Fátima day trip from Lisbon, with Batalha, Nazaré and Óbidos
Fátima is one of the most visited Catholic sanctuaries in the world, with millions of pilgrims every year. It is about 1 h 20 from Lisbon by motorway, so it makes an easy day trip. With a car you can also see the Gothic monastery of Batalha, the cliffs of Nazaré and the walled town of Óbidos on the way back.
Fátima, Batalha, Nazaré and Óbidos
Leave Lisbon early and drive about 1 h 20 north to Fátima. Start at the Chapel of the Apparitions, where a Mass or a rosary is said several times a day, then visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, with the tombs of the three shepherd children, and the modern Basilica of the Holy Trinity. Batalha Monastery, a World Heritage masterpiece of Gothic architecture, is 20 minutes away. After lunch, drive 30 minutes to the Sítio of Nazaré for the view over the beach, and finish at Óbidos, inside its medieval walls, before driving about an hour back to Lisbon.
Sanctuary of Fátima → Batalha Monastery → Sítio da Nazaré → Óbidos village
Night: Lisbon · hotels in Lisbon
Practical tips
- The great pilgrimages are on 12 and 13 May and on 12 and 13 October, when hundreds of thousands of people come. Come on those days for the experience, or avoid them for a quiet visit.
- The candlelight procession takes place every evening from spring to autumn. To see it, spend the night in Fátima instead of driving back.
- Entry to the sanctuary is free. Dress modestly in the chapels and basilicas, and keep silence near the Chapel of the Apparitions.
- Without a car, buses from Lisbon's Sete Rios station reach Fátima in about 1 h 30. Many agencies also run day tours that combine Fátima, Batalha, Nazaré and Óbidos.
Want to go deeper?
This route is also a full circuit with more stops, a map and hotel suggestions.
