The Aldeias do Xisto are represented in Portugal dos Pequenitos by a traditional cottage. Inaugurated on 8 June 2015, in the presence of the Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, this new house is the result of a partnership between the Bissaya Barreto Foundation and ADXTUR as part of the 75th anniversary of the Coimbra theme park.

For those who have never visited the Aldeias do Xisto, this is an excellent opportunity to feel the true spirit of the “village” and get to know the traditional houses of the region.

The area devoted to the Aldeias do Xisto house in Portugal dos Pequenitos includes the reconstitution of a traditional house from the Aldeia do Xisto of Lousã and a second schist construction, made of small terraces with native plants that forms a recreational and educational subspace. This new site at Portugal dos Pequenitos will enable visitors to discover the villages’ unique landscapes, evoking the relationships they establish with their natural surroundings. It is an invitation to the imagined space of the Aldeias do Xisto, open to children and adults alike!

With the aim of bringing the “village to the city”, the new house, inspired by the homes in the Aldeias do Xisto “also intends to transport visitors to the Aldeias do Xisto, to experience their peoples, and the atmosphere of everyday village life. We also want to get ever closer to people so that they can really get to know our essence, our being”, says Rui Simão the coordinator of ADXTUR.

"Our presence in Portugal dos Pequenitos is of the utmost importance because we are talking about a highly recognised institution, known by everyone in our country and which receives a large number of visitors. Being represented here also means a first step towards new and future audiences at a location that conjures up our area, its traditions and images, with all the stories that are told through this unique experience. Basically, it is a process of discovering what our regions actually are and what Portuguese culture is all about”, adds Rui Simão.

As for the idea, the ADXTUR coordinator explains that “it followed an invitation from the Bissaya Barreto Foundation, sponsor of Portugal dos Pequenitos, which expressed an interest in having one of our houses represented there. We have chosen a house inspired by and typical of the traditional architecture around the Lousã area, evoking the images and environment of the Aldeias do Xisto and showing the terraces and agriculture of the region. This is indeed something that fills us with pride.”