Óbidos & Nazaré
Nazaré is famous for the world's biggest-wave surfing and its strong fishing-village character, with the walled town of Óbidos, the World Heritage Alcobaça Monastery and a shell-shaped bay nearby.
Óbidos & Nazaré lie on Portugal's central west coast, in the Oeste and Leiria regions, about 80–120 km north of Lisbon. Nazaré is a traditional fishing village and seaside resort: the lower town spreads along a crescent-shaped beach, the clifftop Sítio offers panoramic views, and to the north, Praia do Norte sees the world's largest surfable waves in winter thanks to an undersea canyon. About 40 km to the south, Óbidos is a medieval walled town known for its cherry liqueur and festivals. Nearby are the World Heritage Alcobaça Monastery, the shell-shaped bay of São Martinho do Porto, the spa and ceramics town of Caldas da Rainha, and the Peniche peninsula with its surf beaches, headlands and the Berlengas Islands, which can be visited in summer. Best seasons: October–March for giant waves; June–September for beaches and island trips; December for the Óbidos Christmas Village and July for the medieval fair. Getting there: express buses run from Lisbon's Campo Grande station directly to Nazaré (about 1 hour 45 minutes) and Óbidos (about 1 hour), and there are regional trains, but the sights are spread out and driving is most convenient. Allow 2–3 days: one for Nazaré and Alcobaça, one for Óbidos and Caldas, and one for Peniche and the islands. For Batalha Monastery and Fátima, see the Coimbra entry.
Top sights
- Nazaré Lighthouse (Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo) – A red-roofed lighthouse and 16th-century fort at the tip of a headland. In winter, you can watch 20 to 30 metre waves and surfers on North…
- Miradouro do Sítio (Suberco) – A viewpoint on a cliff about 100 metres high, overlooking Nazaré's crescent beach and white fishing village. It is the most classic postcar…
- Óbidos Castle & Walls – Medieval walls encircle the whole town and can be walked in full. The castle at the north end, now a state-run hotel, is the symbol of the…
- Rua Direita & Porta da Vila, Óbidos – Enter through the blue-tiled town gate, stroll the main street lined with craft shops and cherry liqueur stalls, and sip Ginja from a choco…
- Alcobaça Monastery – A UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to Portugal's largest Gothic church, where the tombs of King Pedro I and Inês de Castro rest.
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré – A Baroque church on Sítio Square that houses the legendary Black Madonna, with exquisite blue-and-white tile murals inside.
- Nazaré Funicular – A hillside funicular opened in 1889 that links the lower town on the beach with Sítio on the cliff top, offering panoramic views of the bay…
- Praia da Nazaré – A crescent-shaped beach about 1.5 km long in front of the town. In summer colorful parasols fill the sand, and fishwives drying fish on the…
- Praia do Norte – A wild long beach north of the lighthouse. The Nazaré Canyon produces world-class giant waves, making it a mecca for big-wave surfing. It i…
- Church of Santa Maria, Óbidos – A church on the town's main square where, in 1444, the boy king Afonso V married his cousin. Its interior walls are covered in 17th-century…
- Óbidos Lagoon & Foz do Arelho – Portugal's largest coastal lagoon. Foz do Arelho, at the lagoon mouth, has both calm lake beaches and Atlantic beaches.
- São Martinho do Porto Bay – A nearly enclosed, shell-shaped bay with waters as calm as a lake, one of the few beaches on Portugal's west coast suitable for family swim…
- Caldas da Rainha – A historic spa town founded by a queen, with a fruit market in its square that opens every day, the romantic D. Carlos I Park and a ceramic…
- Peniche Fortress – A 16th-century coastal fortress that served as a prison for political detainees under Salazar's dictatorship and is now the Museum of Resis…
- Cabo Carvoeiro – Sea cliffs and a lighthouse at the western tip of the Peniche peninsula. The rock formation known as the 'Raven Boat' standing in the sea i…
- Baleal – A small island linked to the mainland by a sandbank. Its two beaches face different directions, so there are waves to surf almost year-roun…
- Supertubos Beach – Known as 'Europe's barrel beach', this is a stop on the World Surf League tour, with dunes stretching along it, ideal for watching competit…
- Berlengas Islands – A UNESCO biosphere reserve with granite islands, a fortress standing in the sea, clear coves and seabird colonies. Boats run from Peniche i…
- Bacalhôa Buddha Eden – Portugal's largest Eastern-themed garden, with a golden Buddha and replicas of terracotta warriors scattered among the vineyards.
- Dino Parque Lourinhã – Portugal's largest outdoor dinosaur museum, with over 180 models displayed along forest trails. A top choice for families.
- Batalha Monastery – A Gothic-Manueline masterpiece built to commemorate the victory in the 1385 battle. Its roofless 'Unfinished Chapel' is both impressive and…
- Sanctuary of Fátima – The site of the 1917 'apparitions of Our Lady', one of the world's most important Catholic pilgrimage sites, with moving candlelight proces…
Where to eat
- Taberna d'Adélia – A seafood restaurant in Nazaré's fishing district, listed in the Michelin Guide. Fresh fish is shown to guests before c…
- A Tasquinha – Nazaré's most popular family-run eatery, often with a queue at the door. Charcoal-grilled sardines, seafood rice and co…
- O Casalinho – A seafood restaurant on Nazaré's main square that has operated for over 40 years. Its large terrace faces the beach, an…
- 1148 Conquistador – One of the highest-rated restaurants inside the walls of Óbidos' old town. It is named after the town's reconquest in 1…
- Ja!mon Ja!mon – A family restaurant in a historic building outside Óbidos' town gate, beside a 16th-century aqueduct. Its red-wine brai…
Itineraries
- Lisbon to Porto Silver Coast – Drive north along the Silver Coast to see walled towns, three historic monasteries, a university city, and the canals o…
- Lisbon and Day Trips – Based in Lisbon, with day trips to Sintra, Cascais, Óbidos and Nazaré