Day trip Sítio, Alcobaça and Batalha, Portugal

We start our day tour in Sítio da Nazaré, a district of the fishing town of Nazaré in Portugal. Throughout the centuries, pilgrimages were organised to the Sítio from all corners of the world. Not just because this place offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean. It has everything to do with Nossa Senhora da Nazaré (Our Lady of Nazaré).

The statue of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré is about 25 cm high and depicts the Virgin Mary breastfeeding baby Jesus. The figurine has a dark colour, giving it the nickname "the black Madonna".

Is there more to experience in the Sítio?

In the Sítio, as this part of Nazaré is called, you will also find many stalls with goodies, all kinds of souvenirs and knitted, almost 100% woollen cardigans and pullovers of good quality at very favourable prices.

From here you can walk to Nazaré’s North Beach (Praia do Norte) which is world-famous in the surfer community. The undersea ravine creates towering waves. In January 2013, Garrett McNamara broke his own world record here by surfing a wave of 23.7 m (78 ft) high, i.e. about as high as an 8-storey apartment building!

In May 2022, German Sebastian Steudtner broke this record here in Nazaré by surfing a 26.21-metre wave. Perhaps there are still enthusiasts (or daredevils) who want to try this... We’re not one of them, that’s for sure!

Walking to the North Beach is quite easy, as the road goes downhill. Getting back to the Sítio square is a bit trickier. During summer, though, there is a shuttle to take you there and back.

The next stop on this day trip is the town of Alcobaça. Its name is a combination of the river names Alcoa and Baça. In itself, the town was nothing special in earlier times. Until Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, decided to have a church built there, which later evolved into a Cistercian monastery: the Santa Maria de Alcobaça. The masterly Gothic style church is one of the largest in the country and is home to the tombs of Pedro I of Portugal and his murdered mistress Inês de Castro.

Will you discover the morbid story?

The square around the church and monastery of Alcobaça is immense. Here, you will surely find an outdoor terrace to enjoy a lunch or snack. You can also bring a picnic, of course! Would you like a more elaborate lunch? Let us know so we provide the necessary time. As tastes differ, we recommend choosing your own restaurant. The range of restaurants changes all the time, so search the internet for the latest information.

After lunch, we drive to the centre of Batalha for the architectural highlight of this day trip.

It all started with the Portuguese victory over Castile at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. To commemorate that victory, a Dominican monastery was founded in Batalha, about 15 km away. The official name you ask? Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória.

The building is one of the best and original examples of late Flamboyant Gothic architecture in Portugal, blended with the Manueline style, and its architecture contrasts sharply with the simplicity and clean lines of the Cistercian Abbey we saw in Alcobaça in the morning. The Batalha Monastery also served as a burial church for the 15th century Portuguese royal Aviz dynasty.

It took more than a century, seven kings and fifteen architects to get the job done. But was the building completely finished? There are still those "unfinished chapels", right? Indeed. The Capelas Imperfeitas are proof that the building was never really finished. Nevertheless, this distinct octagonal structure is simply beautiful. Very special, to say the least. You’ll be spoilt for choice!