Farol da Nazaré

Nazaré


This picturesque lighthouse (famous for its backdrop when surfers hit the high seas) sits at Sāo Miguel Arcanjo fort and is a lovely place to visit, especially as the sun is setting. In addition to a small explanation of the geological reasons for the ocean's towering waves, its halls house the Surfer Wall exhibition, a gallery of surfboards of famed international surfers who have conquered Praia do Norte's mighty seas (not all unscathed – see Italian surfer Alessandro Marcianò's split board!).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Nazaré attractions

1. Promontório do Sítio

0.33 MILES

Until the 18th century the sea covered the present-day site of Nazaré; locals lived at this clifftop area 110m above the beach. Today this tourist-filled…

2. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré

0.49 MILES

The 17th-century, baroque Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, decorated with attractive Dutch azulejos, is on the Promontório do Sítio and holds the much…

3. Miradouro do Sítio

0.57 MILES

As you exit the funicular at the top of Promontório do Sítio, make a quick left and walk 50m to the Sitío viewpoint – an outstanding aerial view of Nazaré…

4. Museu Raúl da Bernarda

6.33 MILES

This tiny place celebrates Raúl da Bernarda, the oldest ceramics factory in Alcobaça and one which had particular influence on Portuguese tableware design…

5. Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça

6.84 MILES

One of Iberia's great monasteries utterly dominates the town of Alcobaça. Hiding behind the imposing baroque facade lies a high, austere, monkish church …

6. Museo do Vinho

7.5 MILES

Built at the end of the 19th century and occupying the former cellar of Jose Eduardo Raposo de Magalhães, this museum is an important part of Portugal's…

8. Castelo de Porto de Mós

14.23 MILES

The green-towered castle was originally a Moorish stronghold. Conquered definitively in 1148 by Dom Afonso Henriques, it was largely rebuilt in 1450 and…