Alcanena: Travel and tourism

Located on the northern edge of Ribatejo, Alcanena only grew and progressed in the 19th century, thanks to a tanning industry which developed at the town and several of the county's villages. Without any remarkable monument or historical site, the county's most important asset in terms of tourism lies in its natural patrimony, offering a series of resources which are worth exploring.

A large part of Alcanena is included in the Natural Park of the Aire and Candeeiros Mountains, with its diversified fauna and flora, abundance of caves (including some which shelter an important population of bats) and, in the absence of water on the surface, underground rivers which flow amid layers of rock; here and there, they emerge in what is known as «water eyes».

Taking advantage of this natural potential, Alcanena offers visitors the Water Routes, including several tours and excursions which may be carried out by car or bicycle, walking or canoeing, to discover the way the essential liquid influences the landscape.

The county's religious architecture features the beautiful 18th-century Mother Church of Monsanto, in the Baroque style, and the church of Louriceira, from the 16th century.

Local gastronomy preserves its rural origins and boasts of excellent cheeses from the Serra de Aire mountains, rosemary honey, morcela de arroz (a sort of black pudding with rice), roast kid and typical sweets and cakes, including almond cookies, honey cakes and arroz doce (a kind of rice pudding with cinnamon).

Handicrafts offer patchwork rugs and pillows, rag dolls and different works in bulrush.