Portugal dos Pequenitos

From 1938 to the opening in 1940

The park was founded by Professor Bissaya Barreto, a Coimbra doctor and lecturer at the medical school. Cassiano Branco, the architect, designed the houses. Work began in 1938, the park opened in 1940, and it kept growing for roughly twenty years afterwards. It is usually described as the oldest theme park in Portugal.

It was built during the Estado Novo, and its aim was to teach children what the country was and how far the Portuguese presence reached around the world. That context is part of the visit today. Beyond the models themselves, the park shows how Portugal was pictured under the regime of that period.

The themed areas

The park is divided into zones. Monumental Portugal holds miniatures of the country's main monuments, among them palaces, castles and churches. Regional Houses gathers traditional homes from across the country. Insular Portugal covers landmarks of Madeira and the Azores. One section is devoted to Coimbra itself, including a small version of the University of Coimbra. A separate zone represents the Portuguese-speaking countries, with buildings from Brazil, Angola and other African countries, Macau, India and Timor.

You may also spot a sculpture of D. Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, among the villages.

Front section and back section

The front section works like a museum spread across small buildings. Each one is styled after the architecture of a place Portugal once colonised, and inside it tells the history of that area. Several of these have interactive displays, which suit children and adults alike. The larger houses here are the museum-like ones, while the smaller ones are for playing in.

The back section changes character. Past the castle walls it becomes a miniature town, and moving between the buildings is the fun part. Children climb on, into and under the structures. A small train and pedal boats on the little waterfalls are also part of the park. The passport for children has stamping stations at different stands, which gives a young visitor a goal for the walk.

The park also houses a costume museum and a Barbie doll exhibition.

Planning the visit

The park suits young children best, and many families spend a couple of hours here. Older children and adults who are not especially interested in architecture or miniature models may find the walk shorter. The models are well kept, though the entrance area and the first section have been described as needing some attention, while the back half is in very good condition.

The entrance, the restroom and the parking lot are wheelchair accessible. There is a free parking lot and free street parking, though spaces can be hard to find at busy times. A restaurant and a bar are on site. The Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, with its view over the city, is close by and fits well into the same outing.