The hilltop town of Leiria, Portugal, is crowned by an excellent 12th-century castle. The castle, however, looks better from a distance, where the cables and floodlights used to illuminate it at night are not visible.
Leiria, located 45 mi/70 km south of Coimbra, is an industrial city, but it remembers its folklore traditions. Recent urban development has created an attractive riverside area and there are plenty of squares, the liveliest of which is Praca Francisco Rodrigues Lobo, also used for cultural events.
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