Between the sea and the mountains, in the heart of Bairrada, is Oliveira do Bairro. Located in the center of Portugal, between, Aveiro, Porto and Coimbra, it is affirmed by its privileged location. It is also a land of culture, music and art, history and modernity, heritage and nature.
There are archaeological traces in the municipality of the presence of peoples prior to the formation of Portugal, namely Romans and Celts, making believe that this was, already at the time, a privileged area for man to establish.
In Oliveira do Bairro, it has several attractions and architectural patrmónio that you can enjoy: the Barracks of the Arts, one of the best cultural equipment of the central region, Radiolândia - Radio Museum, with a museological estate of quality and international dimension, and the Bairrada Ethnomusic Museum, which houses important collections linked to Bairradina music; the churches of the county, with their examples of sacred art, chapels and alminhas scattered throughout the county, fruit of the belief and faith of these people of sweat and work in the field, with epecial enhancement to the Mother Church of Oiã with all its gilded carvings and altarpieces and for the Mother Church of Mamarrosa; there are several little children of great historical interest in the county.
Do not forget the Museum of Sacred Art of S. Pedro da Palhaça in the old Church of S. Pedro da Palhaça, with a vast estate of Sacred Art and Regional Historical Archive.
Of no less importance are the traces left here by the peoplewho inhabited this region before the formation of our country, especially in the parish of Mamarrosa and in the parishes of Bustos and Palhaça. We also emphasize open houses, typical of the nobility of this region.
Throughout the county, you can also admire the traditional agricultural works of this rural environment. There are traces of this activity witnessed by several water mills that served to grind various types of cereals, in addition to olive oil mills.
But also the natural beauty of the riverside parks and the rice navies are worth a tourist visit. You can't leave Oliveira do Bairro without visiting and admiring the white stork community, as well as all the other species that are noted for those stops. It is a beautiful, calm walk, where you can admire these birds eating in the rice navies, true green mantles that ripple in the wind.
Vineyards to lose sight of, forests and eucaliptals are other attractions of the nature of this municipality. There are also several snack parks scattered throughout the county, each with its beauty and history, always integrated into the surrounding nature.
The municipality of Oliveira do Bairro is rich in popular handicrafts, presenting a wide variety of forms, mostly linked to rural activities. The most relevant handcrafted activities are basketry, the manufacture of bunho mats, the latoaria, the stuffing of bottles, tatter mats, tatters, ceramics and tile painting.
In the regional gastronomy, pigine and Wine from Bairrada predominate. However, the cabidela and the feijoada of piglet, chanfana, veal vouga and the gourds in the style of Bairrada are also some of the dishes you can taste in the county.
In Oliveira do Bairro has public transport, access to the rest of the country, as well as several services, which allow a comfortable day to day both for inhabitants and visitors.
Source: Oliveira do Bairro Town Hall