Pombal is located between the towns of Coimbra and Leiria in the namesake region, a location which had significant meaning in its past. The town is on the connection between Portugal’s most important cities, Lisbon and Porto. Today Pombal’s greatest asset is not the position on a major trading route, but its picturesque banks of the river Aruncal, the beautiful scenery, and fascinating cultural history. The small town with a mere population of 16,000 borders the pine forest Dom Dinis which stretches all the way to Portugal’s coast and is a true paradise for walkers and hikers. Once you have made it to the coast you will find a mixture of sandy beaches and cliffs, all of which looks like sheer natural paradise.
For such a small town Pombal has a surprisingly sophisticated cultural history. The Castelo do Pombal, once the major fortress in the region, is located on a cliff above the river. Supposedly the town gets its name from countless pigeons that gathered on the mighty fortress walls; Pombal translates as pigeonry.
Today the fortress no longer has any authoritative purposes, and it is indeed hard to imagine that the sleepy alleyways of Pombal would need so much as a policeman to watch over. This town is all about enjoying the weather, indulging in the local cuisine, and generally taking it easy. The locals more than welcome tourists to join them for a glass of wine from the Leiria region in one of the town taverns.
To explore Pombal all you have to do is take a walk. Take a closer look at the town church, built in 1703, and the 17th century mansion of the Condes de Castelo Melhor family.
Exploring the region requires a little more mobility, which is why renting a car is generally a good idea. A number of cultural and historic sights are close-by, like Leiria, Batalha, and Alcobaça in the south. Alcobaça is situated on the rivers Alcoa and Baça and is home to one of the most gorgeous monasteries in the country, Mosteiro de Alcobaça, built during the 12th and 13th century. Another monastery, Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória in Batalha was admitted to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1983.
Should you desire some steady ocean breeze you could visit towns like Nazaré or São Pedro de Muel. They are more touristy than Pombal, but definitely do not lack the charm you seek in a fishing village.
