I visited the monastery of Batalha on the 12th of oct.,2024.

The day before I had visited the monastery in Alcobaca which had surprised me very positively with its elegant simplicity. A true jewel.Therefore my expectations were quite high when I entered the monastery in Batalha.

I had reached Batalha the previous evening and after checking in at my hotel, I had immediately gone to the monastery to circle it completely twice in the dark and also have a beer in a bar right next to the monastery.

The monastery looked quite promising from the outside, especially its wide main entrace portico. I entered the church exactly when it opened at 9.00. A big group with its guide also entered the church but left it quickly again which made me think that I should follow them as I couldnt find the entrance of the monastery. 

I overtook the group at the last moment so that I didn't have to wait endless minutes at the entrance ticket office. I bought my ticket and hurried to enter the monastery interior because I didn't want the large group to be constantly behind me.

I almost ran into a group of portuguese soldiers who were on the way of honouring the unknown soldier by standing guard every full hour in one of the side room of the royal cloister. I went through all parts of the gothic monastery....the royal cloister...the chapterhouse...the unfinished capella.I spent more or less 45 minutes in the monastery which disappointed me quite a lot. It cant hold a candle to Alcobaca in my humble opinion.Actually,I was quite bored walking through the Batalha monastery. After my visit there I again entered the church(free admission)....had a look at the tombs there(entrance only with ticket).....strolled around the church for 10 minutes and then left the Batalha monastery complex.

A quite underwhelming visit....it didnt meet my high expectations. As for the city of Batalha (the city of Alcobaca offers far more to its visitors) it is also quite boring and not really worth to stay longer than 30 minutes there.

I happily left for Fatima where I stayed for several hours before heading to Tomar,the last one of the three unesco monasteries in Portugal.