Portugal unveils €12 million adventure park and €2.5 million hotel to boost interior tourism

The municipality of Castanheira de Pera, about 60 km from Tomar, announced a €12 million investment to build the São João da Mata Thematic Park. Spanning roughly 45 ha, the park will be developed in three phases and include a one‑kilometre cable car, alpine coaster, zip‑line, climbing walls, downhill track and a decrazy‑cart circuit, among other attractions. Officials highlighted its potential to create direct and indirect jobs, extend visitor stays in the Médio Tejo region and complement nearby natural sites such as Praia das Rocas.

In Elvas, the municipality confirmed a €2.5 million project to construct the four‑star Hotel Santyara, featuring 13 suites on a two‑hectare site in the Varche locality. The hotel is slated to open in the first quarter of 2028 and is part of the SICE – Inovação Produtiva – Territórios de Baixa Densidade programme under Portugal 2030. Local leaders expect the hotel to enrich the town’s tourism offer and integrate harmoniously with the surrounding landscape, reinforcing Elvas’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage site.