Inland, far from the sea coast, the landscape is defined by mountain ranges and villages made of granite and slate. And scattered throughout the region are thousands of years of cultural and historical heritage that proudly represent the region’s history.
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Your tour begins in the town of Fatima, a town that became a place of worship after the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherds in 1917. Nowadays Fatima is called the “Altar of Peace”, where hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from different countries come every year. After that just 15 km from Fatima you will visit one of the 7 wonders of Portugal – the Grottoes of Peace de Aire.
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Then you will visit the Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitoria in Batalha , a masterpiece of Portuguese Gothic architecture with a Manuelino motif. The monastery was founded to commemorate the victory over Castile at Aljuborotta in 1385. The tomb of the Avis royal dynasty, starting with King João I and his wife Philippa of Lancaster, as well as the tomb of his son Henry the Navigator, deserve special attention. Lunch in a national restaurant.
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Then you will move to the town of Alcobaça, where you will visit the monastery of Santa Maria de Alcobaça, with two intricate tombs to King Pedro and his beloved Inês de Castro, and the guide will tell you the beautiful love story of Portuguese Romeo and Juliet.
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Finally, you will visit the small town of Obidos. Obidos was the wedding gift of King Dinis to his future wife Isabella of Aragon. Passing through the southern gate “Porta da Vila”, you will come to the main and only street of the town, which will lead you to the church of Santa Maria with a simple Renaissance portal. In this church, in 1441, the future King Afonso V married his cousin Isabella. The groom was 10 years old and the bride was 8. You will see the 12th century castle, which was laid out during the reign of the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques. In Obidos you will be offered a tasting of the delicious “Ginga” liqueur in chocolate cups.
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