Abrantes

Abrantes, on the south bank of the Tagus, is a town of the Ribatejo with a castle on the hill and the river at its feet: from its walls, the view follows the Tagus and the plains on both banks, and the old streets below keep the atmosphere of a river town that has watched the crossing of the country for centuries.

The town

The town grew around its castle, on the hill above the river, in the crossing between the Ribatejo and the Beira. Its walls and gates, the old convents and the stone streets descend towards the water, and the riverside — with its gardens and river beaches — has become the balcony of the town over the Tagus, one of the great rivers of the peninsula.

What to see

• The castle and its walls, above the Tagus.
• The old streets and churches of the historic centre.
• The river and its beaches, beside the town.
• The views over the plains of the Ribatejo.

Visiting

Abrantes lies in the Ribatejo, on the road and railway between Lisbon and the Beira, within reach of Santarém and Tomar. The town is explored on foot, between the castle and the river; the conditions of the beaches and the programmes of the town follow the official information of the municipality.

Nearby

The old city of Santarém and the historic town of Tomar are the great stops around Abrantes.

Information: cm-abrantes.pt.

Image credit: The castle of Abrantes, by Vitor Oliveira, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.