Town·Central Portugal
Alcobaça
A town organized around the vast Cistercian abbey that shaped it.
Day TripReachable in a day from a base.
The monastery is the town. Come for the abbey, stay for lunch, move on.
Source verified· Sep 20, 2026
Ideal time
Half a day
Best for
Culture travelers on the central monastery circuit
Car
Helpful
Why go
The Alcobaça Monastery dominates the town and contains the famous tombs of Pedro and Inês de Castro — one of Europe's great love stories in stone. The town is small and agreeable.
Getting there & around
What's here
Essential
Monastery· Central Portugal
Alcobaça Monastery
Portugal's largest church and the purest Cistercian abbey in the country, founded 1153.