This riverside town in central Portugal has close ties to poet Luís de Camões. Its 16th-century streets lead to the confluence of Tagus and Zêzere rivers.
Constância sits at the meeting point of the Zêzere and Tagus rivers, 130 km from Lisbon. In this small town, you can explore the Horto de Camões Garden with its literary-themed plant collection, walk along riverside paths, visit the Maritime Arts Museum, and see the 27-square-meter Neptune tile panel. The town's connection to poet Luís de Camões brings literature enthusiasts to see his former home and the bronze monuments dedicated to his work.
Getting to Constância
From Lisbon, drive 130 km north on the A1 highway, which takes about 1.5 hours. By train, take the Beira Baixa Line from Lisbon to Entroncamento, then change to a regional train to Praia do Ribatejo station. The train journey costs €9.65 and requires a 2.5 km walk from the station to the town center.
The Rivers and Views
From the Zêzere Viewpoint, you can see the exact spot where the green waters of the Zêzere mix with the brown Tagus. The Rivers Amphitheater has stone seating built into the slope, making it an ideal spot to watch sunset over the water. Porto da Cova Park runs along the riverfront with paved walking paths and benches under pine trees.
Camões Sites
The Horto de Camões Garden grows over 50 species of plants mentioned in "The Lusiads," each labeled with the relevant verse. The Camões Memory-House, a white two-story building by the Tagus river, contains period furniture from the 1540s when the poet lived here. In the Riverside Park, look for the 3-meter bronze boat sculpture depicting scenes from "The Lusiads."
Historical Buildings
Inside the 16th-century Misericórdia Church, you'll find walls covered in blue and yellow tiles arranged in star patterns. The Church of Our Lady of the Martyrs displays 18th-century baroque architecture with gilded altars and carved wooden panels. The Neptune Panel covers an entire wall with blue tiles showing the sea god driving his chariot through waves.
Museums and Science
The Museum of Rivers and Maritime Arts displays tools and models explaining how boats navigated the rivers. At the Foz do Zêzere Environmental Park's aquarium, you can see local fish species including barbel and eel. The Science Center runs daily astronomy shows, while the Tropical Butterfly Zoo houses over 15 butterfly species in a climate-controlled greenhouse.
Local Food
Try açorda de ovas, a warm stew made with bread, fish roe, and garlic. Restaurants along the river serve fataça na telha (mullet baked on curved roof tiles) and saboga do espeto (river shad grilled on skewers). Local bakeries make queijinhos do céu (egg yolk and almond sweets), tigeladas (cinnamon-flavored egg pudding), and belhoses (orange-scented fried pastries).
Nearby Excursions
Visit Almourol Castle, a medieval fortress on a small island 6 km downstream. You can reach it by boat from Vila Nova da Barquinha (9 km away). The town of Tomar, 26 km north, has the UNESCO-listed Convento de Cristo, a former Knights Templar headquarters.
