Camping São Pedro de Moel

So… beaches? Excellent idea. Once you’ve pottered about on the beach by the site, and the one by the village, set off north to Pedras Negras beach (five minutes’ drive) or head south to the sweeping sands of Paredes da Victória beach (10 minutes). Intrepid surfing types, grab your boards and scoot down to Nazaré (25 minutes), where the waves hit such heights they frequently host big wave competitions. For a different way to take in the coast, wander along to the pretty Farol de São Pedro de Moel (10 minutes’ walk) or take a stroll or bike ride through the Pinhal de Leiria forest just behind the site. If you get as far as Marinha Grande, 10 kilometres away, drop in to the glass museum to see the colourful bits gathered there. Want to break up the coastal antics with a bit of city time? Head up to Coimbra (an hour’s drive) or down to Lisbon (an hour and a half) – both are fine picks for history, culture and plenty of tasty food.