Best Tourist Places to Visit in Leiria, Portugal, Europe

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Leiria, Portugal, Europe

Leiria is a city in the Centro Region of Portugal geographically positioned at 39°46′ N 8°53′ W. It is the seat of Leiria District and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leiria-Fatima. Basically, the economy of Leiria is centered on service and light industries and in recent years, with an upgraded transportation, Leiria receives a large number of tourists year round which significantly impacted on the economy of Leiria.

Geography of Leiria:

Covering an area of 565 sq. km, Leiria is located at an around 80 km southwest of the regional capital, Coimbra and 145 km north of the national capital, Lisbon.

History of Leiria:

The recorded history of Leiria goes back to the establishment of a settlement by Turduli people near what is current Leiria. Later the Romans conquered and expanded it. Leiria also witnessed the rule of Moorish in the 12^th century.

How to reach Leiria?

The Lisbon Airport is the nearest international airport to Leiria with scheduled and seasonal flights to all the major European and few American and Asian cities including Toronto, Dubai, Paris, Madrid and Moscow.

The Lisbon Airport is situated around 145 km south of Leiria. There are taxis abundant at the airport and in addition, buses and trains are also accessible.

Including Lisbon, Leiria is connected to all the major Portuguese cities by both bus and train services.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Leiria:

Leiria is the birthplace of many renowned Portuguese poets including Francisco Rodrigues Lobo and Afonso Lopes Vieira. The city of Leiria also hosts monthly antiques market with typical colorful traditional handicrafts.

Here are some nice restaurants in Leiria:

Restaurante Luna
Cervejaria Joao Gordo
A Tasca do Rogerio
Restaurante Monte Carlo

Things to do in Leiria:

Nightlife
Festival celebrations
Shopping

What to see in Leiria?

Leiria Castle:

Added to the National monuments list in 1910, the Leiria Castle is a well-preserved castle and one of the main tourist attractions in Leiria. There is a mansion within the walls of the castle and a church called, the Church of Our Lady of the Rock is inside the castle.

The Paper museum:

Located at the place of the first paper mill of Portugal, the Paper Museum or Museu do moinho do papel holds a nice collection of typical and interesting objects. Another special museum in Leiria is the Moving Image museum.

The Theatre Miguel Franco:

The Theatre Miguel Franco is a cultural centre situated in the market Sant’Ana. Along with the Theatre José Lúcio da Silva, the Theatre Miguel Franco hosts most of the major theatre, dance and music performances of the city.

Other places of interest in and around Leiria include:

Portugal West Zone
Praia do Pedrogao
Oestaolindo
Carlos Joalheiro Lda
Church of Saint Peter
Monasterior de Batalha
Praia da Nazare
Monastery of Alcobaca
Berlengas Archipelago
Royal Obidos Golf Course
Baia de Sao Martinho do Porto
Foz do Arelho Beach
Praia d’El Rey Golf Course
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Nazare
Santa Maria Church

Ideal time to visit Leiria:

As like most Portuguese cities, Leiria experiences Mediterranean climate with cool winters and warm summers. The ideal time to visit Leiria is the summer months (April to October).

Accommodation options in Leiria:

Being a tourist favor town, Leiria houses many modernized hotels with all upgraded facilities and services of which most hotels are offered advance booking facility for tourists’ convenience through online. The major hotels in Leiria include: