Situated in central Portugal, 29 kilometres southeast of Leiria, Fatima is a small village that was forever changed in 1917 when, according to witnesses, the Virgin Mary appeared several times to three shepherd children. A marble pillar with a statue of Our Lady marks the exact location of her visit, and four million pilgrims make the journey to see it each year. Fatima is now a bustling complex with a vast esplanade book-ended by two large churches. However, it is a welcoming place no matter your religious inclination. Visitors can enjoy tours of the town's Wax Museum, the Museum of Sacred Art, and the Casa-Museu de Aljustrel, along with the splendid surrounding countryside and the multitude of souvenir shops selling everything from rosary beads to glow-in-the-dark statues of the Virgin Mary.