The extraordinary monastery of Batalha was built to commemorate the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota (fought just south of here). Most of the monument was…
Must see attractions in Estremadura & Ribatejo
- Top ChoiceMosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória
- Top ChoiceMosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça
One of Iberia's great monasteries utterly dominates the town of Alcobaça. Hiding behind the imposing baroque facade lies a high, austere, monkish church …
- Top ChoiceConvento de Cristo
Wrapped in splendour and mystery, the Knights Templar held enormous power in Portugal from the 12th to 16th centuries, and largely bankrolled the Age of…
- MTop ChoiceMiradouro do Sítio
As you exit the funicular at the top of Promontório do Sítio, make a quick left and walk 50m to the Sitío viewpoint – an outstanding aerial view of Nazaré…
- STop ChoiceSantuário de Fátima
It's difficult to believe that a century ago, this was rocky pastureland outside an insignificant village. This vast complex is now one of Catholicism's…
- Top ChoiceBacalhôa Buddha Eden
What have the Taliban got to do with a rural winery 12km south of Óbidos? Well, when they blew up the Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan in 2001, the…
- CTop ChoiceCasa Museu Passos Canavarro
Right by the Portas do Sol and sharing some of the same privileged views, this is a unique place to visit for lovers of art and beauty. The historic house…
- MTop ChoiceMuro de Óbidos
Óbidos' dramatic, fully intact Moorish wall imposingly surrounds the historical centre of town and stretches in a completed loop of 1560m, all of which…
- ATop ChoiceAqueduto de Pegões
This astonishing aqueduct, striding towards the monastery from the northwest, was built between 1593 and 1613 to supply water to thirsty monks. Its 180…
- BTop ChoiceBaleal
About 5km to the northeast of Peniche is this scenic island-village, connected to the mainland village of Casais do Baleal by a narrow causeway (note: it…
- JTop ChoiceJardim das Portas do Sol
Occupying the site of the Moorish citadel, the Portas do Sol garden offers utterly majestic views over the Rio Tejo and the great spread of plains…
- HTop ChoiceHeadland
While in Peniche, make sure you do the 8km circuit of the whole headland (walking is hot going, however, as much of it is on the road). At Cabo Carvoeiro,…
- MMonumento Natural das Pegadas dos Dinossáurios
On the N357 10km south of Fátima in the village of Bairro, this extraordinary quarry is one of the most important locations for sauropod prints in the…
- CCastelo de Óbidos
You can walk around the unprotected muro (wall) for uplifting views over the town and surrounding countryside. The walls date from Moorish times (later…
- FFarol da Nazaré
This picturesque lighthouse (famous for its backdrop when surfers hit the high seas) sits at Sāo Miguel Arcanjo fort and is a lovely place to visit,…
- IIgreja de Santa Maria
The town’s elegant main church, near the northern end of Rua Direita, stands out for its interior, with a wonderful painted ceiling and walls done up in…
- PPorta da Vila
The main gate of Óbidos' historic centre bears the King João IV-ordered inscription, 'A Virgem Nossa Senhora foi concebida sem pecado original' ('The…
- IIgreja de Marvila
Dating from the 12th century but with 16th-century additions, this endearing little church has a fine, twisted Manueline doorway, while the interior is…
- PPromontório do Sítio
Until the 18th century the sea covered the present-day site of Nazaré; locals lived at this clifftop area 110m above the beach. Today this tourist-filled…
- CCentro de Diálogo Intercultural de Leiria
The gorgeously restored 18th century Igreja da Misericórdia was built in late-Mannerist style on the plot of land where an even older cathedral dating to…