Portugal

Pensão Restaurante Ribamar This genuine restaurant-inn is right on the
water, and most of its small guest rooms open onto balconies. A twisting stairway in the
rear leads to the old-style rooms. Each immaculate room is individually decorated and
comfortable, equipped with a well-kept bathroom.
Rua Gomes Freire 9, 2450-222 Nazaré. & 26/255-11-58. Fax 26/256-22-24. www.ribamar.pa-net.pt. 25 units.
50€–80€ double; 70€–95€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 5€–10€. Amenities: Restaurant; bar. In room: TV.
WHERE TO DINE
Moderate
A Celeste SEAFOOD Celeste is the cook and the owner of this country-style
restaurant with three interior rooms. She’s amassed a number of faithful habitués who
flock to her oceanfront restaurant for her hearty caldeirada (at least two diners must order
it), which is Nazaré’s version of the French bouillabaisse, made with nine different types
of freshly caught fish. Other spectacular dishes are the cataplana de marisco, a savory
seafood stew, and the array of cockles and mussels. Many of the fish dishes, such as sole,
can be grilled to your specifications. If you don’t like fish, you’re in the wrong place, but
there are meat specialties as well, including the acorn-fed pork from Alentejo province.
Av. República 54. & 26/255-19-95. Reservations recommended. Main courses 10€–18€. AE, DC, MC, V.
Daily 11:30am–10pm.
Mar Bravo PORTUGUESE One of the busiest of the dozens of overpriced restaurants
in this bustling village is Mar Bravo, on the corner of the square overlooking the
ocean. A complete and consistently pleasing meal consists of soup followed by a fish or
meat dish and bread. An English-language menu lists a la carte specialties such as classic
bass caprice, fish stew Nazarena, lobster stew, and grilled pork. Dessert might be a soufflé,
fruit salad, or pudding. Upstairs is a second dining room, with an ocean view.
Praça Sousa Oliveira 71. & 26/256-91-60. Reservations recommended. Regular main courses 14€–48€.
AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11am–midnight.
4 BATALHA
118km (73 miles) N of Lisbon
Batalha merits a visit for only one reason: to see the monastery. Most visitors choose to
stay in Fátima or Nazaré, which have more hotels and restaurants, but we’ve included the
best options for sleeping and eating in town below, in case you decide to linger longer.
ESSENTIALS
Arriving
BY TRAIN There is no direct train service from Lisbon to Valado dos Frades. From
Lisbon take the train to Cacem, in Cacem take another train to Caldas da Rainha. In
Caldas da Rainha, take the train to Valado dos Frades. The trip takes 31 ⁄2 hours and costs
10€.
BY BUS From Nazaré (see above), seven buses a day make the 1-hour trip to Batalha,
with a change at Alcobaça; one-way tickets cost 3.75€. From Lisbon, six expresso buses
operate daily; the trip lasts 2 hours and costs 9.30€ one-way.
BY CAR From Alcobaça (see earlier), continue northeast along N8 for about 20 minutes.
221
ESTREMADURA 9
BATALHA