Vila Nova da Barquinha (23km - 0h20m)
The Village of Vila Nova da Barquinha is part of Ribatejo province region and it belongs to the District of Santarém its territory has a surface of 49Km2 and is bounded to the south and the east by two major watercourses: the Tagus and the Zêzere rivers.
The rivers since ancient times were an attractive location for the settling of populations due to the easiness to obtain livelihood. So it was during the process of the Christian Reconquest, that populations of this District have won considerable projection. As the territory was expanding southwards it was a concern for the Kings of the 1st dynasty to keep the possessions of the lands by that time emerged in this region along the course of the Tagus river, major defensives strongholds, such as the Castle of Almourol, the ex-libris of this District.
Castle of Almourol
Archaeology Interpretation Center of the Upper Ribatejo region
Barquinha Park
Fátima (65km - 0h45m)
The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, located at the Cova da Iria, has currently not just a vast array of buildings but also an extensive outdoor enclosure with an area of 86,400 m2, which holds nearly 300,000 people. The center of activity is beyond the Chapel of Apparitions, the Basilica, whose first stone was blessed on May 13th 1928 by the Archbishop of Évora, D. Manuel da Conceição Santos.
You can also visit the House of the little shepherds and the Ethnographic Museum in Aljustrel and Valinhos, the Monument to Our Lady, the Loca of the Angel to the Via Sacra and the Calvary. Northern side of the Sanctuary, we are able to visit the Wax Museum and the Museum of Fatima Apparitions in 1917, on the southern side we have the Museum the Sacred Art and Ethnology of Fatima.
Fátima Sanctuary
Wax Museum
House Museum of Aljustrel
Crato (81km - 1h05m)
Located in the Upper Alentejo, 22 km west of Portalegre, the Crato is a city with history, with a past marked by the presence of megalithic herders and of their customs and culture.
It is headquarters of the District with 388.03 km ² and 3,835 inhabitants (2006), subdivided into six villages. The council is limited by the cities northeast of Gavião, Nisa and Castelo de Vide, Portalegre in to the east; southeast and southwest by Monforte by Alter do Chao and Ponte de Sôr.
Castle
Monastery of Flor da Rosa
Alcobaça (123km - 1h25m)
Alcobaça is located at the confluence of the rivers Alcoa and Baça, at the littoral zone of the center of Portugal. Belongs to the district of Leiria, the District of Loulé has 18 villages, being the second most industrialized City from the district and the most populous too.
In Alcobaça, we can find the famous Cistercian monastery of St. Maria, was founded in 1148 by D. Afonso Henriques. In this monastery, are the tombs of King D. Peter and Dª Inês de Castro. Rebuilt many times in several styles from Gothic to Manueline style, this monastery is one of the most beautiful monuments in the world.
The Monastery of St. Maria Alcobaça
Castle