Tia Alice
What to order: the roast veal or the chanfana from the wood oven (€29), and the bolo do convento for dessert.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 39.63° N · 8.67° W
Fátima and Batalha in a day, an hour and a half from Lisbon.
Batalha monastery first thing, Fátima sanctuary at midday, traditional lunch at Tia Alice and the Mira de Aire caves in the afternoon.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Lisboa fromSevilla 1 hMadrid 1 h 15Málaga 1 h 15Asturias 1 h 30Alicante 1 h 45Bilbao 1 h 45Valencia 1 h 45Barcelona 2 hGran Canaria 2 h 30Tenerife Sur 2 h 30
Part of Fátima and Batalha
Add to my trip
Total time11 h
By car1 h 30 each way
By carAbout 130 km along the A1 to Fátima
DifficultyEasy
AvoidThe 12th and 13th, from May to October
With childrenYes; they love the caves
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Lisbon 1 h 30 by car
along the A1, about 150 km to Batalha
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1
Batalha Monastery and the Unfinished Chapels
when it opens · 1 h 30
- 30 min by car23 km
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2
Sanctuary of Fátima
esplanade and basilicas, free
- 6 min on foot
- 3
- 30 min by car15,1 km
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4
Mira de Aire Caves
guided visit of 1 h
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Back home
you reach Lisbon around 18:30
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Batalha Monastery and the Unfinished Chapels
A day trip from Lisbon along the A1: Batalha and Fátima are 20 km from each other and an hour and a half from the capital. The plan begins when the Batalha monastery opens, Gothic and a World Heritage Site, continues on the Fátima sanctuary esplanade, has lunch in a traditional-cooking restaurant and ends underground, in the Mira de Aire caves.
The day, hour by hour
7:30 · Leaving Lisbon. Along the A1, with tolls, about 150 km to Batalha.
9:00 · Batalha Monastery. It opens at 9:00. The church, the Founder's Chapel with the tombs of John I and Philippa of Lancaster, the royal cloister and the Unfinished Chapels, open to the sky. An hour and a half.
11:00 · Fátima Sanctuary. 20 minutes away. The esplanade is free to enter: the Chapel of the Apparitions, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Basilica of the Holy Trinity.
13:00 · Lunch at Tia Alice. Traditional Portuguese cooking since 1988: chanfana and wood-oven roast veal, baked salt cod, convent desserts. On Sunday it only opens at midday: book by phone, preferably between 10:00 and 12:00.
15:30 · Mira de Aire Caves. 20 minutes to the south. There are no fixed times: when you buy your ticket you are given the time of the next visit, which lasts an hour with a guide. The ticket office closes at 17:00 in winter and later in summer.
17:00 · Heading back. You are in Lisbon around 18:30.
With children
The caves are what they like best; in Batalha, the roofless chapels. A baby carrier is better than a pushchair in the caves.
Time1 h 30
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Fátima and Batalha
All year round, except the 12th and 13th from May to October, when the big pilgrimages arrive and the road grinds to a halt.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the calendar
On 12 and 13 of each month from May to October, no parking and no tables.
- 2A jacket for the caves
It is cool underground even in summer.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Fátima and Batalha in a day from Lisbon?
Yes: an hour and a half by car, and about three hours for the two.
Is Tia Alice open on Sunday?
Yes, from 12:00 to 15:00. It is closed on Monday.
How much does it cost to enter the sanctuary?
Nothing; entry is free.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/fatima-and-batalha/itineraries/mira-de-aire-caves
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.