Penela is a village in the Central region of Portugal, it has the nickname of Vila Presépio, for its beauty and physical and geographical layout.
The village is situated in a valley, at an altitude of 400m, and is crossed by the river Alva.
The Municipality of Penela is equally rich in mountain villages with their well-preserved typical rural architecture, such as Ferraria de S. João, in the Parish of Cumieira, being equally rich in its natural mountain beauty.
Close to Penela is the village of Rabaçal, with its important Roman Villa dating from the 4th century AD.
The area around Penela was already settled in prehistoric times, as evidenced by the many megalithic monuments that can be found in the municipality, such as the dolmen of São Bento da Porta Aberta, in the parish of Santa Eufêmia.