VILA NOVA DE POIARES
40° 13′ 12″ N; 8° 15′ 00″ W
This town is the seat of the municipality of Vila Nova de Poiares with an area of 84.45 km² and 7 281 inhabitants (2011), subdivided into 4 parishes. The municipality is limited to the north by Penacova, to the east by Arganil, to the south by Lousã, to the southwest by Miranda do Corvo and to the west by Coimbra.
Vila Nova de Poiares is one of the 17 municipalities in the district of Coimbra and comprises four parishes: Santo André de Poiares, Arrifana, São Miguel de Poiares and Lavegadas. The distance from the city seat to Coimbra (district seat) is 27 km, with the main accesses being the Estrada da Beira-EN17 and the IP 3 (Main Route that connects, among other locations, the cities of Coimbra and Viseu). With only about one hundred square kilometers, 7457 inhabitants (2006), and 3438 buildings (Census 2001), Vila Nova de Poiares is located in the center of the district. The municipality of Pinhal Interior Norte consists of a valley surrounded by the mountains of Lousã, Bidueiro, São Pedro Dias (extending just a little beyond it), and Carvalho and, on its northwest and northeast borders, is bathed by the rivers Mondego and Alva, respectively. This unique geographic situation determines an equally unique climate with frequent fogs, rains, and relatively low temperatures in winter, in contrast to the summer temperatures, which are sometimes very high.
