Santarém is the lively capital of Ribatejo: in contrast to Alentejo, vast green plains stretch into the horizon, often flooded by the river Tagus.
The whole region is proud of its tradition of horse and bull-rearing; the bullfights in Santarém are famous as well as its large, annual agricultural fair.
From the Jardim (garden) das Portas do Sol, built where a Moorish castle used to stand and with its gardens surrounded by the city´s medieval walls, the view over the river Tagus and vast meadowlands could well be an emblem of this pleasant district capital of the Ribatejo. Santarém can be proud of its past: an important center during Roman times, it became a stronghold for the Moors and was later favoured by the Portuguese kings for gatherings of the Cortes (parliaments).
In the old town you can visit the Igreja do Seminário, a Baroque church built in 1640 with a painted wooden ceiling and marble and gilt decoration, or the 14th-century Igreja da Graça, with a wonderful window carved from a single stone and which contains the tombstone of Pedro Álvares Cabral, who discovered Brazil.
(taken from: http://viajar.clix.pt/en/dst2016.php)