The ancient city of Conimbriga is a short drive It's the largest Roman settlement in Portugal and is well worth visiting on any tour of the country's central and northern regions. Like many archaeological sites, Conimbriga was built in layers. Some of the earliest layers date back to the first Iron Age in the 9th Century B.C. The Romans arrived in the 2nd Century A.D., conquering the Celtic inhabitants and establishing a city that grew, flourished, and then fell victim to barbarian invasions until Conimbriga's residents fled to nearby Coimbra in 468. Although Conimbriga wasn't the biggest Roman city in Portugal, it's the best preserved. The city's walls are largely intact, and the mosaic floors and foundations of many houses and public buildings remain. In the baths (see photo above), you can view the network of stone heating ducts beneath the now-missing floors. The site also has a museum that displays objects found by archaeologists during their excavations.

The small and remote village of Belmonte is 30 miles away is of considerable interest and overlooked by a restored 13th Century castle. This castle was the birthplace and family residence of the Discoverer, Pedro Alvares Cabral, who first found Brazil. Some reports suggest that he was going around the Cape of Good Hope on his way from Portugal to the far east. A fierce Atlantic storm blew him off course and the famous discovery was made by accident.

The Convent was built on the orders of the Bishop Count D. Francisco de Lemos de Faria Pereira Coutinho in 1780 and the construction works finished about 20 years later. About one hundred years later, when the last nun living in the Convent died, the building was converted into a Military Hospital.

The huge Basilica contains the tombs of two of the children, who did not survive to become adults. The third child, Lucia who became a Nun, died a few years ago, she was 98 years old and she is also buried in Fatima. A chapel has been built on the site of the Apparitions and a larger basilica is now nearby and used for worship.

To the east of Ourem is the Convento do Cristo at Tomar. Founded in 1162, it was the headquarters of The Knights Templar, and contains a 16 sided chapel, based on the design of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Tomar has been classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The magnificent walled town of Ourem and its castle takes visitors back to medieval times and is ideal for exploring on foot. The castle was destroyed by Napoleon's troops but much has recently been restored. This Pousada was built from a cluster of houses of a bygone age and has been renovated with all contemporary comforts and facitlites. It offers breathtaking views of the Seica River valley and the Shrine of Fatima, and is an ideal base for exploring an area steeped in history.

Besides the palace, there are in Queluz many interesting places that will catch attention of the first time visitors, such as megalithic monuments (2500 bC) and buildings from the centuries XIV, XVII and XVIII. Around the old nucleus of the city villas and houses sprung up at the beginning of this century used as summer houses.