Conimbriga and The Roman Tour

Portugal has a long history and this tour with Alfredo took us back to the Roman occupation from two centuries BCE until about 300 CE. We were the only two on the tour so it was really like a private tour. Alfredo was with us the entire time, answering all of our questions as we traveled. We actually had three stops on this tour. The first was a spring and well in Condeixa, where the Romans got water for their settlements, transported by aqueducts. This spring is still in use by the residents today. The second stop was at the Portugal Roman Museum in Sico, filled with interactive exhibits about the Roman civilization in Portugal. We had ample time to view the exhibits and get prepared for the final stop of the tour—the Roman ruins in Conimbriga. These were positively amazing! It’s a huge area to explore, but only about 35% of the area has been excavated. At its height, the settlement was home to about 6000 people. It included some extravagant homes of the wealthy, with private baths, as well as commercial and other residential areas with public baths. Many floor mosaics are still preserved. This was an excellent afternoon to explore this part of Portugal’s ancient history.

Great tour and guide! The first stop at the POROS Museum was great. Very interactive and there's a few VERY eye-opening parts. No spoiler alert, you'll have to experience them yourself. The ruins themselves are impressive, even though MAYBE on 10% has actually been excavated. The artifacts in the museum at the end are fascinating. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Just go when it's not too hot. I had a solo guide, since they are not mixing groups due to COVID.