Centuries ago, Alfeizerão was a land of the Moors, who from the top of the castle walls would defend the estuary that led to the Atlantic. Old illustrations show how the sea used to reach here, and manuscripts record the existence of an ancient port. This was also one of the reasons the Cistercian Monks populated this region and promoted its agricultural development in the 14th century.
Today, only ruins remain of the old Alfeizerão Castle, and there are no vestiges of the sea that retreated to São Martinho do Porto. However, Alfeizerão remains a fertile land, not only in soil that helps local farmers produce some of the best apples and pears in Portugal, but also in authentic traditions that make this village a national icon.
Known especially for its famous "Pão de Ló", today it is still a tradition for Portuguese families to detour from the A8 motorway purposely to visit one of the local pastry shops and taste a delicious slice of this famous sponge cake, with its characteristic creamy centre.
In the green fields surrounding the village, you can breathe fresh air while hearing the occasional seagull in the distance, as the beach is only a few minutes away. But this is merely one of the reasons why so many people enjoy living in Alfeizerão! Here you will find supermarkets, banks, pharmacy, cafés, a health centre, shops, a school and even a monthly outdoor market where you can buy everything from cheese to traditional handicrafts. At the Mercado Municipal of Alfeizerão, which only closes on Mondays, you are spoilt with a choice of fruits and vegetables from local producers, flowers, a butcher shop, and even fresh fish sold with a smile by D. Júlia!
