The name Óbidos comes from the Latin word oppidum, meaning citadel or fortified city, this was invaded by the Moors, in November of 1147, and later in 1148 was conquered by the King D. Afonso Henriques, helped by Gonçalo Mendes da Maia. One of the moments that represent Óbidos has one of the villages in the pentagon of the center defensive of the kingdom, is the Cruzeiro da Memória, it was idealized by the Templar. In 1195, Óbidos received its first charter letter from the King D. Sancho I.

The village of Óbidos was considered a dowry for several queens – has a wedding gift of D. Dinis to his wife D. Isabel, built the Queen’s House, extinct in 1834. Another example of many benefits left by the queens of Portugal, are the aqueduct and fountains built in order of D. Catarina.

Óbidos was the main reason for the birth of Caldas da Rainha, before called Caldas de Óbidos, and the queen D. Leonor, during her walks to Óbidos, noticed the poor were taking a bath in the thermal waters.

Óbidos is located near the ocean and a lagoon; its fertile lands were always occupied, since the Paleolithic and several communities, such as Phoenicians and Romans, in which the Romans was built a tower in the south of Facho, and being one of the more evolved stations in the city of Eburobrittium, a city in under archaeological work.

With the earthquake in 1755, parts of the Óbidos wall felled, as well some temples and buildings, changing aspects of the Arabic and medieval design.

This village was the center of many revolutionary acts, since the fights of the Peninsular War, such as the Roliça Battle and in the Revolution of 25th of april, Óbidos hosted the preparatory meeting of this revolution.

Caldas da Rainha is in the middle of Leiria and Lisbon, its centrality make Caldas da Rainha one of the biggest point of trade, cultural and social meetings. From Leiria it only takes 50 kilometers and from Lisbon takes 80 kilometers to get to Caldas da Rainha.

While, the black plague devastated Lisbon, the Queen D. Leonor travelled to Óbidos, with her cortege, and one day the queen witnessed poor bathe themselves in the sulfur waters, under inhumane circumstances that affected the queen. To remember this place, the queen ordered the construction of a hospital, for those who bathe felt more comfortable.

The foundation of Caldas da Rainha has a cultural meaning, since the Queen D. Leonor chose this place for the development of her cultural projects and to protect the artists and their pieces – this is preserved in the historical-cultural values of the Queen D. Leonor.

Around the Royal Hospital of Caldas, a small town settled and grown, until in 1511 was considered a village, receiving the blessing of the King D. Manuel, upon request of D. Leonor. Later Caldas da Rainha was well known for its thermal waters, reaching its apogee in the late XIX century and early XX century. In the 11th of august of 1927, Caldas da Rainha became a city.

The geographic position of Caldas da Rainha, gives it the privilege of being in the center of the cultural and tourist circuits, and also promoting different and diverse activities.

The true genesis of Caldas da Rainha is the Hydrotherapy, granting an urban and trade dynamic, that allowed the development other traditional aspects just as the ceramic industry and the agricultural production, where the farmers sell their merchandise in the daily market.

In the coast line, geomorphologic processes made possible the two entrances, with a great environmental and touristic value, as São Martinho and the Óbidos Lagoon, in Foz do Arelho.

Peniche was a small town with a small community, until the XV century. This small village was economically and administratively depended on the Village of Atouguia da Baleia, since this was considered one of the most important villages in the region.

In 1609, Peniche was considered a village, because it has become quite popular, due to its lands that were better and more fertile, so other communities moved to Peniche, and in the 1st of February of 1988, it became the City of Peniche.

The coast line is a significant part of the Portuguese territory, an area influenced by the action of the sea that requires a regular maintenance to preserve biodiversity. Through the years, Peniche has becoming more and more attractive and many falls in love with its landscapes, and others seek for activities that only the coastal area can offer them.

In this region, there are a lot of good beaches for those long days of sun and water sports and fishing activities. But, the agriculture also makes its stand. Over the years, Peniche had many and different communities that seek for its natural resources, developing agricultural activities and fishing activities, transforming and encouraging the economic development of Peniche. Nowadays, those activities remain equally influential in the Peniche economic.

The most and undoubtedly natural resource that stands out is the beach, its good conditions and climate and environmental conditions provided by the location of the territory, make the beaches in Peniche one of the most beautiful and wanted beaches in Portugal.

São Martinho do Porto is a nice village at a beautiful and calm bay. This bay is a shell-shaped lagoon. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by a small passage between the hills. Around the bay is a wide sandy beach, and next to the beach hills and dunes. During summer season there are many blue-white tents on the beach, you can rent them to store your beach gear or relax in the shade. The port is at the northside of the bay, all the boats are located around this area.

São Martinho do Porto is located 100 km north of Lisbon, 3 km from the A8, and 13 km south of Nazaré. The village belongs to the municipality of Alcobaça and has 5,000 habitants. There's a primary school and a college.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the sandy beach of the shell shaped bay, attracts tourists. Centuries ago the bay was much larger, it reached to Alfeizerão. It is said that Julius Ceasar passed here.

Portugal's first king, Dom Afonso Henriques, gave this land to the Cistercian monks in the 12th century. They used the bay as a seaport to transport wood form the pine forest of Leiria. This wood was also used to build their ships.

Opposite of São Martinho do Porto, on the other side of the bay, is Salir do Porto, a former salination village. It also had a seaport and a shipyard. You can still see the ruins of a medieval customs station.

Although the bay still has fish and sea fruits, there's only a few fisherman left. Tourists prefer swimming, surfing, sailing or canoeing on the bay, or just relaxing on the beach...