Manor House near Serra da Estrela

Casa dos Livros is located in Vila Nova de Tazem in the municipality of Gouveia. Located in the district of Guarda (Center Region), Gouveia has neighboring municipalities Fornos de Algodres, Celorico da Beira, Guarda, Manteigas, Seia and Mangualde, the latter belonging to the district of Viseu. Integrated in the province of Beira Alta, Gouveia is on the northwest slope of Serra da Estrela, the largest mountain system in continental Portugal. Clearly an agricultural region, at the end of the century. XIX Gouveia was the sixth largest industrial center in Portugal. Currently, the region preserves its picturesque character and has been promoting tourism, promoting the region's peaceful rurality as a tourist attraction.
Crossed by the Mondego River and with slopes and plains, the municipality presents a diverse natural landscape with countless corners to discover. Biodiversity allows the observation of local fauna and flora, and the existence of parks and gardens enhances activity and the enjoyment of proximity to pure nature. The Gouveia Ecological Park, the UNESCO World Geopark Star and the Vale do Rossim Dam stand out as maximum exponents of local nature preservation. The best way to absorb nature is with your backpack on your back and your feet on the way. The integration of different landscapes allowed the creation of trails, routes and routes through the City Council that are possible to explore on foot or by bicycle, and showcase the best natural and scenic corners of the municipality, including the Rota dos Galhardos, the Rota dos Paths of Faith, the Vergiliana Route or the Vale da Cadela Route. The natural heritage can also be observed from the tops of the mountains and viewpoints, natural or built, that are found throughout the municipality, such as the viewpoints with panoramic views of Paixotão, Folgosinho and Monte Calvário. The cuts of rivers and mountains gave rise to natural wells and river beaches in Ribamondego, Vale do Rossim or Covão da Ponte.
The Serra da Estrela Natural Park was the first natural park to be created in Portugal, comprising a succession of plateaus that extend from Guarda, in the northeast, to the foothills of the Serra do Açor, in the southwest. The park covers 101 thousand hectares, spread across six municipalities (Gouveia, Seia, Manteigas, Celorico da Beira, Guarda and Covilhã), making it the largest protected area in Portugal. It is in the Serra da Estrela Natural Park that the highest point on the Portuguese mainland is located at 1993 meters above sea level – the Tower. Its landscape is characterized by granite and schist rock, high-altitude pastures, native forests made of oak and castinçais, numerous traces of the last glaciation, lagoons, peat bogs and the sources of three important national rivers: Mondego, Alva and Zêzere.