Exploring Portugal: Vila do Conde

It was a Saturday in mid-December 2010 and I had just woken up early. But when I opened the curtains and saw the sun, I decided to get up and make the most of the day. I was going to go somewhere. The question, as always, was where. Not wanting to go too far afield, I caught the 10:34 train to Porto Campanhã and then the metro to Vila do Conde, where I was disappointed to note it wasn't sunny.

I quickly located the river, but it was the sea I was after. Fifteen minutes later, I reached the beach. It was gorgeous – almost deserted with long stretches of sand leading to waves crashing against the rocks. I spent an hour or so walking along it and picking up shells and stones before stopping for lunch at the beachfront café just south of the castle-turned-guesthouse. I could happily have stayed there just watching the waves rising and falling...


Deserted December beach



Watching the waves crash against the rocks



Surf's up



Stormy seas

An expanse of empty beach

One last look

After lunch, I walked back along the beach, taking one last photo and one last longing look before heading back to town. In town I located the Igreja Matriz, a large and, to my eyes at least, fairly unremarkable church. I walked along the riverfront to photograph the Moorish chapel and the replica boat.

 

Fishing boat on the River Ave

From there, I went in search of the viewing point behind the old convent. The treat was not the view of the town but rather the glorious and still intact Roman aqueduct with its endless arches stretching into the horizon. Having taken several shots of the aqueduct and with the evening setting in, I made my way slowly back to Santa Clara metro station just in time to get the metro to Porto, from where it was a long, slow train ride back to Braga...

The aqueduct on a winter's afternoon

Exploring Portugal: Foz do Douro

For a person who can't swim (sad but true), I have no idea why I am so drawn to water. But I am. I can't help it. I love the sea. Just seeing it makes me happy. Even thinking about it makes me happy! And so when I discovered that there was a beach just a stone's throw away from the centre of Porto, I was sold.

Along with the iconic Ponte Dom Luís I and the port wine industry that takes its name from the city, Porto is known for its old-fashioned trams. The #1 tram links Infante with Passeio Alegre, the closest tram stop to Foz do Douro. The line dates back to 1872, and it was the first tram line in Porto. Of course, the trams were horse-drawn then, but still.

One of Porto's old-fashioned trams

A mere €2.50 (£2/US$3) got me a one-way trip to the end of the line, from where it was a short walk to the seafront. Halfway along Avenida Dom Carlos I, where the River Douro flows into the Atlantic Ocean, there was a group of fishermen standing lines cast, patiently waiting...


Fishermen

Being November, the Atlantic Ocean was quite wild, and I spent an enjoyable couple of hours walking along the promenade and watching the waves crash on the shore and the rocks.

Waves crashing against the rocks

The view from Praia dos Carneiros



Seagull on the seafront

I loved the sound and the smell of the sea. I loved seeing the seagulls duck and dive, loved watching the fishermen sit patiently waiting for a bite. And, as always, it reinforced my desire to one day live near the sea.

Exploring Portugal: Guimarães

Known as Cidade Berço (the cradle city), Guimarães is considered to be the birthplace of the Portuguese nationality. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and with a castle that's one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, the city was high on my list of places to visit. Little wonder then that it was one of my earliest day trips.

The history of Guimarães can be traced back to the ninth century when it was known as Vimaranis, after Vímara Peres. A vassal of King Alfonso III of Asturias (r. 866-910), Peres was awarded the title of the first Count of Portucale (r. 868-873) following the reconquest of the lands north of the Douro. He chose the city for the main Government seat, and thus it became the country's first capital, although Portugal didn't get its independence until the 12th century.


Statue of Afonso I, Count of Portugal (r. 1129-1139) and first King of Portugal (r. 1139-1185)

One of the first things we came across was Paço Dos Duques De Bragança (The Ducal Palace of the Bragança), which was built in the 15th century by Afonso, first Duke of Bragança (t. 1442-1461). The illegitimate son of King João I of Portugal (r. 1385-1433), Afonso would go on to start the House of Bragança, Portugal's wealthiest and most powerful dynasty.

The palace, however, was to be abandoned and left to fall into ruin. It wasn't used again until the 19th century, when its remains were turned into a military barracks. Finally, in the 20th century, it was rebuilt, and is now a museum.

The reconstructed Ducal Palace of the Bragança

Archway leading to a courtyard

I must confess to not having visited the museum. It was a gorgeous day, you see, and I wanted to see Castelo de Guimarães, a 10th century castle built to defend the city from Moorish and Norman attacks. We spent an hour or so exploring the castle, before slowly making our way into the heart of the old town for lunch.

One of the Seven Wonders of Portugal

Rising from the rocks

 

Walking the castle walls

Autumnal countryside



Wooden footbridge



Entering the tower

Sabores de Oliveira, just inside the Largo de Oliveira was a find. Comprising soup, main, dessert, coffee and drinks, the set menu was a steal at a mere €8.50 (£6.70/US$10.50) per person. In a welcome change from bacalhau com natas, the dish of the day was robalo grelhado (grilled rock bass) with new potatoes and a spinach-like vegetable, and my God, it was good!

Grilled rock bass with potatoes and greens

Hungry though I was, I looked up from my lunch just long enough to take in the view, which happened to be of a rather lovely church, Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Olivas (Church of Our Lady of the Olive Tree).


Perfect lunch view


After lunch we followed our feet and came across yet another church, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Consolação e dos Santos Passos, with a long manicured garden in front of it. We spent quite a while trying to capture the view. By this time the sun was fading and the temperature had dropped so after a quick look inside the church, we made our way back to the bus station, just in time to miss the bus! Fortunately, it wasn't the last bus, and an hour later, we were on our way home...


The stunning lead up to the church

 
As soon as I heard about Guimarães, I had wanted to visit, and it didn't disappoint. From the castle to the narrow streets, the sunny squares and the convent, it was like stepping back in time. The plan was always to go back, but I never did. There were just too many other places on my list...

Exploring Portugal... Lisbon #1

From the moment I knew I was going to be living in Portugal, I started compiling a list of places I wanted to visit. Top of the list was Lisbon. My new colleague (and flatmate) felt the same way, so that's where we went for our first long weekend.

On arrival, we were disappointed to be greeted by grey skies. And, as we got lost in the Alfama district looking for our hostel, the heavens opened. Our shoes were not made for walking on wet cobbles, and by the time we reached the hostel, we were cold, damp and grumpy. Nonetheless, with the rain having cleared, we went out for a wander and then treated ourselves to an expensive but delicious dinner in Chapitô à Mesa (Rua Costa do Castelo, 7), a gorgeous little restaurant at Lisbon's circus school (!) offering panoramic views of the city. After dinner, at my colleague's request, we went to the Bairro Alto, the city's famous bar area, in search of drinks and dancing...

The next day, we woke up to see the bluest of blue skies. They wouldn't last of course, but we didn't know it then. Excited, we tumbled out of the hostel, and made our way to the tram stop, because if there's one thing you must do in Lisbon, it's catching the iconic #28 tram.

Typical street in the Alfama district

  

We didn't have long to wait and before we knew it we were in Largo do Chiado, a large square I recognised from the night before as it was situated right at the bottom of the Bairro Alto.

Monument to Portugal's greatest poet, Luís de Camões (1524-1580)

The tram in Largo do Chiado

Our wanderings took took us to Cais do Sodré on the riverfront, where the skies became cloudy. We walked along the front until we reached Praça do Comércio, a huge river-facing square with a statue of King Dom José I (r. 1750-1777), who was the ruling king at the time of 1775 earthquake, tsunami and fire that destroyed most of Lisbon. Under him, the city was completely rebuilt, including the square in which his statue now stands.


Cais do Sodré

Looking towards the Tagus



Praça do Comércio



King Dom José I (r. 1750-1777) and his horse



The archway in Praça do Comércio leading to Chiado

 

An obvious stop was Sé de Lisboa (Lisbon cathedral), which is reminiscent of the slightly older Sé do Porto (Porto cathedral). Construction started in 1147, but over the years, the cathedral was modified. Consequently, it is a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles.

 

The façade



Inside the cathedral



Beautiful rose window

Lisbon is full of miradouros (viewpoints), one of the most accessible being Miradouro das Portas do Sol, which offers stunning views across the Tagus. The Miradouro de Santa Luzia was also worth a look, although I ended up taking fewer photos of the view and more of the flowers and coordinating jacket!

A hint of what's to come

Lisbon's skyline



In the pink

One of the things that surprised me about Lisbon was how Olde Worlde and village-like parts of it felt. From the iconic trams to the quaint shopfronts and old cars, I saw things that seemed incongruous with a capital city.

Old shopfront



Cute shop



Old car, old street



There didn't appear to be urinal here, making me wonder if you were supposed to use the wall



Capital city or country cottage?



The #28 tram climbing a hill

On our last day, we caught a bus from Estação de Santa Apolónia to Estação do Oriente, an impressive train station designed by Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava (1951- ). With 75 million passengers a year, the station is as busy as Grand Central Station in New York!

Inside Estação do Oriente

Aesthetically-pleasing lines

Looking down the tracks

It was a short walk from the station to Oceanário de Lisboa. Despite not being an aquarium-lover, Europe's second-largest aquarium did not disappoint, mainly because a frolicsome sea otter stole my heart. I could have watched him playing forever...

The gorgeous sea otter

 

Somehow, my colleague managed to drag me away from the otter and around the aquarium, after which we took a ride on an overpriced cable car. It was almost €4 (£3/US$5) for a VERY short one-way trip, which deposited us at Torre de Vasco da Gama, a 145 m (475 ft) lattice tower then being turned into a five-star hotel. Following a quick lunch, we caught the train back to Braga.

The cable car

Last look at Lisbon

Our two days in Lisbon flew by. I would have liked to have done a bit more sightseeing but, as so often happened, I found myself deferring (resentfully) to my companion's wishes. So once back in Braga, I immediately booked a return trip... alone.