Situated on the coast of the central region of Portugal, in the district of Leiria, 10km from the ocean, Marinha Grande is implanted in an extensive plain, surrounded by pine trees of pinhal do Rei, also known as Pinhal de Leiria or Mata Nacional de Leiria. This municipality consists of three parishes: Marinha Grande, Vieira de Leiria and Moita.
The sea, pine forest and geological resources existing in the county have for centuries offered raw materials and fuel for different types of industries, including wood sawmill, extraction and processing of resin products, and glass, which formed the basis of the most important economic activities of the municipality, facilitating the establishment and development of various communities and settlements over centuries.
The Pinhal do Rei was explored for hundreds of years, constituting the main source of natural, economic and development resources of the municipality, along with the Royal Glass Factory of the Great Navy which, from 1747, together with the appearance of other factories and industries, motivated the growth of Marinha Grande and were decisive in the evolution of its history, culture, society and economy. The glass industry, the figure of the glassmaker and the Stephens Brothers are therefore a landmark of great importance in the history of the municipality, being part of the collective memory of the Marinhenses.
The importance of Marinha Grande is not based, however, exclusively on its local economy, but also on the natural riches it has, the architectural and historical heritage it has and which are worthy of the attention of its visitors. Currently, Marinha Grande is an important and dynamic industrial center. Manufacturing is the main sector of economic activity, presenting the structure of the industrial sector a significant concentration around three sectors: glass, metal products/ molds and plastics.
An integral part of the municipality of Marinha Grande, Vieira de Leiria is located 14 km from the county seat and 24 km from Leiria, capital of the district. Here you can visit typical restaurants, with fresh fish roasted on the grill, after a day of bathing on the beach. Parish that invites you to a holiday and times with family or friends, does not dispense with your visit, especially if you like to practice extreme sports.
Access to the Marinha Grande can be made from several roads and by the western railway, and is endowed with various services and infrastructure necessary not only for the well-being and convenience of its populations and visitors, but also of the countless people who travel daily to the county to work in various factories.
In gastronomy, the highlight is the glassware soup or the soup of the sea of São Pedro de Moel, the open mackerels, the stew ed, the octopus salad, the rice morcela or the seafood rice. For dessert, accompany the pine nuts with the milk liqueur. The camarinha jam, produced with camarinhas from the Pinhal do Rei, is another ex-libris of local production that you will not be able to dispense with.
Source: Marinha Grande Town Hall