Central Portugal

Once considered the most strategically important point in Portugal it was King João III who commissioned the construction of a fortress in Peniche. Completed in 1645 it now stands guard over the town' harbour and has been a museum since the 1980s

The lovely square of Praca Rodrigues Lobo is the centre of Leiria's old town. It is named after the local poet, Lobo (1520-1622), who was one of Portugal's most influential writers of the time. In the background, high above the town is the 12th century castle which was converted into King Dom Dinis' main residence during the 14th century

The façade of the Neo-Manueline styled Palace do Buçaco. Built at the end of the 19th century for Queen Maria Pia,by King Luís I it was completed in 1907, just a couple of years before the monarchy were overthrown and Portugal became a republic. As a consequence the palace was handed over to the state and became a luxury hotel.

The star vaulted ceiling of the Chapterhouse (Sala do Capitulo) in Batalha Monastery. Designed by architect Huguet this was considered quite a feat of engineering given there is no central supporting column and the span is 19 metres.
Legend has it that only condemned criminals were permitted to work on building it as the risks were so high.

The Chafariz das Cinco Bicas (Fountain of Five Spouts) in Caldas da Rainha was built in 1748 when the town was still a popular spa resort.

The five spouts are said to represent the Pleiades - the daughters of Atlas and sea-nymph Pleione of Greek mythology.

A traditional moliceiros boat travels along one of Aveiro's city centre canals. Dubbed the "Venice of Portugal" these boats are the gondolas of Portugal.
The moliceiros were not originally water taxis though. They were designed for collecting seaweed from the shallow lagoons around Aveiro - once one of the town's main industries.

The lovely old train station in Aveiro is decorated with some fine azulejo tiles depicting life in the city in the last century.

Aveiro has a new railway station now, situated right next to this one.

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 salty waters of the lagoon are ideal for kids and a variety of watersports, they are even said to have therapeutic properties.

On the seaward side of the beach the water is considerably colder and the waves can be much bigger. This is a fairly popular surf spot and the waves can get pretty good here.

The medieval Castle of Almourol is located on an islet in the Tagus River, which flows from Spain to the coast at Lisbon. The site predates the present castle with structures attributed to the Romans, Visigoths and Moors, amongst others, all having been built here.

The current castle was part of a defensive line against the Moors and controlled by the Knights Templar along with the castle at nearby Tomar.

A significant amount of work and remodeling was carried out in the 1940s and 1950s after it had fallen into disrepair

The historically, and once strategically important town of Estremoz is set in on the scorching plains of the Northern Alentejo around 200km due east of Lisbon. Over the centuries Estremoz was central to the defence against Portugal's bigger neighbour, Spain.