Santar’s traditional streetscape follows narrow, winding roads. They lead to squares with buildings of architectural and landscape significance, as well as to quintas and gardens. This offers a way to discover the town through its streets, squares, architecture and green spaces. Another highlight is the PR2 Santar route: it starts at Largo do Paço dos Cunhas and crosses the town towards Casa de Santar. The townscape and trail thus offer different perspectives on Santar.

Santar’s Townscape and the PR2

The PR2 Santar combines a route through the town with views of the surrounding landscape. One section along the Rio Dão passes through a lush riverside gallery of vegetation. The route also offers views of the Serra do Caramulo above the vineyards and Santar’s townscape. Those interested in the landscape will find different subjects here from those in the town’s squares and around its buildings: riverside vegetation, vineyards and views of the Serra sit alongside the historic settlement pattern.

The trail itself also has historical connections. The route follows an old paved road of Roman origin; a short detour leads to a medieval lagareta. These stops complement the viewpoints and riverside section with tangible traces of earlier use. The PR2 can therefore be described in terms of more than its landscape: its route through Santar, the old paved road and the detour to the lagareta also give it a cultural dimension.

Garden Terraces and Architecture

The Santar Vila Jardim project preserves a continuous sequence of garden terraces. It is connected to the Casa dos Condes de Santar e Magalhães, the Casa da Magnólia, the garden of the Igreja da Misericórdia, the Jardim dos Linhares, the Casa Ibérico Nogueira, the Casa das Fidalgas and other houses, and extends across vineyards. Santar’s garden character is therefore evident not only in individual gardens: terraces, houses and vineyards form part of a continuous landscape.

The buildings offer a range of distinctive features. The Igreja da Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Santar has a Mannerist design with Flemish influence. The same church is also known as the Igreja da Misericórdia de Santar and is considered a 17th-century building. The Igreja Matriz de Santar is described as dating from the 10th century; the Solar dos Condes de Santar dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Paço dos Cunhas de Santar is classified as an “Imóvel de Interesse Público” (public cultural heritage of special interest). The dates thus range from the 10th to the 18th century; in addition to these dates, the Mannerist design offers a distinct stylistic reference.

Cuisine and Cultural Connections

Cuisine is also part of what Santar has to offer: the Paço dos Cunhas has a restaurant that preserves the cuisine of Beira through dishes with a contemporary touch. For travellers interested in regional cuisine as well as architecture and landscape, it provides a specific culinary point of interest.

Another cultural highlight is Holy Week in Santar. In 2026, it was described as one of the most defining moments of religious tourism in the municipality of Nelas.

Discover more destinations: Lapa do Lobo, Canas De Senhorim, Vila Ruiva, Aguieira, Nelas.

Return to the main travel guide: Nelas.