Nazaré & Alcobaça Day Trip from Lisbon
The big-wave headland, and a Cistercian abbey inland from it
A one-day drive from Lisbon to Nazaré & Alcobaça — 248 km round trip, about 3h 13m behind the wheel, with stops, timings and where to eat already worked out.
The big-wave headland, and a Cistercian abbey inland from it. It's a day out of Lisbon: 265 km of driving in total, about 3h 32m behind the wheel, and the rest of the day on your feet.
The plan below is paced so the driving doesn't eat the day: leave after breakfast, be back for the evening. Every stop can be swapped for one of three alternatives if it isn't your kind of thing.
Your days
You climb a medieval walled town at dawn, stand above Nazaré's giant-wave beach by noon, and end at a monastery's tragic royal tombs before
From Óbidos, the road climbs to Nazaré's upper town for the view before descending to the beach itself.
Down from the miradouro to the shoreline for an easy stroll along the sand.
Nothing stops you at the road, so this is on you to settle. Some motorways are electronic-only with no booths. A foreign plate has to be registered (Easytoll) before driving them.
Buy at www.portugaltolls.comPrice checked 2026-07-30. Confirm on the official site.
- A8 toll motorway is fastest Lisbon–Óbidos–Nazaré; keep toll cash or a Via Verde tag handy.
- Park outside Óbidos's walls — cars aren't allowed deep into the old town.
- Book Alcobaça monastery tickets online to avoid the entrance line.
- Lisbon's city centre has a low-emission zone — check your hotel's parking access if returning late.
- Peniche and Berlengas viewpoint+25 km
A dramatic fishing town and gateway to the Berlengas nature reserve, known for surf and rugged coastline.
- São Martinho do Porto bay+8 km
A near-perfectly round, sheltered bay beach, very different in character from Nazaré's open surf beach.
- Batalha Monastery+15 km
Another UNESCO Gothic masterpiece, slightly further inland, with unfinished chapels open to the sky.
This route was drafted with AI. Please double-check roads, opening hours and local conditions before you go.
Questions, answered
- Is Sintra better by train or car?
- By train, for most people. The line from Rossio runs every 20–30 minutes and takes about 40; driving means a congested mountain road, car parks that fill by nine in summer, and a centre where traffic is restricted. Take the car only if you're combining Sintra with Cabo da Roca and the coast road afterwards.
- How do Portuguese motorway tolls work with a hire car?
- Most motorways are electronic-only: cameras read a transponder or your registered plate, and there is no barrier to pay at. Arrange it when you collect the car: otherwise the charges arrive later with an administration fee on top, and some routes have no cash alternative at all.
- Can you do Évora as a day trip from Lisbon?
- Yes: about ninety minutes each way on the A6, which makes for a comfortable day with time for the Roman temple, the cathedral and lunch. It is one of the few Alentejo towns close enough to do properly without staying over.
- Which day trip is best for beaches?
- The Arrábida coast for calm, clear water and dramatic cliffs, or Ericeira and the Ericeira–Guincho stretch for surf and wind. Arrábida's beach access roads are narrow and sometimes closed to cars in peak summer, with a shuttle instead: check before you set off.
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