Alcochete

The delightful old town of Alcochete is located on the south bank of the River Tagus, in close proximity to the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve.

The ideal day-trip destination for visitors staying in Lisbon, its foundation dates right back to the 7th century after the Moors conquered Lisbon and its name derives from the Arabic word for kiln, as several have been found in the local area.

These days Alcochete is a sleepy and charming place, whose main square is overlooked by the Manueline-style Church of Santiago.

The church was built in 1498 on the site of an earlier Moorish mosque and its two steeples were added in the 19th century.

Nearby is the the Praça do Município, which is shaded by plane trees and has a beautiful tile-adorned fountain at its centre.

Just a short stroll away is the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia, housed in an 18th-century building that was once a convent.

The museum contains an extensive collection of artefacts from the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age, as well as a section on local folk traditions.

If you’re looking for a bit of retail therapy, head to one of the town’s many traditional shops selling pottery, copperware and wicker baskets.

There are also several good restaurants serving traditional Portuguese dishes such as cozido à portuguesa (a stew of meat and vegetables) and bacalhau (dried and salted cod).

Alcochete is well-connected to Lisbon by bus and train, making it the perfect place for a day-trip from the city.