Things to do in Caldas da Rainha

38 activities, venues and outings in Caldas da Rainha, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Photo: Dipl. Ing. Guido Grassow, Public domain

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Caldas Sport Clube
Football (soccer) is the leading sport for participants and spectators in Portugal. Come cheer the local team. Once in the top division, Caldas nowadays plays in Portugal's third division, confusingly called Campeonato de Portugal. The club celebrated its centennial in 2016.
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Lagoa de Óbidos
Óbidos Lagoon
Lagoa de Óbidos is situated between Caldas da Rainha (Foz do Arelho and Nadadouro civil parishes) and Óbidos (Vau and Santa Maria civil parishes). The lagoon flows into the Atlantic Ocean. It offers many aquatic activities, including sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, rowing, kiteboarding, jet-skiing, waterskiing, stand-up paddling. The beaches on the shore offer opportunities for swimming, sunbathing, and making sandcastles.
Do Not mapped
Federação Portuguesa de Badminton
Portuguese Badminton Federation
Whether you're a participant or a spectator, Caldas is the destination in Portugal for badminton. The country's governing body is located here, as is its high-performance sports centre (training and competition venue). It hosts national and international championships.
DoBowling alley
Bowling Caldas
Ten lanes of bowling plus snooker, video games, and Thursday karaoke. The restaurant's menu includes salads, omelets, fish, meat, pizza, pasta, and a kids' menu. Beverages include coffee, soda, milkshakes, hot chocolate, beer, wine, and liquor. Bowl. Eat. Drink. Repeat.
Wed–Mon 11:00–00:00 (closed Tue)M W Th EUR 4/game, F–Su & holidays EUR 4.50/game
DoLive music venue
Caldas Anima
The city holds numerous events under the Caldas Anima banner: magic, theatre, circus, music, film, festivals, and fairs.
Jul–Aug
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Praça de Touros
Bullring
Controversial among even the Portuguese themselves, bullfighting continues to be a somewhat popular spectator sport in this country. The bullring in Caldas hosts several bullfights each year. As a minor consolation, in Portugal the bull is not killed in the ring within the sight of spectators. This 3,250-seat arena, inaugurated 13 June 1883, also hosts concerts and other spectacles.
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Caldas Rugby Clube
Rugby is not as popular as football (soccer) in Portugal, but the country manages to field an active league. Caldas plays in the league's second tier.
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Centro Cultural e de Congressos
CCC, Cultural and Conference Centre
The main performing arts centre in Caldas da Rainha hosts music, theatre, film, and dance events, as well as conferences and exhibitions. The centre has a café called Momentos (Moments).
Information & ticket booth: Mon Tue 10:00–13:00 & 14:00–18:00, Wed–Fri 10:00–13:00 & 14:00–21:00, Sat & holidays 15:00–18:00; cinema days: 2 hr before film–end of film; night shows: 15:00–end of performance; afternoon shows: 10:00–13:00, opens 2 hr before performance
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World Press Cartoon
Annual press cartoon contest, featuring caricature, editorial, and gag entries.
Late May–Late Aug
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Expoeste
Caldas da Rainha's main exhibition centre hosts a variety of events including car shows, bridal expos, animal exhibitions, toy fairs, and holiday celebrations.
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Escola de Vela da Lagoa de Óbidos
Óbidos Lagoon Sail School
Learn canoeing, windsurfing, catamaran, kitesurfing, SUP/paddle board, surfing, foiling, wing foil, and optimist (small, single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by children up to the age of 15) on Óbidos Lagoon. They offer courses, group lessons, private lessons, and team building. They rent equipment and will assist with accommodation and gear storage and repair. Their bar offers beverages and light meals.
10:00–sunset, Sep & May closed Tue, Oct–Mar closed Tue–Thu, Apr closed Tue Wed
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Infinite Roll
Infinite Roll is a board game club and shop. They also have card games and roleplaying games. They host game nights, tournaments, live streams and events. This is the destination for geek culture.
Tue–Fri 15:30–20:00, Sat 15:00–20:00 & 21:00–00:00, closed Sun Mon
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Skate Parque
Skatepark
Concrete ramps and metal rails to practice skateboard and bike tricks.
24 hours dailyFree
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Federação Portuguesa De Pentatlo Moderno
Portuguese Modern Pentathlon Federation
Caldas is home to the Portuguese Modern Pentathlon Federation, and the city hosts some events, including the 2021 European U17 & U19 Youth Championships (28 Aug–5 Sep).
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Praias de Foz do Arelho
Foz do Arelho beaches
Foz do Arelho has the two closest beaches to Caldas da Rainha, about 10 km NW of the city centre. One faces the Atlantic Ocean (Praia do Mar), and other is on the calmer Lagoa de Óbidos (Foz do Arelho–Lagoa). They are connected by a narrow channel. These beaches are popular with both Caldenses and visitors. Both beaches have earned the coveted Blue Flag (Bandeira Azul). The criteria for Blue Flag beaches cover four main areas: water quality; environmental information and education; environmental management; and safety and services.
Free
DoCinema
Cineplace La Vie
formerly Vivacine at Vivaci
This is the only full-time cinema in Caldas.
Opens 15:00, closes after last sessionTu–Su standard tickets EUR 6.70; seniors, students, and youths EUR 5.80; M all tickets EUR 5.70; 3D ticket +EUR 1.50, 3D glasses +EUR 1
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Praia de Salir do Porto
Salir do Porto Beach
The calm waters of this riverside beach near an enclosed bay make Salir do Porto a popular beach destination for families with young children.
Free
Do Not mapped
Caldas Late Night
Caldas Late Night is a three-day celebration of music, art, performance, multimedia, and design. It's been organised annually by students of Escola Superior de Artes e Design (ESAD, school of art & design) since 1992.
Late May–early June 15:00–00:00Free
Do Not mapped
Caldas Street Food Festival
Annual street food festival. Come enjoy some delicious grub al fresco and in the shadow of the city's gigantic Christmas tree.
Early Dec
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Carnaval
Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday
Traditionally, Carnaval celebrated one last hurrah with a huge party before the long Lenten season of repentance that precedes Easter, Christianity's most important holiday. Nowadays, Carnaval in Portugal takes on a more secular aspect, with less attention paid to religion. Festivities begin several days before, with a party for senior citizens and a children's parade. Celebrations culminate in a grand parade with costumed revelers and floats along Avenida Primeiro de Maio, the wide avenue that connects the railway station to the city hall. Young and old dress up, some preferring to make a political statement, others honouring the latest Marvel superhero or Disney princess, or dressing as fruits and vegetables.
Moveable feast based on the date of Easter; Feb or early Mar
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Expotur - Festa de Verão / Tasquinhas
Summer Festival / Food Stands
An annual 10-day celebration of summer at the Expoeste exhibition centre. Visitors can taste foods from communities throughout the municipality and watch folk dancers in traditional costumes. There are exhibits of handicrafts and ethnography.
Early to mid-AugFree admission
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FALU–Festival Artístico de Linguagens Urbanas
Artistic Festival of Urban Languages
This urban arts festival runs throughout the city during the summer. In its first year (2020), six murals were created on buildings throughout the city. Like much in Caldas, the festival's name is a double entendre. It sounds like the Portuguese words for both "I speak" and "phallus".
Summer, with capstone in Oct
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Festas da Cidade
Feriado Municipal, Municipal Holiday
Caldas da Rainha celebrates itself with an annual municipal holiday. Music, fireworks, the presentation of medals of merit, and the inauguration of civic works mark the occasion. Associated events are held throughout the month.
15 May
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Festival Internacional Caldas Nice Jazz
Caldas Nice Jazz, an international music festival, features concerts both at the Cultural and Conference Centre (CCC) and at other venues in the city, including outdoors.
Late Oct–early NovEUR 10-15/concert; students & seniors EUR 7.50-12.50/concert; all 4 concerts at CCC: EUR 40 (plus free CD); various free concerts
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Frutos, Feira Nacional de Hortofruticultura
National Fruit and Horticulture Fair
Caldas celebrates fruits in the park. Food and drink abound. Musical entertainment nightly at 22:00. There will be 200 exhibitors and over a dozen restaurants, bars, wineries, traditional Portuguese smoked meats and charcuterie. There will also be entertainment throughout the city during this event.
Late Aug. Mon–Thu 17:00–24:00, Fri 17:00–01:00, Sat 15:00–01:00, Sun 15:00–24:00Concerts EUR 3-5; 10-day tickets EUR 15; children under 12 free
Do Not mapped
Natal
Christmas
Caldas da Rainha does not take Christmastime lightly. Decorations and lights can be found in abundance. The main (artificial) tree is found at Praça 25 de Abril. This site includes a large, illuminated "Caldas da Rainha" sign, perfect for selfies and pics. Nearly 50 city streets and squares are strung with lights and various iconic buildings are lit up. Check out the festive store windows decorated to compete for a prize from the local chamber of commerce. Roving bands and musicians delight the populace and visitors with holiday melodies.
25 Dec, with associated events throughout the month
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Ano Novo
New Year's Eve
Welcome the new year with music and fireworks in the city's main square.
Dec 31–Jan 1Free
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Assunção de Nossa Senhora
Assumption of Our Lady
Caldenses celebrate this late-summer national/Catholic holiday with a fair that has lots of food and rides. The city also holds a bullfight on this day.
15 Aug
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Cycling
Caldas municipality has over 22 km of bicycle paths, along five routes. These include an 8 km portion of Estrada Atlântica (Atlantic Road), which goes through other municipalities for a total length of 62 km: Alcobaça, Marinha Grande, Leiria, and Pombal.
Do Not mapped
Festival Ofélia – Festival de Teatro e Artes Performativas
Festival of Theatre and Performing Arts
Theatre students from the Escola Superior de Arte e Design (arts and design school), along with students from other Portuguese and international schools, celebrate the performing arts. Since its first edition in 2011, the audiences have grown ever larger.
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Indoor Karting Caldas da Rainha
Indoor go-karting on a 315 m track.
Thu–Tue 16:00–22:30, closed Mon10 min EUR 12, 15 min EUR 17, 20 min EUR 20, 30 min EUR 30
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Teatro da Rainha
Queen's Theatre
This theatre troupe puts on several productions each year.
Do Not mapped
Oeste Lusitano
Come see the pure-blood Lusitano horses at this exhibition.
Late May
DoHot springs
Termas das Caldas da Rainha
Largo Rainha Dona Leonor
DoAmusement park
Pé no Ar
Rua António Oliveira 40b
DoPark
Parqueatelier Cerâmica E Artes
Rua General Queirós 47
DoMarina
Cais de Embarque
DoPark
Quinta da Boneca

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Caldas da Rainha (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps.