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Best Tourist Places to Visit in Leiria, Portugal, Europe

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Leiria, Portugal, Europe

Leiria is a city in the Centro Region of Portugal geographically positioned at 39°46′ N 8°53′ W. It is the seat of Leiria District and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leiria-Fatima. Basically, the economy of Leiria is centered on service and light industries and in recent years, with an upgraded transportation, Leiria receives a large number of tourists year round which significantly impacted on the economy of Leiria.

Geography of Leiria:

Covering an area of 565 sq. km, Leiria is located at an around 80 km southwest of the regional capital, Coimbra and 145 km north of the national capital, Lisbon.

History of Leiria:

The recorded history of Leiria goes back to the establishment of a settlement by Turduli people near what is current Leiria. Later the Romans conquered and expanded it. Leiria also witnessed the rule of Moorish in the 12^th century.

How to reach Leiria?

The Lisbon Airport is the nearest international airport to Leiria with scheduled and seasonal flights to all the major European and few American and Asian cities including Toronto, Dubai, Paris, Madrid and Moscow.

The Lisbon Airport is situated around 145 km south of Leiria. There are taxis abundant at the airport and in addition, buses and trains are also accessible.

Including Lisbon, Leiria is connected to all the major Portuguese cities by both bus and train services.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Leiria:

Leiria is the birthplace of many renowned Portuguese poets including Francisco Rodrigues Lobo and Afonso Lopes Vieira. The city of Leiria also hosts monthly antiques market with typical colorful traditional handicrafts.

Here are some nice restaurants in Leiria:

Restaurante Luna
Cervejaria Joao Gordo
A Tasca do Rogerio
Restaurante Monte Carlo

Things to do in Leiria:

Nightlife
Festival celebrations
Shopping

What to see in Leiria?

Leiria Castle:

Added to the National monuments list in 1910, the Leiria Castle is a well-preserved castle and one of the main tourist attractions in Leiria. There is a mansion within the walls of the castle and a church called, the Church of Our Lady of the Rock is inside the castle.

The Paper museum:

Located at the place of the first paper mill of Portugal, the Paper Museum or Museu do moinho do papel holds a nice collection of typical and interesting objects. Another special museum in Leiria is the Moving Image museum.

The Theatre Miguel Franco:

The Theatre Miguel Franco is a cultural centre situated in the market Sant’Ana. Along with the Theatre José Lúcio da Silva, the Theatre Miguel Franco hosts most of the major theatre, dance and music performances of the city.

Other places of interest in and around Leiria include:

Portugal West Zone
Praia do Pedrogao
Oestaolindo
Carlos Joalheiro Lda
Church of Saint Peter
Monasterior de Batalha
Praia da Nazare
Monastery of Alcobaca
Berlengas Archipelago
Royal Obidos Golf Course
Baia de Sao Martinho do Porto
Foz do Arelho Beach
Praia d’El Rey Golf Course
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Nazare
Santa Maria Church

Ideal time to visit Leiria:

As like most Portuguese cities, Leiria experiences Mediterranean climate with cool winters and warm summers. The ideal time to visit Leiria is the summer months (April to October).

Accommodation options in Leiria:

Being a tourist favor town, Leiria houses many modernized hotels with all upgraded facilities and services of which most hotels are offered advance booking facility for tourists’ convenience through online. The major hotels in Leiria include:

Casa Da Nora
Hotel D. Dinis
Your Hotel & Spa
Eurosol Residence
Eurosol Leiria
BEST WESTERN Hotel Dom Joao III
AS Express Leiria
Agua de Madeiros
Hotel Sao Francisco
Pensao Leiriense
Casa do Alferes Curado
Residential O Filipe
Hostel Leiria
Quinta da Fonte
Pousada de Juventude de Leiria

Lagos Tourist Places to Visit in Lagos, Portugal, Europe

Lagos Tourist Places to Visit in Lagos, Portugal, Europe

Lagos is a city as well as municipality located in the extreme south of Portugal on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the top tourist destinations in Portugal, widely renowned for its attractive beaches, nightlife, bars and restaurants.

Geography of Lagos:

Lagos is situated at the entrance of Bensafrim River in the Faro district in the region of Algarve between latitude 37°9′11.24″ in the north and longitude 8°44′10.25″ in the west.

History of Lagos:

The name of Lagos may be derived from the Celtic settlement, Lacobriga which was founded around 1899 BC near what is current Lagos. In its glorious history, Lagos witnessed the two important wars fought between British and French forces, in 1693 and 1759 during the Nine Years’ War and the Seven Years’ War respectively.

How to reach Lagos?

Lagos is located around 90 km west of Faro and 300 km south of Lisbon, the capital of Lisbon.

There is no airport in Lagos, so the closest airport to Lagos is Faro Airport, which is an international airport operating flights from and to Paris, Madrid, Rome, London, Dublin, Amsterdam a Copenhagen, Luxembourg, Frankfurt and other major European cities.

At the Faro Airport, visitors can a taxi or rental car to Lagos otherwise they can wait until the arrival of bus.

From Lisbon, it takes around 4 hours by bus, served by EVA, and Rete Expresso.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Lagos:

Apart from its world famous beaches, Lagos is also famous for its cultural centres such as museums, theatres and festival celebrations and the most festivals take place in the summer months.

Dom rodrigos and morgados are some mouthwatering dishes of Lagos and a wine called, muscatel is also must try.

Ceramic products, shoes and hats are purchasable items in Lagos.

What to do in Lagos?

Dolphin Tours
The Mountain Bike Adventure
Sidecar Experience

What to see in Lagos?

Meia Praia:

In a calendar year, Lagos is visited by thousands of foreign tourists of which most visitors come to enjoy the beach beauties of Lagos. For those people, Meia Praia or Half Beach is the first preference, very much popular for its soft and white sand.

Capela dos Ossos:

The Capela dos Ossos or Bone Chapel is an interesting chapel, located beside the Church of São Sebastião. The entrance fee is 2 Euros for chapel, church and bell tower.

Regional Museum of Lagos:

Situated next to the Santo Antonio church, the Regional Museum of Lagos or Museu Regional de Lagos is concentrated on the prehistory of Lagos featuring objects like Moorish oil-lamps, Roman mosaics and many other archeological findings.

List of other attractive places to see in and around Lagos include:

Barracks of the Guarda Fiscal of Lagos
Menhir of Cabeço do Rochedo
Building of the Correios
Cultural Centre of Lagos
Palace of Justice
Fonte Coberta Dam
Building of the Portagem
Lighthouse of Ponta da Piedade
Municipal Hall of Lagos
Fort of Ponta da Bandeira
Customshoues of Lagos
Porta da Vila
Bulwark of Porta dos Quartos
Bulwark of Alcaria
Fort of Meia Praia
Castle of Senhora da Luz

When to visit Lagos?

Considering the supportive weather for beach exploration, from July to October is the ideal time to visit Lagos in Portugal.

Where to stay in Lagos?

Along with lines of star rated hotels, Lagos houses several youth hostels and camping sites that are ideal for budget travelers. Some nice hotels with amazing amenities in Lagos include:

Sollagos Apartamentos Turisticos
Belmar Spa & Beach Resort
Solar de Mos Hotel
Cascade Resort
Vilabranca Apartments
Hotel Marina Rio
Apartamentos Turisticos Marsol
Marina Club Lagos Resort
Canavial Apartments
Dom Manuel Hotel
Yellow Lagos Meia Praia
Casa da Moura
Costa D’oiro Ambiance Village
Vila Gale Lagos
Casa das Laranjeiras

Places to Visit in Guimaraes, Portugal, Europe

Places to Visit in Guimaraes, Portugal, Europe

Guimaraes is one of the important cities of Portugal geographically positioned at 41°27′ N 8°18′ W, covering an area of 23.5 sq. km. It comes under the Braga district in the Ave sub region in the region of Norte.

Because of its notable contribution in the formation of Portugal, Guimaraes is popularly called as the “birthplace of the Portuguese nationality”. Along with Maribor in Slovenia, Guimaraes was honored the European Capital of Culture (2012).

History of Guimaraes:

Guimaraes is a historical city, originally inhabited in the 9th century and called Vimaranes in that time. Guimaraes is especially noted as it was once the administrative centre of Portugal, made by Henry of Burgundy. It is believed that, Guimaraes is the home town of the first Portuguese king, Afonso I of Portugal.

Connectivity to Guimaraes:

Guimaraes is served by Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport or Porto Airport, situated about 55 km away. Including Amsterdam, London, Paris and Rome, Porto Airport covers all the prime European cities.

Guimaraes can be reached from Porto by metro train or coach services. By bus, it takes around 50 minutes and costs 8€, and by taxi, it takes around 40 minutes and costs around 60€ from the Porto Airport to Guimaraes.

Local transportation in Guimaraes is catered by buses and rental vehicles.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Guimaraes:

Guimaraes is home to many colorful events attracting visitors from all around the country and the major events include Festas Gualterianas, Nicolinas, the Big Romaria of São Torcato and the Santa Luzia festivities.

Guimaraes also houses a variety of shops including handicraft products and cotton clothes and the major food corners in Guimaraes are listed below:

Restaurante Cor de Tangerina
Restaurante Florencio
Restaurant Cafe Oriental Guimaraes
Restaurante Art & Gula

Things to do in Guimaraes:

Day tours
Festival celebrations
Hiking

Places to see in Guimaraes:

Guimaraes Castle:

The Guimaraes Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the historical identities of Portugal, dating from the 10^th century. It was resided by Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal.

Dukes of Braganza Palace:

The Dukes of Braganza Palace is a historical mansion, constructed in the 1420s. In 1910, it was recognized as a National Monument and this well preserved palace houses a museum as well.

Penha Mountain:

Being the Guimaraes’s only mountain, the Penha Mountain draws a large group of nature and adventure lovers year round. It also offers a great view of entire Guimaraes.

Other places of interests in and around Guimaraes are as follows:

Largo da Oliveira Square
Centro Historico de Guimaraes
Paco dos Duques de Braganca
Citania de Briteiros
Santuario da Penha
Church of St. Francis
Teleferico de Guimaraes
Serra Penha
Alberto Sampaio Museum
Padrao do Salado
Santos Passos Church
Martins Sarmento Museum
Igreja de Sao Miguel do Castelo
Camara Municipal de Guimaraes
Capelas dos Passos da Paixao de Cristo

Best time to visit Guimaraes:

From April to September is the best time to enjoy holidays in Guimaraes.

Accommodation Options in Guimaraes:

Guimaraes is known for its cultural centres, historical and natural sites as well as for its star rated hotels with amazing facilities such as AC, W-Fi, arrangement different recreation activities and vehicles. The reputed hotels in Guimaraes are as follows:

Hotel De Guimaraes
Hotel Toural
Villa Hotel Guimaraes
Hotel Fundador
Ibis Guimaraes
Hotel da Oliveira
Open Village Sports Hotel & Spa Club
Residencial S. Mamede
Camelia Hotel & Homes
Hotel das Termas
AS Express Ceide
Pousada De Guimaraes Santa Marinha
Quinta Pedras de Baixo
Residencial Dom Joao IV
Mestre de Avis

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Funchal, Portugal, Europe

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Funchal, Portugal, Europe

Funchal is the capital and largest city of Madeira, an autonomous region in Portugal. It is situated on the Madeira Island in the Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the mainland Portugal. Funchal is a renowned tourist location holding dozens of high class hotels.

Geography of Funchal:

Funchal coordinates with 32°39′ N latitude and 16°55′ W longitude, covering an area of 76.15 sq. km. It experiences a subtropical climate with cooler season from October to March and warmer season from April to September.

History of Funchal:

The name of Funchal is a modified form of the Portuguese word funcho which means ‘fennel’. The history of Funchal dates back to 1424 when it was originally founded as a village, received town status in 1452 and municipal rights in 1508.

Connectivity to Funchal:

There is an airport near Funchal, in the Santa Cruz municipality, around 20 km away from the heart of Funchal. The Madeira Airport or Funchal Airport is served by Thomson Airways, TAP Portugal, Jet2.com and many other eminent airlines with scheduled flights from and to Glasgow, Manchester, Nottingham, Caracas, Lisbon and other prime global destinations.

Buses are frequent between Funchal and the airport and in addition, taxis and rental cars also useful for airport travel.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Funchal:

Funchal houses lines of historical as well as modern churches and is also home to many cultural centres depicting the culture of the island.

Funchal is very much popular for its wine and other famous items include flowers and fruits.

Some nice food corners in Funchal with traditional and international menu include:

Doca do Cavacas
Xôpana Restaurant
Il Basilico
Il Gallo D´Oro

Things to do in Funchal:

Madeira Paragliding Adventures
Daniel Madeira Taxis Tours and Walks
Madeira Happy Tours
Wicker Toboggan Sled Ride

Places of interest in Funchal:

Cathedral of Funchal:

The Cathedral of Funchal or the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is a late fifteenth-century cathedral, designed in the Gothic style of architecture and Our Lady of the Assumption is the patron of this historical cathedral.

Funchal Baptist Church:

Constructed in the year 1976, the Funchal Baptist Church is situated at Rua Silvestre Quintino de Freitas in Funchal and its services are in both English (morning) and Portuguese (evening).

Laurel Forest:

Situated in the heart of Madeira Island, the Laurel forest features mild temperature housing abundance of native and exotic tree species. Taking guided tours will be ideal for exploring this UNESCO Natural Site.

Other places of interest in Funchal include:

Ponta de Sao Lourenco
Monte Palace Tropical Garden
Quinta do Riacho
Pico do Arieiro
Monte Cable Car
Palheiro Golf
Cabo Girao
Santa Catarina Park
Palheiro Gardens
Presidential Palace Garden
Frederico de Freitas Museum
Pregetter’s Orchid Garden
Botanical Gardens Madeira
Santa Clara Monastery
Jardim de Sao Francisco

Best time to visit Funchal:

From April to September is the best time to visit Funchal for sightseeing and beach exploration.

Accommodation options in Funchal:

Funchal is a colorful city offering dozens of well facilitated hotels for tourists coming to this place year round. Price for hotel rooms depends on the facilities and services provided by such hotels and generally mid range hotels charge around 35€ per night. List of the nice hotels in Funchal includes: