Divino Salvador de Ribas. This Church dates from 1269 and has a beautiful set of bells, which are still functional.
Here, the interior evokes respect, with gilded carvings that embrace the statues of the various saints found here.
In our case, we visited this church during church and we were lucky enough to hear the bells calling people to mass, ringing for about 10 minutes. However, and due to COVID restrictions, we were unable to visit the inside of the Church.
Here too, visits must be made by appointment (paying a fee) or, like us, during worship hours (Saturday at 5pm or 7pm, depending on the time of year and Sunday at 9am).
Penedo House (Fafe)
As we are passionate about this destination, we could not fail to mention Casa do Penedo. Although it is no longer in Celorico de Bastos, but in Fafe, about a 15-minute drive away, Casa do Penedo is a destination that we highly recommend to anyone visiting the region.
Known as the Strangest House in the World, this small house in the middle of Serra de Fafe goes unnoticed in the landscape by those who don't know it's there. Therefore, we recommend visiting this house, especially at sunset – we guarantee that you will not regret it.
more to see
English 
Português