The
sprawling spa town of Caldas da Rainha is famous for its locally-made
ceramics and thermal cures.
Riding from Óbidos to attend her father-in-law's funeral
at Batalha, Queen Leonor saw peasants wallowing in mud pools
as a remedy for rheumatism and arthritis. Enthused, the queen
founded a free hospital in the town, which subsequently became
a popular spa, reaching its peak in the late 19th century.
During the Second World War, Caldas da Rainha became home to
a great number of refugees who fled to neutral Portugal from
all over Europe. What to see. Once the chapel of the Queen's Hospital,
the Manueline parish church of Our Lady of Populo features a
graceful bell-tower and a series of interesting azulejo glazed
tiles. Nearby. Caldas da Rainha is a good centre for excursions
over this part of Portugal, for both Alcobaça and Batalha
as well as Leiria and Tomar. The saltwater Lagoa de Óbidos
15 km to the west is a popular lagoon for sailing and fishing
