Atalaia

Atalaia is a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Nova da Barquinha, in the Santarém district. The name means watchtower or lookout post, derived from the Arabic term for a military observation point. Settlements bearing this name across Portugal and Spain typically occupy elevated positions used for surveillance of the surrounding terrain, and this Atalaia is no exception, sitting on the plateau edge above the Tagus valley.

The village has a traditional whitewashed character with a parish church and compact historic centre. The elevated position above the river corridor gives it commanding views over the floodplain.

On the Camino Português, Atalaia lies on the inland route approaching Tomar, in the transition zone between the Tagus plain and the more broken terrain of the Tomar-Nabão corridor.