Top Things to do in Leiria District
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Things to do in Leiria District, Central Portugal: The Best Sights & Landmarks
Discover the best top things to do in Leiria District, Portugal including Igreja de Santa Maria, Obidos Village, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Nazare, Monastery of Alcobaca, Castelo de Leiria, Batalha Monastery, O Sitio, Forte de Sao Miguel, Farol, Cabo Carvoeiro.
Restaurants in Leiria District
1. Igreja de Santa Maria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 423 reviews
Reviewed By Margo7850p
Lovely church. On the outside, it's not that glamorous, but on the inside, it's very beautiful. The church was built in 1148 and rebuilt in the following centuries. It was built on the remains of a mosque which in turn was built on the ruins of a Visigothic temple. The current structure has a Renaissance style. Its interior is distinguished by a painted wooden ceiling and tiles from the 17th century. It was in this temple that the future King Afonso V, then 10 years old, married his cousin Isabel, who was 8 years old. Its surroundings are very picturesque with the square it presides over and the adjoining buildings. A must see in Obidos.
2. Obidos Village
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,863 reviews
Reviewed By markbH9929KY
This was our second visit to the amazing and beautiful village of Obidos. Should be the top of everyone’s list of places to visit if touring or holidaying in this area. You can walk right around the village on the castle walls, enjoying the fab views from lots of different vantage points, then enjoy the gorgeous narrow streets of this old Moorish village. Truly stunning.
3. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Nazare
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 678 reviews
Reviewed By 478incon - Bruges, Belgium
Beautiful old church from the glory days of Portugal. Pay 1 Euro and visit the old chappel with corridir stil plastered with the Original azulejos. Don't mis it when you go to Nazaré
4. Monastery of Alcobaca
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,243 reviews
Reviewed By VadimM67 - Murmansk, Russia
There are two reasons to visit the monastery of Santa Maria de Alcobaça: to see one of the seven wonders of Portugal and the embodiment of the terrible love story of Pedro and Ines in stone. Despite the unusually beautiful baroque facade, reconstructed at the beginning of the XVIII century, mnastir itself is very modest, which corresponds to the price of an entrance ticket of 6 euros. The reason for the modesty is that the monastery belonged to the Cistercian order, whose main principle was to live by their work, and not to accumulate wealth. Naturally, the energy of messianism supplanted them. Including in Portugal. The asceticism of the order is reflected in the architecture of the monastery, founded in 1178-four years after the canonization of Bernard of Clairvaux, the main ideologue. The monastery of Alcobaça in the Early Gothic style reflects the way of life of the Cistercians. Simple lines, without unnecessary decorations and gilding. Most of the monastery's statues are made by the monks themselves. Tourists love manual work. Even this little was lost during the third French campaign in 1810. For example, the wooden choirs burned down and the church stands without them. But Portugal's largest library was looted. As the French say: a la guerre comme a la guerre.But the kitchen has been preserved! It is equipped with a water supply system, in the mechanism of which water still circulates. The water came through an artificial drainage system from the Alcoa River (hence the name of the city). The chimney, under which the fire was built, and the stone table for cutting food were preserved..There are as many as five cloisters in the monastery, although I did not see all of them during my visit. It is interesting that in the monastery of silence it was forbidden to talk, and in the monastery of reading the monks did not read, but listened to the readings. Some believe that the monasteries are not one, but five-according to the number of cloisters. But the most interesting thing is not in the monasteries, but in the royal tomb. The practice of collective burials of crowned heads was widely practiced in Europe: . in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, in the Medici Chapel in Florence, of course, in the Escorial. The main thing in Alcobas is the tombs of Ines de Castro and King Pedro I (1320-1367). Their sarcophagi are decorated with stone carvings that reflect both biblical stories and scenes of everyday life. Their story is often compared to Romeo and Juliet, but even Shakespeare's imagination could not make up this story of love and medieval cruelty. This story is told by all the guides.The heir to the throne, Pedro, in addition to his wife Constance, had a mistress, a Castilian noblewoman Ines de Castro, who gave birth to four illegitimate children . Father Pedro Afonso IV, fearing that the Portuguese throne would fall into the hands of the Castilians (as happened in the XVI century), ordered Pedro to abandon Ines. As Shakespeare's Romeo Pedro refused, then the king's assassins killed Inez in front of one of the children. Then comes the story "King Lear" Pedro rebelled against his father, who died during the war, and Pedro became king. Then a modified "Hamlet". Pedro obtained the extradition of two murderers from Castile and personally tore out their hearts. One through the chest, the other through the back, this doesn`t yet explain why we see the sarcophagi of Pedro and Ines next to each other in the monastery. Pedro ordered Ines's remains to be removed (after 6 years!) from the tomb, dressed the skeleton in royal robes and a crown, and forced the courtiers to swear an oath to the new queen by kissing the hem of her dress. Almost like Pope Stephen VI in 897. The king buries the queen with honors, and nearby builds a sarcophagus for himself to see his beloved at the Last Judgment. We see the inscription on the sarcophagus: Até o fim do mundo.. "Until the end of the world.".."
5. Castelo de Leiria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 829 reviews
This place is temporarily closed.
Reviewed By michaelc0llins77 - Dublin, Ireland
A very nice castle with an amazing view over the city, and loved the activities happening inside the castle - some kind of medieval market!
6. Batalha Monastery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,006 reviews
Located in the Gothic masterpiece of Santa Maria da Vitória Monastery, a special visit should be made to this chapel with its magnificent stained-glass windows, cloisters, Unfinished Chapel and the tombs of several Portuguese notables.
Reviewed By alexdavidwriter - London, United Kingdom
I visited each of Portugal's four famous monasteries during my trip to Portugal (Batalha, Alcobaca, Convento de Cristo, Jeronimos), and by far the best of them was Batalha. Wow! It truly is in a class of its own. The architecture is beautiful, the details captivating, and the overall effect stunning. It is the only Gothic church I have ever visited where I saw the nave completely bathed in multicolored lights as the sun shone through stained glass windows (visit in the morning on a sunny day to get the best of this effect). But there is so much more: the Founders Chapel with its incredible domed ceiling; the tomb of Henry the Navigator; the lovely cloister, which incidentally holds the Portuguese tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, complete with live soldiers on attendance; and the intricate unfinished chapels where a king and his queen are shown in stone holding hands for all eternity. Everyone visiting central Portugal should be making an effort to see Batalha Monastery. It is Portugal's Gothic wonder.
7. O Sitio
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,394 reviews
Reviewed By jubieSheffield
A beautiful town square, with the most charming church, and woman in traditional dress selling their wears, and the views are amazing, there are plenty of little cafe's and restaurants. But Parking can be a little dificult,
8. Forte de Sao Miguel
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 987 reviews
Reviewed By mdsaction - Huntington Beach, United States
Went to Nazare in May which is not big wave season but still got a thrill from just looking out from the cliffs and imagining what the sight and sound must be when an eighty foot wave roars into that coastline. The Fort is a nice walk out to the point and the small exhibit inside has some surfing memorabilia as well as a great relief map explaining how these swells end up so big. The town and regular beach are worth the visit also.
9. Farol
10. Cabo Carvoeiro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 694 reviews
Reviewed By Margo7850p
The Cabo Carvoeiro lies on the Atlantic coast, along the westernmost point of the Peniche Peninsula. A very beautiful place with spectacular views, , definitely worth a stop if you are travelling nearby. A beautiful and inspiring landscape, very nice view of the ocean and the Berlenga island. It is also a great place to take a few pictures and enjoy the sunset.
