Around 100 thousand years ago, the ancient beds of the River Lena welcomed the first occupants of this region: prehistoric peoples. It was in the fertile lands of this valley that the different settlements began to settle, intensifying the circulation of people and goods, which justified the municipality's toponymy and established it as a fundamental point in the region's road network. Porto de Mós or "millstones port" denotes the relationship with the shipping quay, while at the same time reinforcing the innovative capacity related to the development of rural technologies of milling in holm oaks and, later, in windmills.
Currently, Porto de Mós is the county seat, with thirteen parishes spread over a territory of 264 km2. The demographic area is spread over many villages and some more relevant nuclei in terms of population, with urban characteristics, among which the towns of Porto de Mós, Mira de Aire and Juncal stand out. The accesses are made through IC2 and, between the two main metropolises of the country, through IC9, A1, and A8, which makes its situation strategic in what concerns, for example, the industrial location, but also touristic. Besides its intermediate position in relation to other urban areas, it is also worth noting its proximity to the district capital, to cities like Coimbra, Tomar, Fátima and Santarém, as well as to the west coast. Porto de Mós is connected to the main national road network, enabling easy circulation of people and goods.
Porto de Mós benefits today from a diversified economic activity, in which all sectors have a significant expression, being, however, the secondary sector the main support of the economy and pillar of social and economic life of the inhabitants of Porto Mós. More recently, and adding more value on the path of diversification and technological innovation in the county's industry, some manufacturing activities of great importance emerged in Porto de Mós in the production of moulds and other products derived from plastics, especially for exportation.
The municipality is divided into two very distinct halves in terms of geographical relief, a fact that influenced the type of economy that developed over time and is still maintained in each of them. To the north of the county, we find an area of low relief, almost flat, which extends from the foot of the Aire and Candeeiros Mountains to the limits of the counties of Alcobaça and Batalha. The pine forests, orchards and cash crop agriculture, together with units producing tiles, bricks and other ceramic products.
In the southern part of the municipality, in the mountainous landscape of the Serras de Aire e dos Candeeiros, eight of the thirteen parishes are located in the Natural Park of Serras de Aire e Candeeiros. Besides the rain-fed agricultural products, this mountainous area is endowed with a marked natural and landscape richness of a generous subsoil in terms of varieties of limestone. The extraction of the stone, for sale as blocks or cobbles, is an important source of income for the local people and for the municipality. The limestone from Porto de Mós has become a product of excellence sought both nationally and internationally, being the black and white limestones considered a genuine product and a brand of the region.
Filled with touristic points worthy of interest, the caves are probably the ex-libris of this municipality, together with the historical and archaeological heritage, without forgetting its lakes and paths.
Source: Câmara Municipal de Porto de Mós