Stunning city with castle in the valley of the river Lis

On top of a hill, in the centre of Leiria, you can find the remains of the Castelo the Leiria. It was built around 1135, and in the 16th century it was transformed into a renaissance palace. Parts of the castle were renovated in the 20th century.

It is one of the most beautiful castles in Portugal. It is even part of the country’s coat-of-arms.

The historic city centre of Leiria spreads between the castle hill and the river Lis.

Other sites in the city are:

• The Sé cathedral, renaissance style
• Museu do Seminário (seminary’s museum): exhibition of old azulejos (Portuguese tiles), wood carvings, sculptures, and 16th century paintings
• Igreja da Misericórdia
• Nossa Senhora da Encarnação: pilgrims church
• Igreja do Espirito Santo
• Moinho do Papel do Lis: an old paper mill with a museum about the craft of making paper
• Museu de Imagem e Movimento MIMO: museum of image and movement
• Jardim de Luis de Camões (garden)