Sight Seeing and Things to do on Silver Coast Portugal

The beach at Foz do Arelho is a natural wonder. To one side of the large sandy strip is the Atlantic Ocean, to the other side are the tranquil waters of the Óbidos Lagoon. The warm waters of the lagoon are ideal for children and a variety of water sports, they are even said to have therapeutic properties.

Caldas da Rainha, this famous spa town, a short 15 minute drive south of the villa, owes its name to the thermal spring that was much appreciated by Queen Dona Leonor. It has a daily food market and weekly Gypsy market, (Mondays). It has all the big box stores and several supermarkets. The town centre has a main street of shops with several sides streets to explore, plenty of pastry shops and cafe's to tempt you. Several interesting museums and historic sites are well worth a visit. 15 best things to do in Caldas da Rainha Try your driving skills at the Indoor Karting, loads of fun!

Nazaré Only 10 minutes drive North of the villa along a cliff top lane with stunning views of the coast and inland. A typical beach holiday destination with dozens of restaurants. Do take the funicular railway to Sitio on top of the cliffs for spectacular views and yes, more restaurants. Nazare is world famous for it's enormous freak waves where surfers take up the challenge, this is not for the faint hearted, one can watch the spectacle from Sitio, winter is the best time as the waves are generated in mid Atlantic storms. Live web cam.

Tomar The development of Tomar is closely linked to the Order of the Templars, which received these lands in 1159 as a reward for the assistance they gave Dom Afonso Henriques (the First King of Portugal) in the Christian reconquest of the territory.   It was Dom Gualdim Pais, the first Grand Master of the Order in Portugal, who founded the castle and the remarkable Convent of Christ inside. It is the centrepiece of the city and classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The Convento do Cristo and Castelo Knights templar can be seen at the same time, (same entrance) and is must see. As always there so much more to see in Tomar, enough to spend a day or more. 15 best things to do in Tomar.

Rio Maior  Is a town known for a strange natural phenomenon, salt flats and much further from the ocean than you’d ever expect to find them, and exploited by locals since the 12th century. Don't miss the salt pans!

The natural park should figure in your plans, whether you’re traversing its arid and vast valleys on foot, bike or horseback, or venturing below the surface into epic show-caves. There’s also a good helping of local sights to check out, from a prehistoric dolmen integrated into a church, to a Roman villa that has mosaics in almost pristine condition. 15 Best things to do in Rio Maior.

Silver Coast Walks If you like walking or hiking then you have come to the right place. There are recognised walks that start right at the villa or you can take a short car journey to dozens of others. You can also join a group, they organise short and long walks weekly, a great opportunity to meet people also.

Coimbra On the high banks of the Mondego River, Coimbra is a city with the oldest university in the country. The prestige of this school will hit you when you step onto the Paço das Escolas courtyard. In this rich ensemble of buildings is one of the finest libraries you’ll ever set foot in. The university is found precisely where Portugal’s first kings had taken up residence centuries before, and the city’s monasteries have tombs for these rulers. For culture, you’ll learn about the tragic love affair between the medieval Prince Pedro I and the noblewoman Inês, while Coimbra has its own genre of fado music that also originated at the university. 15 best things to do in Coimbra.

Quake  is home to the story of the most extraordinary event: on the morning of the 1st of November 1755, an extremely violent earthquake destroyed Lisbon, followed by a tsunami and ranging fires that lasted a week. By entering in this experience you will feel and see the impact the earthquake had on the city and its people. Quake - Lisbon Earthquake Centre is located near to Avenida da Índia, in the historic area of Belém. The best way to get to Quake is by public transport - bus, train or tram, which connect the area to many points in the city of Lisbon and the other side of the river.

Sintra No vacation in Portugal would be complete without a day or more in Sintra. Just an hours drive from the villa. Sintra, the Moon Hill, is a place full of magic and mystery, where nature and man have combined in such a perfect symbiosis that UNESCO has granted it Word Heritage Site status. You can make your own way to visit as many palaces as you like or join a tour 15 best Sintra tours.

516 Arouca The most exciting 516 meters of your life! Come live the experience of crossing a pedestrian bridge suspension over one of the wildest rivers in Europe, Paiva River. Witness a true engineering prodigy and be dazzled by a landscape inserted in a UNESCO Global Geopark.