Thermal history, art and market life give a trip to Caldas da Rainha several distinct focal points. You can get to know the city through its historic hospital, museums or markets—and explore different sides of the place along the way.

Thermal history and heritage

Hospital Termal Rainha D. Leonor was founded in 1485 by Queen D. Leonor and is the oldest thermal hospital in the world still in operation. It offers wellness treatments such as massages, full baths and Vichy showers. The hospital also tells the story of several eras through its architecture, preserving Gothic, Renaissance, Neoclassical and Baroque elements.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Pópulo has been a National Monument since 1910. Another way to explore the town’s history is to visit Museu do Hospital e das Caldas, located in the former Casa Real, where the founding and development of Caldas da Rainha are traced.

Mata Rainha Dona Leonor is also connected to the hospital. It was laid out in the 16th century as an extension of the hospital and to protect the springs that supply it. The history of the site thus leads from the building itself into the surrounding landscape and the hospital’s water supply.

Art, ceramics and collections

Museu José Malhoa is housed in Portugal’s first building designed specifically for museum use. Its permanent exhibition includes 19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculptures, as well as ceramics. Guided tours, concerts, talks and film screenings complement the cultural programme accompanying the collections and temporary exhibitions.

Museu da Cerâmica is housed in Quinta Visconde de Sacavém, a historicist architectural complex dating from the late 19th century. It is near Parque D. Carlos I and the former Fábrica Bordalo Pinheiro. Its collections bring together ceramics from Caldas da Rainha and works by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro.

Centro de Artes brings together the António Duarte and João Fragoso studio museums, the Barata Feyo and Leopoldo de Almeida museums, as well as Espaço da Concas and Casa Amarela. It hosts exhibitions, workshops and events. Museu Barata Feyo presents the sculptor’s work through three themes: portraiture, official sculpture and religious sculpture.

Museu do Ciclismo offers a particular perspective on sports history, preserving documents about the Cycloclube Caldense in 1901, the I Porto-Lisboa in 1911 and the first editions of the Volta a Portugal. Together, the various collections show the breadth of subjects covered, from art and ceramics to local cycling history.

Markets and public art

Praça da Fruta is a daily open-air market that has been running since the 15th century. It offers fresh produce, homemade bread, flowers and handicrafts. Check the market opening times before your visit. Mercado do Peixe adds another perspective on local market culture, with fish and seafood from regional fish auctions.

Parque D. Carlos I has areas for cultural and sporting events. Public art is also part of the cityscape: the Rota Arte Pública de Ferreira da Silva includes a large, colourful tile mosaic in the railway underpass. Rua Diário de Notícias is home to the last and most impressive fountain in the Chafarizes Joaninos. Its five spouts, volutes and cascading basins give it a distinctive form.

At Caldas da Rainha railway station, a pedestrian footbridge crosses the railway. It has three lifts: one at each end and a central lift to the platform between the tracks.

Travel interests and finding a hotel

When looking for a hotel in Caldas da Rainha, you can first decide which theme you want to shape your trip: thermal history, art and ceramics, or market life. These themes offer different starting points for choosing a destination that suits your interests.

Discover more destinations: Carvalhal Benfeito, São Gregório da Fanadia, Serra do Bouro, Coto, Santa Catarina, Maceira, Leiria, Pataias.

Go to the overview of the wider area: Leiria.