By the time we started the monastery tour, all luncheon lamentations had been forgotten, for we were completely mesmerized by the grandeur of the Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça. From the outside, the structure certainly looks somber and austere, but inside is a treasure throve of architectural surprises. The church was founded by the first Portuguese king, Alfonso Henriques in 1153. This, and the adjacent monastery, were the first Gothic structures in Portugal. The churc

It was past two o’clock in the afternoon when we arrived in Alcobaça, a city in central Portugal that sprouted along the banks of the Alcoa and Baca Rivers, from which it derives its name. We were there to visit its famous church and monastery. By that time, all of us were famished and could think of nothing but food. Our Tour Director walked with us to the square facing the monastery. The short trek from the parking lot took us through winding cobbled alleys, where we were g