Things to do in

Obidos

This 8-hour from Lisbon stops first at Fátima, where the famous apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima occurred. Explore the Sanctuary and experience the peaceful environment of this pilgrimage site. Visit the Chapel of the Apparition and the Holy Trinity Cathedral. See the houses of the little shepherds as well. Continue the journey to Nazare, known around the world for its giant waves and McNamara's world record for the largest wave ever surfed. Enjoy lunch at the beach and see the giant waves for yourself. Next stop is Óbidos, a place of ancient legends and miracles. Enter the walls of the most romantic village in Portugal and experience what it was like to live in medieval times.

Benefit from pick-up in Lisbon city center, and then take a scenic drive to the shrine of Fatima. Learn more about the important Catholic pilgrimage site before going to the Gothic convent at Batalha. Admire the Manueline style of architecture typical of Portugal in the 16th century, and then enjoy a delicious lunch of regional food. Next, visit the beautiful seaside resort of Nazaré, popular with surfers and water sports fans. See the statue of the black Virgin Mary by Saint Joseph and look at the colorful fishing boats on the sandy beach from the top of the rock. Try some of the sweet cherry liqueur known as ginja in the medieval village of Obidos, and soak up the fairytale atmosphere of the cobbled paths and small medieval houses. Browse the handicraft stores along narrow streets, and then journey back to Lisbon through the lovely landscapes of central Portugal.

Follow in the footsteps of Catholic pilgrims on a full-day sightseeing tour of Central Portugal from Lisbon. Transfer from the Portuguese capital, and drive through a vast variety of landscapes. Your first stop will be the extraordinary town of Fátima, where an apparition of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared before 3 children every month between May 1917 and October 1917. Now one of the major shrines of the Catholic faith, the complex contains the tombs of 2 of the young shepherd children, the crown of the Virgin in the Chapel of the Apparitions, and a section of the Berlin Wall (said to be a tribute to God’s part in the fall of communism) . Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant (own expense) far from the tourist crowds, and get a taste for authentic Portuguese food. Continue to the fishing port of Nazaré for panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. Popular with surfers, Nazaré was the site of a 79-foot wave, surfed by Garrett McNamara in 2011. Finally, tour the picturesque town of Óbidos, taken from the Muslims in 1148. Forming part of the dowry of numerous Portuguese queens, Óbidos maintains its medieval feel inside the old city walls, with cobblestone streets and flower-bedecked houses.

Take a full-day, multi-city tour that brings you to some of Portugal's most popular medieval and 20th-century architectural and religious marvels, beginning in Lisbon and ending in Fátima. Depart from Lisbon by bus at 9:00 and head to Óbidos, the 'wedding present town'. This is the town that King Dinis gave to his bride, Queen Isabel, on their wedding day in 1282. This romantic village is surrounded by the 45-foot-high walls of a medieval Moorish castle, the famous Pousada do Castelo. Stop for lunch in colorful Nazaré, a traditional Portuguese fishing village. If time permits, head to Sítio to enjoy a beautiful view of the beach and ocean. Then, kick off the afternoon with a trip to Batalha Monastery, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, with beautiful stained-glass windows and the Manueline-style Royal Cloister. Arrive at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, a center of Catholic faith and globally recognized pilgrimage destination. Housed in the Basilica are the tombs of Lúcia, Francisco, and Jacinta, peasant children who, despite threats, never denied witnessing the apparition of Mary. The heart of the shrine is in the Chapel of Apparitions. Schedule permitting, you can attend Mass. Afterwards, you will return to Lisbon on a route that takes you through a rich agricultural region.

Following a pick-up at your hotel in Lisbon, you’ll travel in an air-conditioned, 8-seat vehicle to the Fatima Sanctuary. Learn about the miracle of the apparition of the Virgin to local shepherd children in 1917.  Next, your 8-hour tour moves west to the coast, with a stop at Batalha to visit the Batalha Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most fascinating Gothic monuments in Europe. King John I of Portugal built the monastery to give thanks to the Virgin Mary over a battle against Spanish troops in 1385. After lunch, you’ll visit Sítio, a clifftop village that offers some of the best views in Portugal. From high on the cliffs surrounding Nazaré, you’ll learn about the legend of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré. The statue of Our Lady of Nazaré is one of the oldest Christian art pieces. Continuing on, you’ll fall in love with the colorful, romantic village of Obidos. Its winding streets and medieval structures, castle walls and handicraft shops make this stop the highlight of the trip for many people. You’ll have the opportunity here to taste the typical liquor of this region known as ginjinha, or simply ginja.

Head to the Atlantic Coast from Lisbon, visit the romantic village of Óbidos, and see the important religious pilgrimage site of Fátima. This journey takes you into the rolling hills of the Portuguese countryside and on to the coast. Experience life as a religious pilgrim when you visit the Sanctuary of Fátima. This is one of Christianity’s most important sites, receiving around 5 million visitors every year. You’ll learn about the visitations of the Virgin Mary to 3 local children as you view the stained glass art, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, and more. Next, you’ll discover the stunning 14th-century Batalha Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll see the lovely Gothic windows in the west façade and admire the stained glass art in the interior that depicts the Visitation, the Adoration of the Magi, the Flight into Egypt, and the Resurrection. You can visit the Founder's Chapel, the Cloisters, and see the unfinished chapels as well. Feel the ocean breezes as you travel along the Atlantic coast, passing the picturesque villages of Foz do Arelho and São Martinho do Porto. In the fishing town of Nazaré, stop for lunch and take in the sights from the top of the Nazaré Cliffs. As you travel to Óbidos, listen to the commentary of your expert guide. You'll fall in love with this romantic village as you admire its medieval architecture, including its castle and fortified wall.

Leaving from your hotel in Lisbon, this tour is for the devout as well as for those who love the history of Portugal. Fátima is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world, and it will be your first stop so that you may visit the site where Our Lady of Fátima appeared in 1917 to the three shepherd children. You will also visit the Basilica, where Francisco, Jacinta Marto and Lúcia are buried, the Igreja da Santíssima Trindade (Church of the Holy Trinity), the largest Catholic sanctuary and the Capela das Aparições (Chapel of the Apparitions).  The tour continues to breathtaking and rural Batalha where the monastery awaits you. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that celebrates the Battle of Aljubarrota and is the best example of Gothic architecture in Portugal with traces of Manueline architecture. Alcobaça is a city not to be missed by those who wish to feel the hospitality that is so intrinsic to this coast and a visit to the Alcobaça Monastery, one of the most visited and best preserved monuments in the country. The tombs of Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro are located here as a tribute to the greatest Portuguese romantic tragedy.  After lunch you will go on to Óbidos, a town for queens until 1883 and perhaps why it has maintained a romantic and picturesque setting that has been so well preserved over the centuries. Afterwards with the sunsetting behind you, head back  to your hotel in Lisbon.

Travel by air-conditioned minivan to Fátima and learn why millions of pilgrims make their way to the sanctuary each year. Continue to Batalha to see some of the best 14th-century architecture in Portugal, including the monastery built in commemoration of the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota. Next, go to the charming seaside town of Nazaré and savor some fresh fish at lunch (own expense). Take a scenic coastal drive through São Martinho do Porto and the Óbidos Lagoon en route to the medieval walled village of Óbidos. Stroll around the cobbled streets and taste some authentic ginjinha (cherry liqueur).

Enjoy a ride through the romantic village of Obidos, the first stop on this 8-hour excursion. Its medieval structures within the castle walls are a definite highlight of the trip. Stop for a taste of ginjinha, which is a traditional liqueur of this region. Afterwards, head to Nazaré, a small fishing village that is now known for its beaches and giant waves. International surfers compete here in one of the world’s largest competitions. In Alcobaça visit the monastery that dates to 1178. It was the first completely Gothic structure ever built in Portugal, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the tombs of royalty, and hear about one of Portugal’s most endearing love stories.

Make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Fátima and see the homes of the 3 little shepherds who saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Learn the story of the miracle and get some free time to explore the basilicas and chapel by yourself. Next, visit Batalha Monastery and marvel at the largest Gothic monument in Portugal. Hear the history of the building and learn the legend of Henry the Navigator who helped put the nation on the map. Continue to Alcobaça Monastery, founded by the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques, in 1153. Hear the tragic story of King Pedro I and his beloved Inês de Castro, murdered on the orders of his father. Get stunning views from the beach at Nazaré and the clifftop village of Sítio. Enter the basilica of Our Lady of Nazaré to look at the famous black statue of the Virgin. End with a visit to the village of Óbidos and taste a typical cherry liqueur. Stroll the medieval streets of the village or walk up to the historical castle.