132km (82 miles) N of Lisbon; 13km (8 miles) NW of Alcobaça

The inhabitants of Portugal's most famous fishing village live in a unique, tradition-bound world that tourists threaten to overthrow. Many residents have never left their village, except perhaps to make the pilgrimage to nearby Fátima. The people remain insular, even as their village blossoms into a big summer resort.

Nazaré is probably best experienced in the off-season; chances are that you won't really get to see it in summer. You'll be too busy looking for a parking place (good luck) or elbowing your way onto the beach. The crowds who come to visit the "most picturesque fishing village in Portugal," coupled with widespread high-rise construction, have made people wonder what happened to the fishing village. Amazingly, it's still here -- you just have to look for it.