This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel.
Batalha, Portugal, is located in the center of Portugal, in the municipality of Leiria. Although there is really only one sight in the town -- the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory, one of the most outstanding examples of the merge of late Gothic architecture and the Manueline style in Portugal -- it is definitely worth coming here for it.
Founded by King D. João I of Portugal, the city was named after the battle that took place in Aljubarota in the late fourteenth century, which ended the crisis years of the Portuguese wars with the Castilians. In order to celebrate the achievements, King D. João commissioned the erection of the monastery that would serve as the burial place of many of the Portuguese kings to reign during the next two centuries.
The UNESCO Heritage Site of the Batalha Monastery is a magnificent piece of architecture that will inspire awe in every visitor. The building is free to enter every day, and having a look inside is highly recommended, as the Royal Cloister is one of the most outstanding parts of the construction.
Although a trip to the region cannot be complete without a visit to the monastery, it will probably only take a maximum of two hours to carefully observe its every detail. Therefore, sleeping here might not be worth it unless you have something else in mind to do in the town. However, budget options for hostels in Batalha, Portugal, are not available in the near vicinity of the monastery and therefore, it might be worth considering staying somewhere nearby and doing a daytrip to Batalha. One option might be to stay in a Leiria hostel, and take the bus here or to visit the town from the direction of Nazare, where there are also some hostels.
Written by local expertz for Batalha
JudyM
