Caldas da Rainha is a Portuguese city in the western sub-region, Central region, being part of the Western Tourism Region.

The city, besides being the seat of a municipality, is divided between two parishes, Nossa Senhora do Pópulo and Santo Onofre with 255.7 km ² of area. Being subdivided into 12 parishes, the municipality is limited to the northeast by the municipality of Alcobaça, to the east by Rio Maior, to the south by Cadaval, to the west by Bombarral and Óbidos and to the northwest by the Atlantic Ocean.

In the Praça da República (popularly known as "Praça da Fruta"), the country's only daily horticultural market is open every day in the morning, practically unchanged since the end of the 19th century.

Still today the Caldas da Rainha maintains the coat of arms of the Queen D. Leonor, flanked on the left by its own emblem (the camaroeiro) and to the right by the emblem of D. João II (the pelican). In keeping these weapons, the city is one of the few settlements in the country to have a coat of arms prior to the normalization of municipal heraldry carried out at the beginning of the 20th century.

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This lively and vibrant city in the district of Leiria, situated on the Silver Coast, in the heart of Estremadura, has become a popular tourist destination and is a favorite place to have a holiday home. Its location, just 8 km from some of the best beaches in the region and only 1 hour away from Lisbon, make it the perfect place to settle down and explore some of the medieval villages and fishing villages in the surrounding area.

This spa town, reputed for its sulfur rich waters indicated for the treatment of dermatological and bone problems, was founded in the 15th century by D. Leonor, consort of King D. João II. It offers not only magnificent rural tourism houses but also excellent shopping opportunities and water sports such as balloon rides, hang gliding, windsurfing, jet skiing and horse riding. Also nearby are magnificent resorts with superb golf courses, such as the Praia d'el Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort and the Westin Campo Real Golf Resort. Located in the so-called "Jardim de Portugal", the city has a lively and colorful market of fruit, vegetables, fish and flowers in the central square, while the wonderful lagoons of Foz do Arelho Beach and Salir do Porto, with its long sandy beaches , are perfect for enjoying a family holiday.

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The "beijinhos" and the "cavacas" of Caldas are part of the typical gastronomy of the region, constituting, since distant times, a strong pole of attraction to some of the pastries of the city.

The history of its confection is linked to the parish of St. Gregory, where the sisters Rosalina and Gertrudes Carlota were born.
These two ladies, sweet women at the Court, were forced to leave the post soon after the assassination of King Carlos. Given the situation, Gertrudes and Rosalina decided to return to their homeland and began selling the famous sweets next to the Thermal Hospital in Caldas da Rainha.


Regional Dishes:

Lagoon Eel Stew
Cod Golden
Portuguese stew

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