Portugal is famed for its Rocky Algarve coastline, although as more and more European snowbirds descend south, we search for places inland and north for more authentic Portugal. Join us as we discover five incredible places in Portugal’s mid west to explore in a one week tour itinerary. We promise you’ll not regret it.

After nearly 6 weeks travelling along the Algarvian coast whilst friends and family flew in, we craved that authentic face of Portugal that often times only shows up inland, away from the coast. As we headed in a roughly northerly direction ready for our ferry to Ireland via Bilbao, we traced our steps through some familiar west coast territory. The quaint Zambujeira do Mar, picture postcard perfect Porto Covo and surprisingly beautiful Alcácer do Sal.

And yet it would be a recommendation by friends travelling just north of us that would shift our Portugal travels enabling us to uncover some real hidden gems, so rarely on people’s agendas. Plus a hiccup with our motorhome’s engine brought about a divine intervention, that would introduce us to some incredible sights and experiences. We’ve pulled those into a one week tour and itinerary with places to stay at each point. Why not check out our incredible places in Portugal’s mid west list.

1. Fátima – Portugal’s answer to Lourdes

We class ourselves as scientists rather than religious people, and yet when there’s an opportunity to visit places of worship and devotion, we grab it with both hands. To witness all walks of life feels really important to ensure that our minds and hearts remain open and expanded. So based on a recommendation, we headed north from Alcácer do Sal to Fátima.

Fátima is one of our incredible places in Portugal to share with you. A town that has pretty much been built up around three apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima that occurred in the 19th century and more recently in 1917. Such were these visions that the Church deemed them credible and from that moment on, the Sanctuary of Fátima was conceived and an important place for pilgrims evolved. Whether you are religious or not, you can only be impressed by sheer vastness of this spiritual space. Whilst the Basilica from the back looks uninspiring, when you get to main concourse, for me there was a sharp intake of breath. With visits from past Popes and millions of pilgrims each year, the scale of Fátima has to be seen to be believed. Somehow the pictures don’t do it justice. The bland interior of the old Basilica holds a silent awe as people pray, whilst at the other end the 5th largest Basilica in the world holds a circular presence that seems to dominate the opposite end of the Sanctuary.

A 15 minute walk away is the Via Sacra, where pilgrims are invited to walk the Path of the Cross. A one mile walk through olive groves where you will find the actual site where young shepherd children Francisco, Lúcia and Jacinta saw the apparition of Fátima on 13 May and 13 October 2017. It’s quite a spiritual experience, if for no other reason than to be part of a walk and a worship that commands such devotion, and as such you may see pilgrims crawling on their knees. It’s hard not to be moved, except for the shops selling the same mass produced items that have cashed in on the proverbial commercial Golden Goose.

And for those of you travelling here by motorhome, then there are a number of places to park up for the day or night. Just behind the Sanctuary, there are a number of car parks, one of which, Parking 5 has six dedicated motorhome spots located close to toilets and with water on tap on the very large pitches. And the bonus is that you are a two minute walk to the Sanctuary. It is very busy here though, so you can park on the smaller parking areas, albeit they are tight, short and sloping. There are other parking areas, that as long as you don’t visit around 13th May and October, you can park for free quite easily.

2. Leiria Castle and Romanesque city

En route to Fátima, we had an engine warning light pop up on our dashboard and an immediate loss of power. Whilst the engine continued to run, we had to limp our way, thankfully just 15 minutes to the parking at Fátima. What unfolded next is what has given us such a ‘Silver Lining’ to technical troubles and for that we are truly grateful. We have seen a part of Portugal that perhaps otherwise would not have been on the agenda.

In searching for a Fiat Garage who could potentially diagnose our problem, we came upon Leiria. A large city that is networked with a Spaghetti Junction of motorways and Commercial Zone shopping malls. On the face of it, not our cup of tea. However, and it is a big however, with its 5,000 year old history at the castle, we had a golden opportunity to explore whilst we were waiting for an appointment.

Parking up at the football stadium, I found a path up to the castle, the shadows of which we had called home for a few hours. So with time to kill and, quite honestly, a distraction needed, a visit to the castle had my name on it. There is a funicular, that I guess in season operates, avoiding the steep ascent to the castle entrance. If not, then like me, you will just have to enjoy the workout that the climb will give you. The views are certainly worth the hike. For a €2.10 entrance fee, I had access to the Cisterns, the Tower and the ‘new Palace’. I had a good hour here, just wandering around this magnificent place that has been preserved better than any other castle of its era I’ve seen. Dating back to the 12th century, this castle lays claim to its fair share of battle scars. And yet, when you visit the museums that have really thorough English translations, you learn that actually there are Iron and Bronze Age findings on this very site.

Once up on the Tower, seeing Leiria span out in front of me, I felt compelled to take the walk down to the old town, and so glad was I that I did. A vibrant city with a combination of ancient and modern that somehow seem to blend at the edges effortlessly. Gothic and Romanesque buildings gracefully stand on tiled squares lined with trees. Small alleyways that snaked around the incredibly tall houses that many, in their day have been grand dwellings for well off folk. I was so beautifully surprised by Leiria and so grateful that somehow, Scoobie brought us here. In terms of overnighting, I’m not sure that I would stay at the stadium, especially if 23,000 people descend upon its ground for a footie match. We did though find, just 10 minutes away a free Aire in Pousos that did the job for the night.

3. Parades de Vitória – west coast hideout

With knowledge that our van repair would need to wait over the weekend for a part, we took the opportunity to drive just 30 minutes to the coast to chill out. We found a great, yet eclectic campsite for just €8.50 per night and €1 each per shower. Whilst it was dominated by holiday homes, there is an area for touring vans which did the job nicely, sheltered amongst the sandy, pine forest.

Parades, meaning the Walls of Victory, surprisingly has Roman roots, being an early port settlement. Although the ferocious Atlantic seas soon destroyed anything that the Roman’s had built. Today the small fishing hamlet is home to surfing lovers and a few locals. It is very much off the beaten track, which is just how we like it. With a stunning sandy beach that surrenders to similar waves as neighbouring Nazaré, this place has a wild and energetic feel to it, whilst also being remote. Back in the 19th century, there was a pioneering bitumen and asphalt mill, which despite its best efforts and take overs, could not make profit, so closed down in the 1930s. We loved our little stay here and would definitely return here for some RnR.

4. Nazaré – the king of the waves

Now, Nazaré is not really classed as a Portugal hidden gem, as it is a tourist hotspot for good reason. We don’t find Nazaré very motorhome friendly, or at least it wasn’t on our first visit in 2019. On our 2025 visit, we chose to cycle from Parades, which was a 15 mile round trip on a dedicated cycle path. On the cliffs you find a precipice where the old town sits and, down below, a far reaching beach that arcs around the coast. We’ve never explored the ‘new’ town, as the main reason you come to Nazaré is to marvel at the gargantuan waves, for which it is world renowned. So much so that it is premier surfing destination for the competition Big Wave Challenge.

When Mother Nature ramps up a gear out in the ocean, thanks to a 1 mile deep canyon on the outer edges of Nazaré, it can create waves up to 100ft (approx 30m) high. This makes it a prime spot for daredevil surfers ready to push their skills to the limit. 9 teams take part in this competition which can be held any time from 31st October to 31st March each year. When the wave alert turns yellow for two days consecutively, then the competitors, who are from around the world, have to get themselves to Nazaré within a 24 hour window, such is the fickle nature of the weather.

The competitors consist of a two people; a jet ski navigator and pilot and the surfer. They work in unison to first of all reach the waves, which without the jet ski would be impossible. And then they search out the best waves that will score them the greatest points. Once a wave is sourced, then the surfer takes off on his board like a water skier waiting until the absolute right time to launch themselves to ride the wave, doing tricks along the way for more points. What a phenomenal sport it is and teamwork at its best. To be lucky enough to catch one of these moments in the weather window is incredibly special. Here are some photos I managed to take before my SD Card died a death.

5. Alcobaça – UNESCO Monastery

Whilst researching more about Nazaré, I stumbled across a UNESCO site that piqued my interest. A 12th century monastery built in celebration of the Christian conquering of the Moors by the first King of Portugal. Alcobaça as a town has a Gothic feel to it in its newer quarter, although just across the river Baça is the old town, full of cobbled streets, tree-lined avenues, café culture and, taking centre stage, the monastery and its church. It’s a fabulous place to explore and whilst we only had a couple of hours before our van repairs, I liked it enough to want to revisit another time.

From a fabulous free Aire on the ‘new town’ side of the river, it is a two minute walk to the Garden of Love, created in honour of the tragic love story between Pedros and Inês de Castro, the lady in waiting to Pedro’s wife. When his wife died, he and Inês lived as a married couple, much to the disgrace of his father, the King. With disapproval growing, the King ordered the murder of Inês and when Pedro eventually came to power, he insisted that they had married in secret and for her to be recognised as Queen of Portugal. He also executed Inês’ killers by ripping out their hearts. Inês’ body was exhumed and brought to Alcobaça church where they both now lie in tombs, immortalised in stone.

Another five minute’s walk and you reach the impressive sight of the Monastery of Alcobaça. For €15 you have entry to this fabulous 12th century Cistercian monastery and all its finery. From its cloisters and impressive kitchen, to the landscaped gardens, it is a truly magnificent piece of architecture. The church is another design all together. Simple yet beautiful in an understated way. With ceilings that reach up to the heavens, the silence fills every inch of the space it creates. With tombs of Portuguese kings from it past, it’s easy to see why Alcobaça is such a treasured heritage destination.

If that’s not enough to impress you, then take a walk up the cobbled alleyways towards the old castle. Whilst only remains of a once fine building created for the monks’ protection, the views from the top are as breathtaking as the walk up to it. Sadly the castle fell victim to the many battles and earthquakes to plague this medieval period although it is still a worthy climb, if only for the vista. Alcobaça is well worth a visit and we highly recommend building this into your itinerary.

So that brings us to the end of our one week tour of this fascinating mid west region of Portugal, where five impressive sights await you, with overnighters that you can call home all within easy reach of each destination. We hope you feel inspired by this little tour itinerary, for you and your van. You’ll not be disappointed.

For more Portugal inspiration, then hop over to our Portugal Archive full of blogs from our previous visits. We also have an interactive map from our historical trips, which lists highlights and overnight stays. Bim Vindo. Welcome to Portugal.