With summer approaching and flights priced like August, the train is gaining traction as a mode of travel worth rediscovering. Not as a second option, but as a primary choice. From Lisbon, and without needing a car, there are several unique destinations featuring medieval villages nestled along rivers, castles on rocky islands, and the Ribatejo plains where time moves more slowly—all well worth a visit. If you think a little getaway is always nice, but airport logistics can be a hassle, you’ll love this list of five destinations with train stations, all with a story to tell.
Almourol—A Templar castle in the middle of the Tagus
There are places that seem almost unreal, and Almourol Castle is one of them. Anyone who visits and takes in the island, the walls, and the Tagus River surrounding it immediately understands why this is one of the most impressive castles in the country.
To visit this monument, take the train to Tancos (the station is a 5-minute walk from the pier) and cross the river by boat. The crossing is short but impressive, and that alone makes the trip worthwhile. In addition to the castle—as if that weren’t enough—the region also features the Almourol Contemporary Sculpture Park and the nearby village of Vila Nova da Barquinha.
Departure: Santa Apolónia or Oriente → Tancos (Regional via Entroncamento)
Duration: ~1h30-2h (with a connection in Entroncamento)
Tomar, the city of the Templars
Tomar is home to the Convent of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of Portugal’s most beautiful cities, yet for some reason, it continues to fly under the radar. The Convent is one of the country’s most extraordinary monuments. The Regional train arrives right in the heart of the city, crossing the Nabão River at the entrance.
The Sete Montes National Forest is one of the best places in the country to hike in the shade amid the August heat. And the Nabão river beach, in the city center, is where the locals spend their hot days.
Departure: Santa Apolónia or Oriente → Tomar (Regional via Entroncamento)
Duration: ~2h
Not to be missed: Convent of Christ (UNESCO), Mata dos Sete Montes, Nabão river beach
Constância, where the Tagus and the Zêzere meet
Constância is one of those villages you discover almost by accident and that never leaves your memory. Located at the confluence of the Tagus and the Zêzere, an hour and a half by train from Lisbon, the village isn’t large and stands out for being completely off the beaten path.
Luís de Camões lived here for a time, and it’s easy to see why: there’s something inspiring and inescapable in the air of Constância.
The river beach on the banks of the Zêzere is one of the country’s best-kept secrets. The train stops at Praia do Ribatejo station, just a few minutes’ walk from the village.
Departure: Santa Apolónia or Oriente → Praia do Ribatejo (Regional)
Duration: ~1h30
Not to be missed: historic village, Zêzere river beach, Camões Museum
Palmela and a medieval castle just over half an hour from Lisbon
Seeing Palmela from the highway and thinking “one of these days I’ll go there” and then never actually driving there is something we’ve all done, but by train, it’s a different story. Take the Fertagus to Palmela, with a connection from the East, and in 45 minutes you’ll arrive at one of the most beautiful medieval towns on the Setúbal Peninsula, which features a Templar castle atop a hill covered in vineyards and overlooking Lisbon, the Arrábida Mountains, and the Sado River. It seems impossible to believe you’re just 45 minutes from the capital.
Departure: East (Fertagus, via the 25 de Abril Bridge)
Duration: ~45 minutes
Not to be missed: Palmela Castle, views of the Arrábida Mountains
Abrantes, the city overlooking the Tagus
Abrantes is a real surprise. Perched on a hill overlooking the Tagus, stands a town that seems to know it occupies one of the country’s most strategic points. The medieval castle atop the hill offers one of the widest views in central Portugal. The view takes in the Tagus, the Ribatejo plains, and even the Castelo de Bode reservoir, which, during the summer, boasts one of the best river beaches in the country. The train station is 2 kilometers from the center, but there are taxis right outside.
Departure: Santa Apolónia or Oriente → Abrantes (Regional or InterRegional)
Duration: ~2h
Don’t miss: the castle and views of the Tagus, and the river beaches of Albufeira de Castelo de Bode
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