Hello Serge and Natali,
Great places east of Coimbra if you like a peaceful life. A lot of nature, rivers and little villages hidden in hills.
There were big fires there because it is a hot and dry area during summer with a lot of «uncontrolled» forest going up and down the hills, very difficult for firefighters to access 🙁
You will find lovely villages, traditional Portuguese houses, good food and a lot of options for trekking, walking and river beaches.
Depending on the place, within about 30 minutes you can reach Coimbra and have access to all that a big city can provide. Also close to Serra da Estrela with amazing landscapes both in summer and winter, and great offer of nature experiences.
If you look over the Ask Our Expats section, you will find some Expats from that areas that can help you with more details and expertise. 🙂
Enjoy!