Day trips within 45 minutes of Nazaré

The bay is shaped like a shell, so the water stays calm even when the Atlantic is rough everywhere else. Walk the promenade to Salir do Porto for a view over the whole bay, swim or paddleboard in the sheltered water, or climb up to the Miradouro do Salto do Lobo for sunset. Good spot for relaxed family sessions on the sand.

The monastery is one of the largest in Portugal, with a soaring Gothic nave and the famous tombs of Pedro I and Inês de Castro facing each other. Walk through the medieval kitchen, the cloister and the monks dormitory. The town centre around the monastery has cafes and pastry shops worth a stop for conventual sweets.

This is where the Óbidos Lagoon meets the ocean, so calm lagoon water sits on one side and open beach on the other, a five minute walk apart. Good for kitesurfing, paddleboarding, or a long walk with a dog. Restaurants along the lagoon serve fresh seafood with a water view.

The castle sits on a hill above the old town and gives a wide view over the Liz river and the rooftops below. Walk down through the historic centre, cross into Parque Jardim Luis de Camoes along the river, and finish in the pedestrian streets near Se Cathedral for a coffee. Good base for a half day city walk.

Built to celebrate a 14th century military victory over Castile, this is the best example of Manueline and Gothic architecture in Portugal. The Unfinished Chapels, left without a roof for over a century, are the most photographed part. The Founders Chapel holds the tomb of King Joao I and his English wife, Philippa of Lancaster.

Known for ceramics, with the daily fruit and vegetable market running since the 19th century. Parque Dom Carlos I is a large park in the centre with a lake, peacocks and shaded paths, good for a slow walk. The Bordallo Pinheiro shop is worth a stop for the painted cabbage leaf ceramics the town is known for.

A walled medieval town, small enough to cover on foot in two to three hours. Walk the top of the town walls for a view over the rooftops and the surrounding countryside, get lost in the narrow cobbled streets, and try ginja served in a small chocolate cup from one of the stands by the main gate. Busier at midday, quieter and better for photos early morning or evening.

Peniche is a fishing town and one of Europes top surf spots, with the wave at Supertubos drawing competitions most years. From the harbour, boats run to the Berlengas archipelago, a nature reserve with cliffs, sea caves and a 17th century fort reached on a short walk. Book the boat in advance in summer, it sells out.

One of the most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, built around the 1917 apparitions reported by three shepherd children. The esplanade in front of the Basilica is enormous and busiest around the 13th of each month, when pilgrims walk the final stretch on their knees. Worth seeing even without a religious interest, for the scale of the place alone.