4 Best Sights in Estremadura and the Ribatejo, Portugal

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Graça

The 14th-century Gothic church contains the gravestone of Pedro Álvares Cabral, the discoverer of Brazil. (There's also a tomb of the explorer in Belmonte, the town of his birth in northeastern Portugal, but no one is really sure just what—or who—is in which tomb.) Note the delicate rose window whose setting was carved from a single slab of stone. 

Church
Largo Pedro Álvares Cabral, Santarém, Santarém, 2000–091, Portugal
243 304 060
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

Igreja de Santa Clara

Santarém is often known as the Gothic capital of Portugal; the Igreja de Santa Clara is an outstanding local example of this medieval architectural style. The 13th-century church was built by Dom Alfonso III for his daughter Leonor, a nun who took her religious orders there. (Her tomb is one of the highlights of the interior.) Note that this austere stone building has no front door, because the Order of St. Clare did not permit contact with the public.
Church
Av. Gago Coutinho e Sacadura Cabral, Santarém, Santarém, 2005-021, Portugal
243 304 060
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.

Jardim das Portas do Sol

Walk up to this lovely park within the ancient walls. From this vantage point you can look down on a sweeping bend in the river and beyond to the farmlands that stretch into the neighboring Alentejo.

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Museu Diocesano de Santarém

One of the city's treasures, this museum occupies a former seminary. Inside you'll find examples of religious art spanning the centuries, but the best reason to visit is the grandeur of the space itself, with its beautifully painted ceilings and tile panels.