Spotlight on Portugal

Portugal lies on the on the western most edge of mainland Europe bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain. (Today far out in the Atlantic lie two archipelagos – Madeira and the Azores – both self-governing regions of Portugal.) Portugal is one of Anna Hyman’s favourite destinations.

When my mind’s eye turns to Portugal it sees many things: custard tarts, olive trees, beaches, blue and white tiles, glasses of wine and port, white buildings against a blue sky, friendly people, fado singers, tiny fishing villages, hill top castles.

However, probably my strongest image is that of a statue. It stands imposingly on the bank of the River Tagus at Lisbon. It shows Henry the Navigator standing proudly in the prow of a three-master holding a small ship in his hands. Behind him a row of some of Portugal’s important men, and one woman, who have played a significant role in the country’s history. The statue, erected in 1960, commemorates the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry who played such a monumental role in Portugal’s Age of Discoveries.

History

Portugal’s history goes back thousands of years. It was occupied by the likes of the Celts and the Romans, by Germanic tribes and Moorish invaders long before establishing itself as a kingdom about 1139.

The Age of Discoveries (early 15th to 17th century) was Portugal’s Golden Age: the country was ideally positioned for the fleets of small ships which sailed into uncharted waters in search of new lands and riches. It built up a global empire covering such far flung destinations as Africa, Asia and South America. Its empire spanned nearly 600 years; and to this day Portuguese remains the official language of many countries and some 250 million people. Further it has left a legacy in those countries of food, architecture and traditions.

But in the 19th century following Napoleon’s 1807 invasion and the loss of Brazil a few years later Portugal’s economy hit hard times culminating in a revolution in 1910 which deposed the monarchy. However, the new republic was not popular and several decades of upheaval and unrest ensued especially the years under the regime and dictatorship of Salazar. But on 25 April 1974 the Carnation Revolution took place, so named because of the carnations inserted into gun barrels, when the people erupted onto the street to show their support of a coup staged by the army. Since then Portugal became a democracy and in 1986, entered the European Economic Community.

Portugal is England’s oldest ally. The close alliance between England and Portugal began in 1147. But it was formally ratified in May 1386 by the Treaty of Windsor. It has never been revoked.

It is a small country, but it packs an amazing diversity into its borders. In the south there is the popular holiday area of the Algarve; there is the flat, fertile flood plain of the river Tagus; further north the steep, terraced vineyards on the banks of the River Douro; and further north still the more rural area of Mino and Trás-os-Montes. Each has its own personality, culture and traditions; and each with enthralling, historic towns and stories to tell.

Lisbon (and Coast)

Lisbon, like Rome, is built on seven hills, each hill seeming to have its own identity, and each offering splendid views.

During the Age of Discoveries Lisbon became wealthy through the trading of precious metals and stones, spices and silks. But disaster struck on 1 November 1755 (All Saints Day) when a massive earthquake followed by further shocks and tsunamis virtually destroyed the city. Thousands of people in Lisbon alone lost their lives.

Consequently the city centre (today’s Baixa) with its elegant buildings and grid-system streets dates chiefly from the 18th century. At its heart the busy square of Dom Pedro IV, but arguably the city’s most magnificent square is the Praça do Comercio – look out for Lisbon’s South Station with its azulejos – painted ceramic tiles. Further afield, spared from the earthquake, are the quaint narrow streets of the Alfama district. Take one of the bone-jolting vintage yellow trams (28 or 12) up the narrow, winding streets to the Castelo de Sao Jorge on the top of the hill.

If time is limited try and include the Baixa, Alfama and Belem districts. Lisbon’s magnificent cathedral is in the Alfama as is the Museum of Decorative Arts.

My personal favourite district has to be Belém – the district from which those little ships sailed to discover distant lands. Visit the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos famous for its elaborate and ornate Manueline architecture; the Torre de Belém – even more imposing at night. For a sheer indulgent foody experience call in at the Antiga Confeitaria de Belém for a coffee and a pastéis de Belém (rich, smooth, delicious custard set in a flaky pastry case) or two.

Lively by day Lisbon is also lively by night. If Fado is your thing there are many cafes and restaurants where singers sing their hearts out with tales of unrequited love, of sorrow and of longing well into the early hours.

Algarve

It’s probably true to say that the most popular holiday region in Portugal is the Algarve. With its mild-all-year-round climate, glorious beaches, golf courses, brightly painted fishing boats, orange groves and quaint inland villages it’s hardly surprising. Of course with the arrival of tourism so have appeared modern hotels and complexes – not always to the best design or to everybody’s liking. However, there are still many unspoiled resorts and beaches. Hire a car and set off along the coast in search of uncrowded beaches, or go inland to picturesque villages and small towns.

Head up into the Serra de Monchique to Monchique, a small market town that offers glorious views across meadows, orchards and woodlands; not forgetting close by Caldas de Monchique famous for its hot, sulphurous springs and medronheira, the local throat numbing firewater. Take one of the back roads to the west (carefully avoiding the occasional donkey cart) that winds its way through meadows knee-deep in flowers in springtime to the sand dunes of the west coast and have lunch in one of the small beach cafes. After lunch continue along the coast to Cabo de Săo Vicente.

Hundreds of years ago Cabo de Săo Vicente (Cape of St Vincent) was considered to be the end of the world. And to stand on top of those high, windswept cliffs looking out to sea it is not hard to understand why. There’s not much to do or see here apart from the lighthouse (not open to the public) other than marvel at the courage of those early sailors who rounded the cape and sailed into the unknown not knowing whether they would ever see their homeland again. The beam of the lighthouse can be seen 60 miles out at sea.

Further east along the coast is the attractive and bustling town of Lagos. Once capital of the Algarve it also played an important role in days of the Discoveries. A statue of Prince Henry dominates the square by the water front and in the square, now home to exhibitions, is the Mercado De Escravos – a former slave market.

Shoes, Sardines and Silves

It has to be said that Portimão is not the most beautiful of towns but it is full of character, to say nothing of a wide variety of shops, many of them selling leather goods including shoes! It is also famous for its sardine restaurants: a lunch of fresh, grilled sardines with salad, boiled potatoes and a glass of crisp white wine at one of the waterfront restaurants – perfect. In August, dates vary, Portimão holds a sardine festival.

Old fishing villages and new resorts

Albufeira’s history dates back well before Roman times. Today it is one of the major tourist centres of the Algarve with all kinds of attractions for holidaymakers, including a lively night life. But at its heart glimpses of the old fishing village are still visible and a few of the colourful fishing boats can still be seen on the Praia dos Pescadores.

The little fishing village of Carvoerio has all but vanished under villa developments. But just a mile or so away at Algar Seco the sea has carved into the sandstone cliffs creating arches, caves, whirlpools and weird and wonderful rock formations.

Vilamoura is the place to be for anybody looking for four golf courses, several tennis courts, a vast marina, water sports and a riding school on their doorstep. The huge resort began life in the 1970s and is famed for its lively nightlife. Yet it too has an historic past – on its doorstep the Roman ruins of a settlement – Cerro da Villa – with a bath complex, houses and mosaics.
Faro is an attractive city that dates back centuries but it was badly damaged in the 1755 earthquake so apart from the old city walls today’s city dates chiefly from the 18th and 19th centuries. Entrance to the old city is through the impressive archway Arco da Vila. Visit the cathedral, climb the belfry of Miradouro da Santo António for the terrific views, tour the Museu Municipal, and linger beneath the orange trees in the Largo da Sé to watch the world go by. Every now and again glance up at the city towers – many of them sport storks’ nests.
Heading further east towards Spain is the pretty town of Tavira on the estuary of the Gilào river with its Roman bridge and Moorish walls. Apart from white washed buildings and many churches the town hosts a lively market on the river bank.

It’s hard to pull one’s self away from the Algarve coast. But try. Inland Algarve offers many rewards. Not least the scenery and glimpses of a way of life that has long been forgotten. Plus there are delightful small towns such as Estói, Silves, Loulé, Alte and Almancil all steeped in history and well worth a visit.

Alentejo

Between the Algarve and the river Tagus lies the vast Alentejo region made colourful with silvered olive trees, the green of the cork trees, golden wheat, red soil and the blue and white buildings. Big spaces under a big sky.

It was the Romans who created the irrigation systems and the huge estate farms to grow grain, some of the farms still exist to this day. Cork and olive trees pepper vast plains and the region is also noted for its fine wines. To the east lies the Spanish border and to the west glorious unspoilt beaches.

Beach lovers should head for Vila Nova de Milfontes where the Mira river flows into the sea or make for Zambujeira do Mar noted for its white sands. The coastal city of Sines was the birthplace of Vasco da Gama and away from its industrial area are attractive beaches such as that at Porto Covo, or the beaches of the two lagoons.

For a holiday with a difference leave the car behind and set off to walk parts of the Rota Vicenta. It totals some 340 km and is a path along the south west coast of Portugal starting from the city of Cantiago do Cacém. It leads through some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable taking in the beautiful coastline and quaint inland towns and villages all the way to the Cape of St Vincent. www.rotavicentina.com

Towns oozing history

The region’s Moorish past is much in evidence: visit Serpa, Moura, Viana do Alentejo, Montemor-o-Novo. There is also Santiago do Cacém, with its Moorish castle from whose walls are terrific views of the surrounding countryside, plus elegant 18th century houses homes of wealthy estate owners trying to find relief from the heat of the plains.

Anybody interested in history should head towards the Spanish border and the small town of Mértola. Climb up the cobbled streets to the medieval castle before exploring the museums stuffed with artefacts from Rome and Islam. Thanks to its location on the confluence of two rivers used for trading by the Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Christians the town is awash with history.

Beja was a regional capital under Julius Caesar and is still a regional capital today. It has been fought over many times, the most recent in 1962 in the days of Salazar when General Delgado led an unsuccessful army uprising. It is an important centre for the local produce of corks, olives and wheat. Beja is also famous for the ‘Nun’s Letters’. The nun in question, Mariana Alcoforado, was said to have written five rather passionate love letters to her French lover after he deserted her. The authorship of the letters is in doubt but visitors to the Convent of Nossa Senhora da Conceiçao (now the regional museum) can see Mariana’s window as well as some memorable azulejos and a beautiful chapterhouse.

Not only is the Alentejo a major producer of cork (Portugal is the world’s largest producer of cork) used chiefly to seal wine bottles but also for practical household products and for decorative objects. It also produces some of the world’s finest marble; not for nothing is it known as Portugal’s white gold.

Vila Viçosa came to fame when it was adopted by the Dukes of Bragança and their courts. Only the finest material, that white marble, was used to build their homes. And the most impressive of all the buildings – the splendid Paço Ducal (the Ducal Palace) now a museum.

It’s a bit grim and macabre but the Capela dos Ossos is a must for most visitors to Camp Major. It is ‘decorated’ completely with human bones.

The impressive fortifications and aqueduct draw people to Elvas (close to the Spanish border). The fortifications date back to the 17th century and the aqueduct which in places is over 100′ high was built between 1498 and 1622. The town was recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Évora

Do not leave Alentejo without visiting the very attractive town of Évora. It has been a walled city since Roman times and was once popular with the kings of Portugal – hence the number of medieval and Renaissance palaces and buildings. Also much in evidence are the ruined columns of a Roman temple thought to be dedicated to the goddess Diana. The historic streets, many home to restaurants and bars come alive at night with students from the university and the sound of Fado. By day visitors potter in the craft shops on Rua 5 de Outubro, visit the cathedral, the macabre bone chapel of São Francisco, relax in the arcaded main square and enjoy the atmosphere of this delightful city made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Open spaces

The Serra de São Mamede, a green oasis in the arid and stony Alentejo, is home to a diverse selection of flora and fauna including grazing sheep, vultures and eagles, deer and wild boar.

The Alentejo is also proud of the massive reservoir, the largest artificial lake in Europe, the Barragem de Alqueva. The dam itself is a massive 96m from its foundation with a length of 458m. It was built not only to supply electricity but also for irrigation purposes. However it also a very popular recreational area: hire a boat for a day or for longer and set off to discover small villages like Amieira, Alqueva and Estrela www.amieiramarina.com. Large areas surrounding the lake are nature reserves.

Central Portugal

Central Portugal is a region of contrasts – ski slopes and beaches, wine and rice, university towns and fishing villages, fortified towns and pilgrimages. It is a large region taking in the mountains and salt marshes of the Beiras, hilly Estremadura and the plains of Ribatejo and stretching between the Atlantic coast and Spain to the west and east and the rivers Douro and Tagus to the north and south.

Estremadura and Ribatejo

North along the Atlantic coast from Lisbon are small fishing villages, salt pans and large stretches of unspoilt, invigorating beaches some of them offering superb surfing conditions.

Cascais came into popularity at the end of the 19th century when the royal court of the day moved there for the summer. With its air of elegance it is still a popular resort, as is close by Estoril.

Also favoured by royal courts is the enchanting UNESCO World Heritage town of Sintra set against the wooded slopes of the Serra. It’s made up of three sections – the old town clustered round the royal palace, the more modern quarter Estefãnia and the one time village of São Pedro. Apart from being famous for its beautiful buildings, modern art museum, queijadas (small cheese tarts) it is also renowned for its fortnightly Sunday bric-à-brac market.

Abbeys

Estremadura is a region of impressive monasteries like that of Batalha not far from the charming small town of Leira. Batalha commemorates the victory over Castille in 1385, João I having vowed to build a church should he win the war. In the Founder’s Chapel are the tombs of João and Philippa of Lancaster, his English wife, and their son Henry the Navigator. Another noteworthy abbey is the lovely abbey at Alcobaça, in it the tomb of the murdered Inês de Castro. Alfonso IV had Inês murdered for political reasons. Following Alfonso’s death his son Pedro had the assassins killed and revealed that he had been secretly married to Inês. He had her body exhumed, dressed and crowned and homage paid to her by his courtiers.

A more modern church is the basilica at Fátima. On 13 May 1917 three shepherd children saw a vision of the Virgin standing in an oak tree. The vision appeared on the same day for six months. Pilgrimages still take place on the 13th of each month, but especially on the dates of the first and last apparitions.

They sell horses at Golegã. For the first two weeks in November horse aficionados descend on the town for the annual horse fair. It happens to overlap with St Martin’s Day on 11 November when the new season’s wine is ready for sampling. By all accounts it is a merry occasion.
Bullfighting takes place at Santarém and Vila Franca de Xira. The surrounding rich pastures are used for grazing bulls and horses. In June a huge agricultural fair is held at Santarém featuring bullfights and horse racing. In certain weeks in July and October in Vila Franca de Xira bull running takes place.

The Beiras

Visitors to the Beiras definitely need a car to appreciate it fully. The region is made up of Beira Alta (upper) and Beira Baixa (lower). It is spectacularly beautiful: the mountains of the Serra da Estrela climb to 2000m with the Mondego river rushing through the valley.

It was in the more remote and rocky Beira Baixa that I had one of the best meals ever. Hopelessly lost and hungry we spotted a bar on the edge of a tiny hamlet: scrubbed tables, a jug of homemade wine, chicken and salad – both from the small holding behind the bar, followed by some local Serra cheese and all for a mere handful of euros. Simple food, beautifully cooked in an unspoilt corner of the world.

Eventually we found our way back to Beira Alta and a landscape softened by vineyards and orchards.

Worth visiting: the Forest of Buçaco an enchanting, enclosed area (once part of a monastery), part ancient forest, part arboretum covering some 260 acres; the numerous fortified towns and castles that guarded the border between Portugal and Spain. (One, Guarda, claims the title of Portugal’s highest town); the Jardim Episcopal at Castelo Branco for its staggering number of statues; and definitely do not miss the village of Monsanto where granite houses cling onto a granite hill.

Heading back towards the coast make for Coimbra, one time capital of Portugal. It stands proudly on a hill, at its feet the Mondego river. The upper town, home to the university and two cathedrals, is linked to the shopping district located in the lower town by narrow streets and stairways.

The university, the oldest in Portugal was founded in 1290, and is housed in buildings once belonging to a royal palace. Black-caped students, the ribbons on their capes denoting which subject they are studying – red for law, yellow for medicine and blue for the arts, flit around the streets like the bats that flit around the sumptuous and richly gilded library by night. The library contains thousands of books and the bats earn their roost by eating the insects that could damage them. The old cathedral (Sé Velha) which somewhat resembles a fortress was built in the 12th century and is considered to be Portugal’s finest Romansque building. The new cathedral (Sé Nova) dates from 1598.

It is hard to believe today that Aveiro was once a major port. It grew wealthy thanks to cod fishing off Newfoundland in the 15th and 16th centuries and salt production. But in 1575 a violent storm caused silt to build up in the harbour creating a lagoon. However 300 years later a channel was built linking the lagoon and Aveiro to the sea. Look out for the colourful and unusual shaped prows of the moliceiro (boats used to collect seaweed) moored in the canals. Whilst it is still a fishing town it also produces rice as well as salt from the salt pans.

Porto E Norte

Porto e Norte region covers the territory of the Douro, Trás-os-Montes and Minho.

Douro and Tras-os-Montes

The Douro – the Golden River – certainly brought wealth to the north of Portugal. The river’s estuary was settled as long ago as the 9th century by trading Phoenicians. The Romans saw possibilities too building settlements on both banks of the estuary. They called one Portus and the other Cale. Eventually the names were linked into Portucale to describe the land between the rivers Douro and Minho. Portugal was born.

And Portus became Porto (Oporto). Further wealth followed as a result of the cultivation of vines along the Douro valley, wine was shipped down to Porto and the city became synonymous with that wine – port.

From the port lodges across the river at Via Nova de Gaia, to its historical centre which was named as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, its bridges and its restaurants, Porto is a stunning city quite deserving of an article in its own right.

Following the Douro

Follow the river Douro by car, train or river boat inland into the port wine country and Trás-os- Montes stopping off at villages and towns such as Peso da Régua , Pinhão (where many of the port producers have quintas), and Tua. For the energetic the 686 steps of the double staircase up to Lamego’s hilltop pilgrimage chapel is well worth the climb if only for the views from the top.

For centuries the Douro was unnavigable beyond Cachão de Valeira because of rapids. However, the building of dams like the massive Barragem de Valeira has calmed the treacherous waters.

Away from the banks of the Douro are towns like busy Vila Real with many elegant buildings. It’s conveniently close to the flamboyantly ornate Casa de Mateus depicted on the labels of Mateus Rosé wine bottles. Chaves, is worth a visit too. Allow time to discover the 16-arch Roman bridge across the Tâmega river and the exquisite interior of the church of the Miserićordia.

If you are driving between Chaves and Bragança keep an eye open for the weird boulders dating back to the Iron Age. Bragança’s history dates back long before 1130 when the walled citadel was built, and at its heart a delightful medieval quarter. It gave its name to one of the most famous Portuguese royal dynasties.

Minho

Minho is probably the least visited region of Portugal by holidaymakers. It’s a shame because this birthplace of the Portuguese nation is beautiful and unspoilt. Of all the provinces this is where the traditional, rural, way of life is still strongly maintained. It is noted for its agriculture and its crisp, distinctive green wines – vinhos verdes. There are some excellent main roads, but leave them and roads are less well-maintained.

Caminha was once a thriving port until it was upstaged by Viana do Castelo. From the latter, mariners set off to discover new wealth bringing back with them riches enabling grand buildings to be built. Today it is both a fishing port and a popular holiday resort with good beaches at Praia do Cabedelo and Vila Praia de Âncora. Hairpin bends lead the way to Monte de Santa Luzia topped by a basilica modelled on the Sacré Coeur in Paris.

A popular souvenir for visitors to take home is a model of the Barcelos Cock – Portugal’s national symbol. It takes its name from the little town of Barcelos. Legend has it that one day a pilgrim from Galicia was accused of stealing silver and sentenced to death. The Galician, pleading for his life, begged to be taken to the judge who happened to be enjoying a banquet. The pilgrim vowed that the roast cockerel on the plate in front of the judge would stand up and crow to bear witness to his innocence. Ignoring the plea the condemned man was taken way to be hanged, but as he was being hanged the cockerel did indeed get up and crow. The judge rushed to the gallows only to find that the Galician was still alive thanks to a badly tied knot. The pilgrim was pardoned and freed.

Minho is indeed rural, but it is also home to two outstanding cites: Braga and Guimarães.

From its stunning Bom Jesus Sanctuary to its fountains, numerous churches and arcaded buildings Braga can certainly claim to be one of Portugal’s most beautiful cities.

Once the seat of an archbishopric it is still today considered to be the ecclesiastical capital of Portugal, and is home to its oldest cathedral. Near the cathedral is the former Archbishop’s Palace, looking much more like a fortress than a palace. Its garden the Jardim de Santa Bárbara is a delight. Keep an eye open for the façade of Casa do Raio, a Rococo building covered in blue tiles.

About three miles from the centre is the spectacular Bom Jesus Sanctuary, a masterpiece of European baroque. The twin-towered church sits on top of an amazing, massive staircase lined with chapels representing the Stations of the Cross, the Stairway of the Five Senses, and the Stairway of the Three Virtues. If the stairs are too much, take the funicular railway to the top – it takes three minutes.

Not far away from Braga is Guimarães, the celebrated birthplace of the Portuguese nation, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 2012 European Cities of Culture.

In 1139 Count Dom Afonso Henriques declared Portugal to be independent from León. He took the name of Afonso I and chose Guimarães as his capital. The splendidly, crenellated castle looking every inch a proper castle was first built to deter the Moors and Normans but was extended in the 12th century and reinforced in the 15th. The Paco dos Duques de Bragança, also built in the 15th century was renowned for its sumptuous furnishings, but it fell into disuse when the court moved to Vila Viçosa. It was restored in 1933. The cobbled Rua de Santa Maria links the elegant town square Largo da Oliveira with the palace and the castle.

And finally, one very important Portugese word. Thank you – Obrigada for women; Obrigado for men!

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