Mafra, Portugal

Mafra is a municipality of the Lisbon district (86 515 inhabitants · 292 km²), on the coast north-west of Lisbon. The town of Mafra grew around the palace and convent built from 1717 for King João V, and the village of Ericeira, on the Atlantic shore of the municipality, has a coast classified as a World Surfing Reserve.

The history of Mafra has its own page.

Beaches in Mafra

Mafra has eight bathing areas on the national register, all on the Ericeira coast.

Monuments in Mafra

• Royal Building of Mafra: the palace, basilica, convent, Cerco Garden and hunting park, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019.
• Ericeira: the old fishing village, with its church of São Pedro, its chapels and its museum.
• Forts of the coast: the Milreu and São Lourenço forts, built during the War of Restoration.

Nature in Mafra

• Tapada de Mafra: the royal hunting park of 1744, about 1,187 hectares inside a wall of some 21 kilometres, with deer and wild boar.
• Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre: the wolf sanctuary at Gradil, open since 1987.
• Cerco Garden: the walled Baroque garden beside the palace.

Leisure in Mafra

• Ericeira surf coast: the World Surfing Reserve of about eight kilometres, with reef breaks such as Ribeira d'Ilhas and Coxos.
• Visits: Visiting Mafra covers transport, the sights of the municipality, the beaches and the food.

Parishes of Mafra

• Mafra (20 781 inhabitants · 48 km²): the seat parish, with the town, the Royal Building and the Tapada.
• Azueira e Sobral da Abelheira (4 434 inhabitants · 31 km²)
• Carvoeira (2 848 inhabitants · 8 km²)
• Encarnação (4 918 inhabitants · 29 km²)
• Enxara do Bispo, Gradil e Vila Franca do Rosário (3 979 inhabitants · 32 km²): the inland parish with the Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre at Gradil, and the largest of the municipality by area after the seat.
• Ericeira (12 359 inhabitants · 12 km²): the coastal parish of the fishing village and the surf beaches, the most populous after the seat.
• Igreja Nova e Cheleiros (4 693 inhabitants · 37 km²)
• Malveira e São Miguel de Alcainça (9 647 inhabitants · 17 km²)
• Milharado (7 645 inhabitants · 24 km²)
• Santo Isidoro (4 396 inhabitants · 25 km²)
• Venda do Pinheiro e Santo Estêvão das Galés (10 815 inhabitants · 29 km²)

Guides to Mafra

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Mafra, Portugal

Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent & Hunting Park

Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent & Hunting Park

Tapada de Mafra

Tapada de Mafra

Ericeira Surf Coast

Ericeira Surf Coast

Ericeira

Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre

Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre

History of Mafra

History of Mafra

Visiting Mafra

Visiting Mafra