7 Best Sights in Estremadura and the Ribatejo, Portugal

For a close look at this storybook castle on a craggy island in the Tagus River, take the 1½-km-long (1-mile-long) dirt road leading down to the water from the N3. The riverbank in this area is practically deserted, making it a wonderful picnic spot. From here, a small motorboat will ferry you across (€4 round-trip) to the castle and its modern Templar Interpretation Center. For a more leisurely river cruise, book ahead to board a larger vessel (€6) at the quay just downstream in the village of Tancos. The sight couldn't be more romantic: an ancient castle with crenellated walls and a lofty tower sits on a greenery-covered rock in the middle of a gently flowing river. The stuff of poetry and legends, Almourol was the setting for Francisco de Morais's epic novel Palmeirim da Inglaterra (Palmeirin of England), about two knights fighting for a princess's favor. Your boat ticket includes admission to the castle and its small museum.

The outer walls of the fine medieval castle enclose the entire town, and it's great fun to walk their circumference, viewing the town and countryside from above—but take great care as there is no inner wall or railing for the most part. Extensively restored after suffering severe damage in the 1755 earthquake, the multitower complex has both Arabic and Manueline elements. Most of the keep is now a pousada.

Over the centuries the crown, church, and nobility have contested the ownership of the Mafra National Palace and Convent, 8 km (5 miles) southeast of Ericeira. From the 17th through 19th centuries this was a favorite residence for the Portuguese court. In 1711, after nearly three years of a childless union with the Hapsburg queen, Maria Anna, a despairing King João V vowed that should the queen bear him an heir, he would build a monastery dedicated to St. Anthony. In December of that same year, a girl—later to become queen of Spain—was born; João's eventual heir, José I, was born three years later. True to his word, King João V built an enormous monastery, which still looms above the small farming community of Mafra. The original project—entrusted to the Italian-trained German architect Johann Friedrich Ludwig, invariably known in Portugal as João Frederico Ludovice—was to be a modest facility that could house 13 friars. Construction began in 1717 and continued until 1755, with the final result being a rectangular complex containing a monastery large enough for hundreds of monks as well as an imposing basilica and a grandiose palace that has been compared to El Escorial outside Madrid, Spain. The numbers involved in the construction are mind-boggling: at times 50,000 workers toiled. There are 4,500 doors and windows, 300 cells, 880 halls and rooms, and 154 stairways. Perimeter walls that total some 19 km (12 miles) surround the park.

The highlight of any visit to the monument is the magnificent baroque library: the barrel-vaulted, two-tiered hall holds almost 40,000 volumes of mostly 16th- through 18th-century works and a number of ancient maps. Protection from insects is provided by bats, which slip into the room at night through tiny holes that were bored through stone under the windows for the purpose. The basilica contains 11 chapels and six organs—used simultaneously for splendid concerts at 4 pm on the first Sunday of every month except January and February—and was patterned after St. Peter's in the Vatican. When you're in the gilded throne room, notice the life-size renditions of the seven virtues, as well as the impressive figure of Hercules, by Domingos Sequeira. Guided visits may be booked in advance at an additional cost of €6 per person.

Walk up through the maze of narrow, flower-lined streets to this 16th-century castle, which is still an impressive structure today. The garden between the twin fortifications, with its panoramic views, is a wonderful place to watch the sun set: the play of light on the river and the lengthening shadows along the olive groves provide a stirring setting for an evening picnic. The Gothic church within the castle walls, the Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo, houses a museum that showcases sacred art from convents and monasteries around the region, as well as items from a large private collection of Iberian art from prehistoric to contemporary times.

This fairy-tale castle—the fortress of Belver—stands atop a cone-shape hill upriver from Abrantes, commanding a superb view of the Tagus River. It was built in the last years of the 12th century by the Knights Hospitaller under the command of King Sancho I. In 1194, this region was threatened by the Moorish forces who controlled the lands south of the river. The expected attack never took place, and the present structure is little changed from its original design. The walls of the keep, which stands in the center of the courtyard, are some 12 feet thick, and on the ground floor is a great cistern of unknown depth. According to local lore, an orange dropped into the well will later appear bobbing down the river. The castle is reached by car in 30 minutes via the N244–3 through pine-covered hills to Chão de Codes, then the N244 south toward Gavião. There are four trains a day to Belver from Abrantes (a 25-minute ride).

Built in 1135 by Prince Afonso Henriques (later Portugal's first king), Leiria Castle was to become an important link in the chain of defenses along the southern border of what was at the time the Kingdom of Portugal. When the Moors were driven from the region, the castle lost its significance and lay dormant until the early 14th century, when it was restored and modified and became the favorite residence of Dom Dinis and his queen, Isabel of Aragon. With these modifications the castle became more of a palace than a fortress and remains one of the loveliest structures of its kind in Portugal. Within the perimeter walls you'll encounter the ruins of a Gothic church, the castle keep, and—built into the section of the fortifications overlooking the town—the royal palace. Lined by eight arches, its balcony affords lovely views.

A prize-winning refurbishment concluded in 2021 saw displays in the small museum revamped and funicular elevators installed on the north and south flanks of the castle, as well as new walkways around it—smoothing visits for people with reduced mobility.

Built in the 12th century, this hilltop medieval castle has been reinforced and reconstructed several times throughout the centuries, with the last repairs done in the 1980s. The cement recovered from the cisterns and various coins on display in the municipal museum in town attest to the presence of the Roman occupation here. The castle exhibits both Gothic and Manueline styles in its exterior walls, and a medieval cemetery once existed where the church of Santa Maria stands. While exploring the towers, don't miss out on the incredible views of the city and surrounding valley and hills.