Silver Coast & Monasteries
Drive through Óbidos, Peniche, Nazaré, Alcobaça, Batalha and Tomar on a four-day loop north of Lisbon.
- Allow
- 4 days
- Route
- 390 km
- Drive time
- 4 hr 35 min
- Stops
- 7
North of Lisbon, the road moves repeatedly between Atlantic exposure and monumental interiors. Óbidos begins within walls, Peniche and Nazaré face very different coasts, and the monasteries of Alcobaça and Batalha lead inland toward the Templar complex at Tomar.
Surf reputation does not make rough water safe. Obey sea warnings, keep clear of cliff edges and give each monastery at least a proper visit. Distances are short enough to avoid changing hotels nightly.
The road, in one glance
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Drawing the route…
The route earns
its distance
Each pin is selected as a place to do something—not merely proof that you passed through.
Photo: Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL · CC BY-SA 2.0Lisbon
Leave north after the city stay with the rental’s toll method understood.
Lisbon ( LIZ-bən; Portuguese: Lisboa ) is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 658,236 as of 2025, within its administrative limits and 3,353,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025. The city lies in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, on the northern shore of the River Tagus.
Photo: Lacobrigo · CC BY-SA 4.0Óbidos
A complete wall encloses white lanes and a castle above the western plain.
Óbidos is a town and a municipality in the Oeste region, historical province of Estremadura and the Leiria district. The town proper has approximately 3,100 inhabitants. The municipality population in 2011 was 11,772 covering an area of 141.55 square kilometres (54.65 square miles).
Photo: ines s. · CC BY 2.0Peniche & Baleal
A working fishing peninsula, fortress and nearby surf beaches push the route fully into Atlantic weather.
Peniche, officially the City of Peniche (Portuguese: Cidade de Peniche), is a seaside municipality and a city in the Oeste region, in the historical province of Estremadura, and in the Leiria District. It has 26,431 inhabitants, in an area of 77.55 km2. The city itself has a population of about 15,600 inhabitants.
Photo: Mister No · CC BY 3.0Nazaré
A beach town and high Sítio overlook a submarine canyon known for exceptional winter waves.
Nazaré is a Portuguese resort town and municipality located in the Oeste region, in the historical province of Estremadura, and in the Leiria District. The municipality has a population of 14,889 in an area of 82.43 km2, while the town itself has around 10,000 inhabitants. Nazaré is one of the most popular seaside resorts in the Silver Coast (Costa de Prata).
Photo: Alvesgaspar · CC BY-SA 4.0Alcobaça Monastery
Cistercian scale and the tombs of Pedro and Inês give the route its most emotionally charged interior.
The Alcobaça Monastery or Alcobasa Monastery (Portuguese: Mosteiro de Alcobaça, Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça) is a Catholic monastic complex located in the town of Alcobaça, Oeste region of Portugal, 120 km (75 mi) north of Lisbon and 110 km (68 mi) south of Coimbra. The monastery was established in 1153 by the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques, and would develop a close association with the Portuguese monarchy throughout its seven-century-long history.
Photo: Alvesgaspar · CC BY-SA 4.0Batalha Monastery
Late Gothic carving and the Unfinished Chapels commemorate a decisive medieval victory.
The Monastery of Batalha (Portuguese: Mosteiro da Batalha) is a Dominican convent in the municipality of Batalha, historical Beira Litoral province, in the Centro of Portugal. Originally, and officially, known as the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory (Portuguese: Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória), it was erected in commemoration of the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota and would serve as the burial church of the 15th-century Aviz dynasty of Portuguese royalty.
Photo: Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL · CC BY-SA 2.0Tomar
The Convent of Christ crowns a river town shaped by the Knights Templar and later Portuguese expansion.
Tomar, also known in English as Thomar (the ancient name of Tomar), is a Portuguese city and a municipality in the historical Ribatejo Portuguese province, and in Santarém district. The town proper has a population of about 20,000. The municipality population in 2011 was 40,677, in an area of 351.20 km2 (135.60 sq mi).
Drive the conditions,
not the itinerary.
Atlantic weather changes quickly. Use marked cliff viewpoints, respect sea closures and leave luggage hidden or at accommodation.
Checked against
the people who run it
Distances and driving times are planning estimates. Conditions, closures, ferries, permits and park rules can change, so check the linked official guidance before setting out.