Meet your Around Lisbon guide at your local Lisbon hotel for your day trip to Fátima, Batalha, Nazaré and Óbidos.
Hop aboard your air-conditioned minivan and drive about 115kms north of Lisbon and arrive to Fátima, a city that developed after the apparitions of Virgin Mary back in 1917. At Fátima Sanctuary you’ll find an unique ambiance of devotion, whether you’re a believer or not, it’s impossible to feel indifferent at this place of great spirituality that receives millions of pilgrims each year. Learn all about the legend of Virgin Mary’s apparitions to three shepherd children in 1917 and what became the most adored devotion in Portugal: the one one Our Lady of Fátima.
Continue to Batalha and visit the best example of late Gothic (14th century) architecture in Portugal, the Batalha Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built in commemoration of the 1385 battle (batalha) of Aljubarrota against the Castillians and its original name is in fact Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória (Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory).
Stop at Nazaré, a charming seaside town where local fishermen haul in fresh catches from the ocean. Don’t miss the oportunity of tasting this fresh fish at lunch (own expense). After, learn all about the legend of Nazaré and how the Virgin Mary had a miraculous intervention in 1182, which saved the life of the Portuguese knight Dom Fuas Roupinho (possibly a Templar) of falling down a 100 metre cliff, while he was hunting deer one morning in a dense fog. On this place it was built a chapel. Nowadays Nazaré is also known for being the capital of big wave surfing, holding the record of the largest wave ever ridden (24 metres), in 2011.
End the day in Óbidos, a fairytale medieval town surrounded by ancient walls. Walk through cobbled streets lined with whitewashed houses, explore artisan shops, and taste the famous ginjinha liqueur. Feel the charm of a town that once belonged to Portuguese queens and still preserves its timeless magic.
As the sun sets, relax on the comfortable drive back to Lisbon, carrying with you the stories of miracles, battles, and heritage that shaped Portugal.
