Rabaçal

Rabacal gives its name to one of Portugal's most distinctive cheeses. Queijo Rabacal is a small, firm cheese made from a blend of sheep's and goat's milk, aged for at least 20 days. It has a slightly tangy, salty flavour and a crumbly texture. Ask for it at any local bar or restaurant, or buy some from a village shop. Eating it here, in the village where it has been made for centuries, is a quiet Camino pleasure.

About 16 km from Rabacal (and 12 km south of Coimbra), the Roman ruins of Conimbriga are among the best-preserved on the Iberian Peninsula. The site includes stunning floor mosaics, thermal baths, a forum, a defensive wall, and the foundations of Roman houses. The museum on site provides excellent context. This is a detour from the Camino path (by taxi or a long walk), but for anyone interested in Roman history, it is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Portugal.

Rabacal is small enough to explore in fifteen minutes, but the stone houses, the quiet lanes, and the surrounding countryside have a timeless quality. After a week of walking from Lisbon, slowing down in a village this small and this old is part of the experience. Tomorrow you walk to Coimbra, one of the great cities of Portugal. Tonight, enjoy the simplicity.