Alcobaça Monastery is a place where eternal love is celebrated, as it is the resting place of Pedro and Inês. Pedro was a prince whose lover was brutally assassinated for political reasons. When he became King, he made sure justice was served: he had the assassins killed (legend has it their hearts were taken out to make them pay for his broken heart…) and his beloved Inês was crowned Queen of Portugal… after her death.
We will tell you all about the history and daily life of this ancient monastery, the biggest of all Cistercian centers in Europe. “Pray and Work” was the motto of the monks, who also left something of a profane legacy: pastry and Ginjinha. You’ll thank us later.
At Batalha Monastery, a true masterpiece of Portuguese architecture, you will see the marvelous royal pantheon and learn all about the Battle (Batalha) of Aljubarrota, which paved the way for Portugal to become the first global empire.