For Portuguese people Aljubarrota conjures up a fierce sense of national pride, a 1385 battle where they defied the odds to defeat the Castilian force and established the foundations for the Portuguese golden age. The entry fee to the modern interpretation centre here, 3km south of Batalha, might seem steep until you see the multimedia show, a no-expenses-spared blood-and-thunder half-hour medieval epic (showing at 11.30am, 3pm and 4.30pm, audio guide €3) that brings the whole thing to vivid life.
The display on bones is also fascinating – one skull still has the tip of an arrowhead in it. The battlefield itself is freely accessible and has some English explanations, but to really understand what went on here, you'll want the audio guide from the interpretation centre. It's available in eight languages.
