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Tourist Places to Visit in Fatima, Portugal, Europe

Fatima is a village located in the Ourém municipality of Portugal, around 85 km south of the regional capital, Coimbra and 125 km north of the national capital, Lisbon. Fatima is a tourist destination, especially attracts Christian pilgrims and the economy of Fatima is centered on the religious tourism.

 

Geography of Fatima:

Fatima is situated on the Estremenho Limestone Massif between 39°35′39.16″ N latitude and 8°38′41.35″ W longitude at an elevation of 300 meters. Fatima sprawls over an area of 71.83 sq. km.

 

History of Fatima:

The name of Fatima is derived from the Arabic language, either from the daughter of the prophet of Islam, Muhammad or from the name of a Moorish princess. In 1568, the parish of Fatima was founded.

 

How to reach Fatima?

The major closest airport to Fatima is Lisbon Portela Airport, located around 120 km away from Fatima and this airport covers all the major European cities including Moscow, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome and Dublin.

From 7am-10pm, there are hourly buses departing Lisbon’s central bus station to Fatima and one way trip costs around 10 Euros, taking around 90 minutes.

Most of the interesting destinations of Fatima are reachable by walk and visitors can hire rental vehicles from the local travel agency for local travel.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Fatima:

The annual events of the Sanctuary of Fátima are generally held in the months of May and October. Also the village of Fatima houses many handicraft products shops offering colorful items at affordable prices.

Some nice restaurants in Fatima include:

• Restaurante a Grelha
• Restaurante Fatima
• Confeitaria e Taberna a Portuguesa
• Cozinha de Fatima

 

Things to do in Fatima:

• Day tours
• Visiting churches
• Shopping

 

Tourist Attractions in Fatima:

 

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima:

Being an identity of Fatima, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima or Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary was consecrated in 1953. This Roman Catholic Marian basilica is very popular among both national and international tourists. It is a must see.

 

The Fátima Wax Museum:

The Fátima Wax Museum is a special museum, describing the complete history of Fátima with 112 wax figures. It can be reachable by foot from the village centre.

 

Church of the Santíssima Trindade:

Housed in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, the Church of the Santíssima Trindade is a Roman Catholic Church spread over an area of 35,673 square meters. This modern church was designed by the famous architect Alexandros N.Tombazis.

 

Other places of interest in and around Fatima include:

• Fountain of Alvaijar
• Cistern of Ramila
• Civil Parish Building of Fátima
• Fountain of Lameira
• Fountain of Vale da Pena
• Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Ortiga
• Chapel of Casal Forte
• Residence of Lúcia de Santos
• House of Casal Farto
• Mill of Giesteira
• Residence of Francisco and Jacinta Marte
• Church of Santo António
• Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição
• Church of Nossa Senhora do Livramento
• Chapel of Lombo de Égua

 

Ideal time to visit Fatima:

The months between May and October are ideal to visit religious sites in Fatima.

 

Accommodation Options in Fatima:

Fatima is a religious site housing dozens of renowned churches and receiving a large group of tourists (pilgrimages) in the summer months, on this point, Fatima houses all types of hotels to serve all kinds of travelers. The prominent hotels in Fatima are as follows:

• Dom Goncalo Hotel & Spa
• Hotel Anjo de Portugal
• Santa Maria Hotel
• Hotel Estrela de Fatima
• Hotel Avenida de Fatima
• Lux Fatima Hotel
• Hotel Cruz Alta
• Cova da Iria Hotel
• Hotel Santo Amaro
• Hostel Pereira Guesthouse
• Cinquentenario Hotel
• Steyler Fatima Hotel
• Hotel Santa Mafalda
• Luna Fatima Hotel
• Casa Beato Nuno

Faro Tourist Places to Visit in Faro, Portugal, Europe

Faro is one of the major cities of Portugal located on the southern coast of the country at a coordinates of 37°02′00″ N 07°55′00″ W. It is the administrative centre of both Faro District and Algarve region. Faro receives an average annual rainfall of 500 millimeters and experiences an average annual temperature of 17 °C.

 

Geography of Faro:

Covering an area of 201.59 sq. km, Faro is situated about 275 km southeast of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. As like most Portuguese cities, Faro features a moderate Mediterranean climate with mild winter and warm summer.

 

History of Faro:

According to the historical sources, Faro was founded in the year and it became the capital of the Algarve region in the 18^th century, after the former capital Lagos was damaged by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

 

How to reach Faro?

Faro hosts an airport with frequent flight services to and from many important European cities such as Brussels, Dortmund, Dublin, Copenhagen, London, Frankfurt, Munich and Paris. This airport is located around 4 km away from the heart of the Faro city.

There are many reputed travel agencies located outside the airport to provide fast and comfort airport travel to visitors.

Faro is connected to Lisbon by both bus and train services and by train, it takes around 2.5 hours and costs around €20.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Faro:

The major events take place in Faro includes:

• The Faro International Motorcycle Rally
• Semana Académica da Universidade do Algarve (students’ festival)

Some special shopping options in Faro include:

• Forum Algarve Shopping Mall
• Jot Shop
• QM Country Shop and Garden Center
• Retalhos de Portugal

Here are the nice food corners in Faro:

• Le Marquis
• Adega Nova
• Dois Irmãos
• Le Marquis Restaurant

 

Things to do in Faro:

• Animaris Ilha Deserta Boat Tours
• Formosamar – Ecotourism & Boat Tours
• Rooster Quad Day Tours

 

Places to see in Faro:

 

Cathedral of Faro:

Consecrated in the 18^th century, the Cathedral of Faro is one of the National Monuments of Portugal. This Roman Catholic cathedral is also the seat of the Diocese of Faro.

 

Ria Formosa:

The Ria Formosa is a form of six inlets of which one is artificial which was opened in 1952. This combined natural and manmade formation covers an area of 170 square kilometers and receives around hundred different bird species during the autumn and summer months.

 

The beach of Faro:

The Faro Beach is one of the beautiful beaches in Portugal, located around 7 km away from the heart of the city. Including swimming, the Faro Beach offers lots of enjoyable activities for visitors.

 

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

• Hidroespaco
• Deserta Island
• Old Town Faro
• Praia de Faro
• Centro Ciencia Viva do Algarve
• Faro Archaeological Museum
• Cape St. Mary
• Rua Dr. Francisco Gomes
• Santa Maria Cape Island
• Teatro Lethes
• Estadio Algarve
• Rua Dr. Francisco Gomes
• The City Hall
• Statue of King Afonso III
• Faro’s marina
• Civil Government building of Faro

 

Best time to visit Faro:

The summer months are recommended time to visit Faro, especially the months July and August will be supportive for beach exploration.

 

Accommodation Options in Faro:

There are hotels plenty in Faro but getting hotels during high season will be very difficult without advance booking through online. The major hotels in Faro are listed below:

• Pensao Central
• Pousada de Faro Palace Hotel
• Hotel Eva
• Casa de Estoi
• BEST WESTERN Hotel Dom Bernardo
• Hotel Ibis Faro
• Hotel Sol Algarve
• Pensao Residential Adelaide
• Hotel Santa Maria Faro
• Frangaria Hospedaria
• Club Praia Vau Apartments
• Pensao Residencial Algarve
• Pensao-Residencial Oceano
• Pensao-Residencial Oceano
• Estalagem do San Francisco

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Estoril, Portugal, Europe

Estoril is a civil parish belonging to the Cascais municipality in the Lisbon district of Portugal. It is located around 25 km west of the national capital, Lisbon. Estoril is especially noted for its beautiful beach and the Casino Estoril. Grupo Desportivo Estoril-Praia is the main sport club in Estoril.

 

Geography of Estoril:

Lying between 38°42′13.06″ N latitude and 9°23′29.01″ W longitude, Estoril is spread over an area of 8.79 sq. km.

 

History of Estoril:

Including Romans and Arabs, Estoril witnessed the rule of many famous dynasties in its rich history. Still there are many Roman villas existing in Estoril of which most are in ruined condition. Estoril came under the reign of Christian during the Reconquista period.

 

Connectivity to Estoril:

Lisbon Portela Airport is country’s most important airport and the closest to Estoril, located around 30 km away. Including London, Moscow, Amsterdam, Paris and Rome, the Lisbon Airport covers all the major European cities. TAP Portugal is the major airline serving the Lisbon Airport.

Road network from the airport to Estoril is upgraded, served by buses, taxis and cars. Pre-booked vehicles are more convenient for comfort airport travel.

Luxury buses cater the local transportation of Estoril and in addition, rental vehicles like cars and bikes are also useful.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Estoril:

Estoril is a colorful destination home to palatial festivals and a museum called the Verdades-Faria Museum which showcases the importance of the local music.

• Cafe de Sao Bento Casino Estoril
• Restaurante BG bar
• Inevitavel Steak Lounge
• Restaurante Choupana Gordinni
• Praia Tamariz Restaurant

Estoril houses all sorts of shops and for better hospitality services, one can head towards Lisbon.

 

Things to do in Estoril:

• Beach exploration
• Shopping
• Walking

 

Tourist Attractions in Estoril:

 

The beach of Tamariz:

The Tamariz Beach is a very popular beach in Estoril situated in the central coastal area of the city. During the summer months, the Tamariz Beach gets loads of tourists from all around Europe.

 

Casino Estoril:

Being Europe’s largest casino, the Casino Estoril is one of the most important tourist attractions in Estoril. Including surrounding environment and building construction, everything at the casino are ultimate.

 

Verdades-Faria Museum:

Constructed by Jorge O’Neil in the year 1917, the Verdades-Faria Museum is related to music holding a nice collection of musical instruments. It is located in the summit site of Monte Estoril.

 

Other places of interest in Estoril include:

• Clube de Tenis do Estoril
• Golfe do Estoril
• Belas Clube de Campo
• Quinto Patino
• Tamariz Beach Club
• National Hotel Schoo
• Palácio de Conde de Castro Guimarães
• The Parque Palmela
• Praia do Guincho
• Parque Marechal Carmona
• Museu Condes de Castro
• Boca do Inferno
• Golf Quinta da Marinha
• Santa Marta Lighthouse Museum
• Marina de Cascais
• Centro Cultural de Cascais

 

 

Best time to visit Estoril:

The best time to trip Estoril depends on what tourists like to see or do and for beach exploration, from May to September will be ideal.

 

Accommodation options in Estoril:

There are several top end hotels and resorts in Estoril offering friendly accommodation services with facilities like restaurant, bar, garden, swimming pool, Wi-Fi, doctor on call, AC and airport travel. Advance booking is preferred in such hotels. The major hotels in Estoril include:

• Saboia Estoril Hotel
• Palacio Estoril Hotel, Golf and Spa
• Hotel Alvorada
• Pensao Pica Pau
• Estoril Eden Hotel
• Clube Do Lago
• Hotel Vila Gale Estoril
• SANA Estoril Hotel
• Amazonia Estoril Hotel
• Hotel Sao Mamede
• Hotel Atlantis Sintra Estoril
• Pensao Continental
• Residencial S. Cristovao
• Grande Hotel Monte Estoril
• Dolce Vita Guesthouse

Covilha Tourist Places to Visit in Covilha, Portugal, Europe

Covilha is a city situated in the Centro region of Portugal, around 275 km northeast of the national capital, Lisbon, under the sub-region of Cova da Beira in the Castelo Branco district, covering an area of 555.6 km².

Covilha is a tourist favor destination receiving a large number of tourists year round, especially hikers, skiers and mountain climbers. Covilha is also known for its educational institutions, home to the University of Beira Interior.

 

Geography of Covilha:

Covilha coordinates with 40.2833° north latitude and 7.5167° west longitude. Covilha experiences a Mediterranean climate with warm summer and cold winter.

 

History of Covilha:

Covilha has a strong historical background as it was ruled by many renowned empires including the Roman Empire. Some important historical landmarks of Covilha include Santa Maria Church, the Royal Textile Factory and Cava Juliana and the Covilha Fort.

 

How to reach Covilha?

Covilha is situated about 275 km from Lisbon and 260 km away from Porto Airport. Both of these airports have good connection with all around Europe with scheduled and seasonal flight services.

Covilha is connected to Lisbon and Porto by both train and bus services and by Lisbon, it takes around 4 hours to Covilha by bus or train.

Local bus transportation is catered by Covibus with luxury buses. The city of Covilha also houses many reputed travel agencies offering cars and bikes for both short and long distances and they also conduct tours.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Covilha:

Covilha is rich in culture and tradition home to many theatres such as Teatro das Beiras, Quarta Parede and ASTA. Another major venue for local events is the City Hall of Covilhã.

Shops are abundant in Covilha and the major restaurants are listed below:

• Varanda da Estrela
• Quinta do Sangrinhal
• Restaurante Dona Maria
• Restaurante Milano

 

Things to do in Covilha:

• Skiing
• Snowboarding
• Hiking

Tourist Attractions in Covilha:

Santa Maria Church:

Covilha is the place of many historical sites of which the Santa Maria Church is the major one and most attractive. Both exterior and interior designs is eye catching. It is a must visit.

 

Vodafone Ski Resort:

Being a Portugal’s only ski resort, the Vodafone Ski Resort is visited by loads of tourists from all around the world. It is situated in Serra da Estrela mountain range in the Seia municipality, around 20 kms from Covilha. Skiing and snowboarding are popular activities here.

 

Serra da Estrela Natural Park:

The Serra da Estrela Natural Park is not far from Covilha home to Portugal’s highest peak Torre (within a continent). With an area of around 1,000 km², this is Portugal’s largest nature conservation area housing typical native flora and fauna species.

 

Other places of interest in and around Covilha include:

• Museu do Queijo
• Museu dos Descobrimentos
• Belmonte Synagogue
• Geopark Naturtejo
• Museu do Queijo
• Penedo Furado
• Seminario de Cernache do Bonjardim
• Castelo Novo
• Forno Grande State Park
• Penha Garcia
• Clube Bonjardim
• Atelier Tulio Vitorino
• Vale do Rio Zezere
• Capela do Bom Jesus
• Sao Nuno Alvares Pereira

 

Ideal time to visit Covilha:

Most of the people visiting Covilha choose summer months from May to September to enjoy outdoor activities.

 

Accommodation options in Covilha:

Due to its location near the country’s only ski resort, Covilha is packed with numerous modernized hotels and resorts with tourist favor facilities and services. The reputed hotels in Covilha are as follows:

• Hotel dos Carqueijais
• Hotel Santa Eufemia
• TRYP Covilha Dona Maria Hotel
• Hotel Turismo da Covilha
• Covilha Parque Hotel
• Hotel Serra da Estrela
• Casa da Figueira Grande
• Abrigo da Estrela
• Chales de Montanha
• Hotel Covilha Jardim
• Residencial Panorama
• Quinta das Palmeiras
• Casal Ribeira Caia
• Penhas da Saude – Youth Hostel