Caldas da Rainha>Parishes>Alvorninha
Alvorninha
Home to Portugal’s first agricultural school and one of the country’s biggest street markets, Alvorninha was a municipal seat for over 600 years.
Photo: GoCaldas
About Alvorninha
With around four thousand inhabitants, Alvorninha is eleven kilometres from Caldas da Rainha. It is a strongly agricultural parish, and it was here that the first agricultural school in Portugal was founded.
Among other things, you can visit the parish church, with its Manueline doorway and a tile panel showing the visit of Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques.
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Alvorninha was the seat of its own municipality from 1210 to 1836, a sign of its importance in the region.
What to see
Santana market
One of the largest street markets in Portugal, held every Sunday.
Boisias wooden windmill
Open to the public on the first Sunday of every month.
Roman bridge
A Roman bridge you can visit at Feteira.
Alvorninha dam
A good example of the farming culture that shapes the municipality.
Parish church
Dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Visitação, this 16th-century church has a Manueline doorway decorated with plant motifs and topped by an armillary sphere.
Misericórdia chapel
An 18th-century Mannerist chapel with a single nave, a single chapel and a raised choir.
Good to know
Getting there
Caldas da Rainha is about an hour from Lisbon on the A8 motorway. The easiest way to explore the parishes is by car.
Parking
Parking is usually easy in the villages. In the city centre, use the car parks around the centre and walk.
Where to eat
You will find traditional restaurants across the municipality, and plenty more in the centre of Caldas da Rainha.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Santana market?
Every Sunday. It is one of the largest street markets in Portugal.
When can I visit the Boisias windmill?
On the first Sunday of every month.
How far is Alvorninha from Caldas da Rainha?
About eleven kilometres.
