The Sanctuary of Fatima is, par excellence, a place of Christian pilgrimage and Catholic devotion, preserving the memory of the events that led to its founding, namely the apparitions of Our Lady to the three little shepherds - Lúcia dos Santos, Francisco and Jacinta Marto - in 1917. Its magnitude and relevance from the religious point of view has long been widely recognised nationally and internationally. By express will of the Holy Apostolic See, this is a National Shrine. It is also one of the most important Marian shrines in the world belonging to the Catholic Church and the largest international religious tourism destination, receiving around six million visitors a year. It was distinguished with three papal gold roses and visited by the Popes: Paul VI (1967), John Paul II (1982, 1991 and 2000), Benedict XVI (2010) and Francisco (2017).

In 1971, two hunters chased a fox that took refuge in an algar in the middle of the forest. They entered and as they traversed its interior they realised its beauty, with galleries full of numerous calcareous formations. They discovered the Caves of the Coin (Grutas da Moeda). The cave has a visitable extension of 350 metres and a depth of 45 metres below the entrance level. The temperature is around 18°C, constant throughout the year, making it easy to visit by everyone.