Covilhã used to be the centre of one of Europe’s biggest wool-producing regions but stray outside the centre and you’ll see the town’s ghostly mills standing empty and forlorn. Sited in the former royal textile factory, this museum traces the proud but vanishing history of wool production and cloth dyeing in the Serra da Estrela.
A map shows the 100-plus wool producers that once thrived in this region, while other displays demonstrate how cochineal and indigo from the New World were used to dye Portuguese soldiers’ uniforms. Even if yarn makes you yawn, you may be impressed by the gigantic old looms and dyeing vats. Admission includes entry to two adjacent exhibitions, which can also be visited separately.
