Alcobaça: Monastic Culture, Museums and Nature

Alcobaça lies in the valleys of the Alcoa and Baça rivers. The Mosteiro de Alcobaça connects the history of the Cistercian Order with important funerary art: the Order founded the monastery in 1153; since 1989, it has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The tombs of D. Pedro I and D. Inês de Castro date from the 14th century and are considered masterpieces of European funerary sculpture.

Cistercian History, Art and Museums

The Parque Verde de Alcobaça also preserves a connection with the Mosteiro: it includes the Alcoa River and historic waterways leading to the monastery. The Percurso Camoniano – Pedro e Inês em Cerâmica de Alcobaça offers another artistic interpretation of D. Pedro I and Inês de Castro. Ten factories take part in this cultural route; their ceramic works draw on the literary and symbolic world of the couple’s love.

The museums offer different ways to explore cultural history. The Museu do Vinho has more than 10,000 movable objects. Its collection includes material evidence of wine culture from the 17th century to the beginning of the 21st century. The Museu das Máquinas Falantes focuses on acoustic heritage as well as telecommunications and broadcasting; its collection comprises 5,331 objects. Wine culture and the technical history of sound and media are thus presented as distinct subjects.

The Museu de Cerâmica de Alcobaça has permanent exhibition areas and a collection storage area open to visitors. At the Museu Raul da Bernarda, the main exhibition documents Alcobaça’s social and cultural past from 1900 to 1970 through more than 100 pieces. There is also a temporary exhibition and the permanent exhibition “Coleção de Cerâmica Raul da Bernarda”.

Local sacred art and religious heritage are presented at the Núcleo de Arte Sacra de Aljubarrota in the Igreja Paroquial de São Vicente. Its collection, which is open to visitors, ranges from medieval objects to items from the 20th century and includes epigraphy, sculptures, documents, liturgical vestments and liturgical objects. Evidence of the Roman presence in the region is preserved at the Estação Arqueológica de Parreitas and the Museu Monográfico do Bárrio.

Woodlands and Scenic Routes

The Mata Nacional do Vimeiro covers 267 hectares and comprises four woodland areas: Mata da Roda, Mata do Gaio, Mata da Ribeira and Mata do Canto. The circular Mata Nacional do Vimeiro trail is about four kilometres long, takes approximately one hour and is rated very easy, difficulty level I. Since July 2020, there has also been a marked trail there, enabling families, schools and organised groups to explore the natural heritage safely.

The Rota da Biodiversidade – Benedita passes through a variety of environments: built-up areas alternate with woodland and agricultural areas, alongside shaded waterways, unpaved paths and paved roads. The diversity of the landscape is therefore reflected not only in the changes between woodland and agriculture, but also in the different paths and waterways.

The Rota do Voo da Gralha includes the Lagoa dos Candeeiros, a rainwater lake located in a valley. It is of great importance in the karst landscape of the PNSAC. Riverside vegetation grows along the Ribeira da Amieira, consisting mainly of willows, poplars, alders, hazels and reeds.

Agriculture, Regional Cuisine and Leisure

The cultivation of Maçã de Alcobaça is considered a direct continuation of the agricultural work carried out there by the monks over several centuries. In the former Coutos de Alcobaça, the Cistercian Order organised settlement into villages and estates and introduced new agricultural techniques and products. The Cistercian monasteries and convents also strongly influenced gastronomy and confectionery in the Alcobaça region. Pão de Ló is the best-known sweet associated with and made in Alfeizerão.

The Parque dos Monges in the Quinta das Freiras in Alcobaça combines environmental activities, an educational farm and adventure activities that recreate the lives of Cistercian monks. Activities for families are also available. Individual activities may change, so check the specific offering before making plans.

The museums and historic sites, as well as the woodlands and routes, offer a range of highlights to help guide your hotel search.

Discover more destinations: Sao Martinho Do Porto, Alcobaça, Montes, Cela, Turquel, Bárrio, Caldas da Rainha, Pataias.

For the regional travel overview: Leiria.