Luso

Luso is a civil parish (freguesia) in the municipality of Mealhada, located in central Portugal in the Aveiro District. It lies near the Serra do Buçaco and the Bussaco National Forest, incorporating the village of Luso and surrounding rural areas.

The parish is best known for its proximity to the Buçaco Forest and for the Buçaco Palace (Palácio do Buçaco), a landmark building that later became a luxury hotel. Built in the late 19th century on the orders of King Charles I and designed by architect Luigi Manini, the palace remains a major tourist draw in the region, complemented by hiking trails and the natural scenery of the forested hills.

Historically, the area has strong associations with royal leisure and the development of tourism to the Buçaco region. The Palace Hotel do Buçaco is currently operated by the Pestana hotel group and serves visitors to the national forest and nearby attractions.

Beyond the place name, the term Luso is used in linguistic and cultural contexts as a prefix related to Lusitania or Lusophone peoples and cultures, as in Lusophone, Luso-Brazilian, or Luso-African. The term derives from the Latin Lusitanus and the historical Roman province of Lusitania.