Private Tour: Grutas da Moeda Caves with UNESCO Monasteries

Get picked up from your Lisbon hotel by a private guide in a comfortable, air-conditioned car. Hit the road to the Grutas da Moeda Caves, which were first discovered in 1947. Their formation goes back approximately 150 million years to the Jurassic age, when the dinosaurs populated this region. The caves are lit with colored lights that emphasize the beauty of the shapes of the stalagmites and stalactites.

Next, head to the nearby Sanctuary of Fatima. Visit the shrine of Lady of Fatima, then see the new Basilica. Observe the square of prayers, Chapel of Apparitions, Church of the Holy Trinity, and the pyre where people burn candles and ask for blessings. Fatima was once a quiet small town but became an important pilgrimage site after three small children saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary here in the early 20th century.

After Fatima, head to the so-called "Crown Jewels,” the Monasteries of Batalha and Alcobaca. The Batalha Monastery was built in 1386 by Portuguese King Dom João I after Portugal defeated Castile at the Battle of Aljubarrota on 14th August 1385. The Alcobaca Monastery, also known as the Royal Abbey of Santa Maria, was founded by the Order of Cistercians in 1153. Take the Gothic architecture and tombs and explore the city before hopping back in the car and returning to Lisbon. Your guide will drop you off at your hotel at the end of the tour.