This tour of Fátima, Batalha, Nazaré, and Óbidos starts at your local hotel in Lisbon and continues in an air-conditioned minivan. The first stop of our tour is 115 km north from Lisbon, Fatima. The city is most famous as the place where Virgin Mary appeared to three children in 1917. Wheater you are religious or not when at the Fátima Sanctuary, the feeling of great serenity and spirituality simply can't escape you. Here you will find all about the apparition of the Virgin Mary to the children and then how she became the most adored devotion in Portugal: the Our Lady of Fátima.
Next up is a visit to a place where Gothic architecture is most prominent of all Portugal, the Batalha Monastery. Its original name is Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória (Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory) and it was built to mark the 385 battle (Batalha) of Aljubarrota against the Castilians.
Afterward, our journey takes us along the coast to the town of Nazaré with a rich market of freshly caught fishes. All those curious about how this sea produce tastes can stop here for lunch (at their own expense). This place is rich with history and there is a legend of Virgin Mary saving the life of Dom Fuas Roupinho (possibly a Templar) by preventing his fall down a 100-meter cliff during his hunt on a foggy morning. To commemorate this miracle, a chapel was built on site. Moreover, Nazaré is known for big waves which came to the focus of surfers. Also, since 2015, the place holds the record for the biggest wave ever ridden (33 meters).
But our tour does not end here as we continue driving by the Atlantic ocean to São Martinho do Porto village and Óbidos Lagoon and finally we make our last stop in Óbidos. It is rich with medieval architecture with cobbled streets and defense walls. Here you can get great souvenirs at local shops and taste a cherry liqueur called Ginjinha. Once we have checked all the points on our tour, full of great impressions, we make our way back to Lisbon.