Best things to do in Santarem

Santarém Unmissables

Santarém, the 'Gothic Capital of Portugal,' preserves a dense concentration of medieval monuments atop a plateau overlooking the Tagus River. This selection highlights the city's architectural evolution, from the 1st-century BC Roman ruins of Scallabis to the ornate Manueline portals and 17th-century tiles of Igreja de Marvila. Visitors can explore the remains of the Moorish citadel at Portas do Sol, visit the National Monument of Igreja da Graça, and see the traditional azulejo panels at the municipal market.

Santarém Unmissables — Map

Joãofcf / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Igreja da Graça

Igreja da Graça is a church in Santarém, Portugal. It is classified as a National Monument.

Alvesgaspar / CC BY-SA 4.0

B

Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral, Santarém

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception also called Santarém Cathedral formerly known as Church of Our Lady of the…

C

Miradouro Portas do Sol

Panoramic viewpoint located within the city's old citadel walls, offering expansive views over the Tagus River and the surrounding Lezíria plains.

D

Mercado Municipal de Santarém

1930s market building decorated with traditional blue-and-white tile panels illustrating regional agriculture, history, and local customs.

E

Templo Romano de Scallabis

Archaeological site featuring the remains of a 1st-century BC Roman temple, part of the ancient administrative center of Scallabis.

F

Church of the Holy Miracle

A holy place where a miracle supposedly took place in the Middle Ages. Worth visiting also for the interesting architecture.

G

Igreja de Marvila

16th-century church featuring a Manueline portal and an interior almost entirely covered in 17th-century diamond-patterned tiles.

H

Igreja de São João de Alporão

Romanesque-Gothic transition church that now serves as an archaeological museum, containing the flamboyant Gothic tomb of Duarte de Meneses.

I

Portas do Sol

Site of the former Moorish fortress and royal palace, now a public garden enclosed by medieval walls with views of the Tagus.

J

Porta de Santiago

Medieval city gate that formed part of the defensive fortifications, historically used by pilgrims traveling the Portuguese Way of Saint James.

K

Igreja de Santa Maria da Alcáçova

Church established in the 13th century on the site of a former mosque within the city's ancient citadel.

L

Igreja da Misericórdia

16th-century Renaissance church featuring a three-nave interior with Tuscan columns and Mannerist gilded woodcarvings.

M

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Piedade

17th-century Baroque church built in a Greek cross plan, commissioned by King Afonso VI to celebrate a military victory.

N

Casa do Brasil

Cultural center and museum located in the 18th-century ancestral home of Pedro Álvares Cabral, the navigator who discovered Brazil.

O

Teatro Rosa Damasceno

Late 19th-century theater built on the site of the former São Francisco Convent, historically serving as the city's primary cultural venue.