Published on Jan, 2024
Very long but great day out with an excellent guide - Vasco - who was well informed and very personable. Fatima felt very commercial but the shrine & complex itself was beautiful. The history of Balthala, Alcobaca, Nazare was really interesting. The little shop we stopped briefly at in Balthala had some of thr best quality ( if expensive) cork products i’ve seen in portugal. Next to Sintra or perhaps tied for favorite place outside of Lisbon was Alcobaca with it’s Romeo and Juliet story, beautiful artisnal stores, delightful pastry shops and cheerfully painted buildings. We also loved the views and beach area of Nazare. Our arrival in Obidos coincided with heavy rain and fast diminishing daylight allowing us to catch a fleeting glimpse of a charming, picturesque town that merited at least 1/2 a days visit if not more - will have to revisit it on another trip.