Portugal dos Pequenitos, the country in miniature

What it is

Portugal dos Pequenitos is a park with the country in miniature, on the south bank of the Mondego, opposite the centre of Coimbra. It was the idea of the doctor Bissaya Barreto in 1938, designed by the architect Cassiano Branco, and opened on 8 June 1940. It is run by the Fundação Bissaya Barreto. It was conceived as a place of play and education for children, and it still is: the houses, palaces and churches are built at children's scale, with doors that little ones walk through standing up and adults have to stoop.

It is worth knowing that it was born during the Estado Novo and that part of the park reflects that era's vision of the country, especially in the area dedicated to the former colonies.

What you see

The park is divided into seven areas:

• Casas Regionais: the first to be built. Typical houses from the different regions of Portugal.
• Coimbra: replicas of the city's monuments.
• Portugal Monumental: scaled-down versions of monuments from all over the country.
• Countries with Portuguese as an Official Language: pavilions of Brazil and the African and Asian Portuguese-speaking countries.
• Portugal Insular: the Azores and Madeira.
• Casa da Criança and playground, for the youngest to play.

Inside there are also three small museums: the Costume, the Navy and the Furniture museums.

Opening hours and closures

Open every day from 10:00. From 1 March to 15 October it closes at 19:00; from 16 October to the last day of February, at 17:00. Last entry is half an hour before closing. It is closed only on 25 December.

Tickets

You buy them at the ticket office or through the online sales on its website, which also publishes the full price list, with fares by age and family options. Children under 16 may only enter accompanied by an adult. Animals are not allowed, except assistance dogs.

How long to allow

Allow about two hours with children; with small children who stop at every little house, a bit longer. If you go without children, an hour is enough to see it all.

Getting there

The park is at Largo do Rossio de Santa Clara. From the Baixa, walk across the Santa Clara bridge and carry straight on for a few minutes: a quarter of an hour on foot in all. If you drive, look for parking around the Rossio de Santa Clara. The ruins of the Santa Clara-a-Velha monastery are very close.

With children

It is the Coimbra visit designed for them, especially ages 3 to 10: going into the houses, climbing small staircases and recognising monuments they will later see for real. Take water and a hat in summer, because much of the visit is outdoors. The park has no left-luggage: travel light. For the rest of the day, the climb to the Alta is on the other side of the bridge, and in summer the kayak down the Mondego is another option for families with older children.