A Humble Slice of Life in Leiria, Portugal, Leiria, Portugal

There’s no shortage of interesting and enlightening destinations in Portugal, especially in the country’s central region. While there may be better known and more popular spots like Coimbra and Aveiro, the town of Leiria is an intriguing place nonetheless. Away from the coast, Leiria offers an insight into the more humble side of Portuguese life. Despite that, there are still some sights worth seeing in this modest city.

Not all that far from the coast and delightful Nazare, Leiria is a small city that really reflects modern Portugal. Like most of Portugal it’s home to a storied past, and that includes the country’s economic woes of the past few decades. In this city of roughly 120,000 people, it’s fairly common to see buildings in a sorry state or “for sale” signs plastered all over the place. The hardships here aren’t pushed back past major tourist attractions, they’re right on the surface.

Despite how all of this may sound, Leiria is certainly not an ugly city. Walking through its compact city centre, you’re treated to typical elements of Portuguese architecture. Streets and squares are decked out with fantastic tile patterns and old-world architecture that have me struggling not to use the word “charming”. This look and feel is best experienced in the Praca Rodrigues Lobo square. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).