ROC2C

De Leiria Leiria is a growing modern city on the banks of the Liz River. With a hilltop castle, an inviting old quarter, and good transportation links, it is a good place to stay for those who also want to explore Nazaré , Fátima , or the abbeys of Batalha and Alcobaça . The imposing castle can be seen from any point in town. In the 14th century it served as a summer royal palace for King Dinis and his queen, and included a Gothic church now in ruins. Parts of the interior are frequently used for exhibitions, and from the Gothic arches of an elegant arched balcony there's a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings. In the old town, easily reached on foot from the castle, there are some attractive 16th and 17th century buildings, and a plain Renaissance church that is the city's 16th century cathedral with an elegant vaulted nave inside. A good place to rest is Rodrigues Lobo Square with some fine arcaded buildings and shops. The narrow streets from the nearby Candi...

Something radical is happening in golf resort planning: KEVIN O'CONNOR visits a development in northern Portugal designed by 23 European starchitects FUSING “art and nature” was the demanding challenge given to architects designing Bom Sucesso, a resort about 50kms north of Lisbon – but the result is visually remarkable. For art, read architecture and for nature read the coastline washed by Atlantic breakers. That’s the setting for a development of villas and townhouses designed by teams of Europe’s leading architects, each a prizewinner for previous work and each willing to mesh with others’ ideas to deliver the resort known as Bom Sucesso – the good success. The architects include Portugal ’s Álvaro Siza Viera, who has just won Britain’s top architectural prize, the RIBA gold medal for 2009; Manuel Aires Mateus, who is designing the hotel in Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock; and David Chipperfield, one of the UK’s internationally best known architects. The i...