Oeste (West) is a region of Central Portugal, along the Atlantic coast. Among Oeste's numerous sights are several sandy beaches, many with great surfing. The region's twelve municipalities are home to 338,711 people.
Cities
Northern
The northern municipalities of Oeste are in the district of Leiria.
- 1 Alcobaça — noted for its monastery, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site - 2 Bombarral — See Bacalhôa Buddha Eden, Europe's largest Oriental garden
- 3 Caldas da Rainha — a city known for its curative waters and its arts.
- 4 Nazaré — has a popular beach and is popular with surfers
- 5 Óbidos — the heart of town is on a hilltop surrounded by medieval castle walls
- 6 Peniche — lovely beaches with a surf scene
Southern
The southern municipalities of Oeste are in the district of Lisbon.
- 7 Alenquer
— it has a very rich heritage of prehistoric sites, castles, convents, churches, chapels, farms and stately homes - 8 Arruda dos Vinhos — home to hilltop forts built during the Napoleonic wars
- 9 Cadaval —
- 10 Lourinhã — noted for its dinosaur-related attractions
- 11 Sobral de Monte Agraço — a largely rural areas with well-preserved natural spaces of remarkable landscape beauty
- 12 Torres Vedras — the Lines of Torres Vedras defended the Lisbon peninsula against Napoleon's army
Other destinations
Understand
The Wikivoyage Oeste region corresponds to Portugal's administrative Oeste region. The Oeste region is in the former Estremadura province. The northern municipalities belong to the Leiria district, while the southern ones were part of the Lisboa (Lisbon) district. Districts are being phased out, but still serve some geographical purposes.
Visitor information
- Turismo Centro de Portugal, ☏ 351 234 420 760, ✉[email protected]. Oeste is one of the regions overseen by Turismo Centro de Portugal.
Get in
By plane
The nearest airport is Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS IATA) (also known as Portela Airport) in Lisbon.
Although farther away, Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO IATA) in Porto is a viable alternative.
By train
- Comboios de Portugal (Trains of Portugal), ☏ 351 707 210 220. PDF timetable. Comboios de Portugal's Linha do Oeste (West Line) runs through the region north to south, connecting with several stations in Lisbon, Leiria, Coimbra, Figueira da Foz, and other stops in between. Trains on this windy line are old, and buses are often faster.
By bus
- Rede Expressos, Terminal Rodoviário de Sete Rios, Praça Marechal Humberto Delgado, Estrada das Laranjeiras, ☏ 351 217 524 524, ✉[email protected]. Rede Expressos is the main nationwide coach bus provider. You can use them from the Sete Rios or the Oriente terminals in Lisbon to reach many destinations in the Oeste region.
- Barraqueiro Transportes, ☏ 351 217 511 600, ✉[email protected]. Barraqueiro and its subsidiaries—Barraqueiro Oeste, Boa Viagem, and Mafrense—serve the southern areas of the region: Alenquer, Arruda dos Vinhos, Cadaval, Lourinhã, Sobral de Monte Agraço, and Torres Vedras. Various routes connect Lisbon to cities in the region.
- Rodoviária do Oeste (RDO), 351 262 767 676, ✉[email protected]. Rodoviária do Oeste is the main regional coach bus company serving the northerly areas of region: Alcobaça, Bombarral, Cadaval, Caldas da Rainha, Lourinhã, Nazaré, Óbidos, and Peniche. It offers two Rápida (rapid) services from Lisbon to cities in Oeste.
- Rápida Azul. RDO's Rápida Azul line provides bus service from Lisbon (Campo Grande) to Lourinhã (55 min), Praia da Areia Branca (~1 hr), Peniche (1 hr 25 min), and points in between. Lourinhã & Praia da Areia Branca €7.80, Peniche €8.70 (see linked timetable for full pricing details).
- Rápida Verde. RDO's Rápida Verde line provides frequent bus service between Lisbon (Campo Grande) and Bombarral (45 min), Óbidos (1 hr), and Caldas da Rainha (1hr 20 min). Bombarral €7.35, Óbidos €8.00, Caldas da Rainha €8.10 (see linked timetable for full pricing details).
By car
The main motorway in the Oeste region is A8 (Autoestrada do Oeste) which provides access to Lisbon in the south and Leiria in the north. There are direct exits to Torres Vedras, Bombarral, Óbidos, and Caldas da Rainha. Connecting roads lead to Peniche, Nazaré, and Alcobaça.
The A10 motorway serves the southeast part of the region: Arruda dos Vinhos and offers connecting roads to Sobral de Monte Agraço and Alenquer.
The A15 motorway (part of route IP6) connects directly to Óbidos from A1 in Santarém. Connecting roads go to Peniche and to Caldas da Rainha.
The EN1 (or N1) road (Estrada Lisboa-Porto) was the nation's principal roadway until Portugal started using European Union community funds to build its motorway network. It serves Alenquer directly.
The older EN8 (or N8) road (Estrada da Estremdura), runs largely parallel to A8. It is narrower and slower, but offers a route that allows greater closeness with the communities it passes though.
EN115 (or N115) offers a scenic route between Lisbon's suburb of Loures and Caldas da Rainha, serving Cadaval and Sobral de Monte Agraço.
Get around
The methods listed in the Get in section—train, bus, and car—can also be used to get around within the region.
See
Caldas da Rainha has several museums, mostly of art. Lourinhã has a few sights dealing with dinosaurs and paleontolgy. Óbidos, perhaps the Oeste's most popular destination, has a medieval castle and is surrounded by stone walls protecting the hilltop town.
Do
- The Oeste region has some excellent beaches.
- Nazaré and Peniche are especially noted for their great surfing waves.
- Óbidos offers no fewer than four golf course resorts.
Eat
With its coastal location, the Oeste is an excellent region to savour fresh fish and seafood.
Drink
The Oeste is home to several demarcated wine regions, including Alenquer DOC, Torres Vedras DOC, Arruda DOC, Óbidos DOC, Lourinhã DOC, and Encostas d'Aire DOC. Óbidos is known for its ginja or ginjinha, a cherry liqueur. Lourinhã produces aguardente, a distilled spirit.
Stay safe
Go next
- Alentejo — to the southeast includes historic locales such as:
- Beja — hilltop city surrounded by beautiful, fertile valleys
- Elvas — city of forts, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Évora — well-preserved old town centre, with medieval walls, many monuments from various historical periods, including a Roman Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Beira Litoral — the region directly to the north includes many popular destinations:
- Aveiro — noted for its canals and Art Nouveau buildings
- Batalha — known for its medieval monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Coimbra — Portugal's fourth largest urban centre, its 13th-Century university is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Fátima — Portugal's most famous pilgrimage site, where it's said the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children in 1917
- Lisbon Region — in this region to the south, you'll find the nation's capital and other fascinating destinations:
- Almada – just across the Tagus (Tejo) River from Lisbon, it has a giant Christ the King statue
- Cascais — beach town at the mouth of the Tagus (Tejo) River, known for the casino and high living at Estoril
- Lisbon (Lisboa) – the nation's capital and most popular destination, with several UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Sintra — this UNESCO World Heritage Site in a hilly area is known for its many palaces