Day 9:Porto – Aveiro – Nazare – Óbidos – Lisbon April 27 2025
STEPS 8,000
Dinner at leisure and overnight in Lisbon. (Breakfast) It’s a charming seaside village near Aveiro, known for its colorful striped houses. These houses are traditionally called palheiros. We learned that these houses were once used by fishermen. The houses are different colors because it was a way for the fisherman to distinguish their houses from one another.
Walking through Aveiro and observing the beautiful architecture is simply breathtaking. Each street you walk down is very different from the next. There is one thing you can’t do before you leave, and that is try an ovos moles.Aveiro’s ovos moles are a must try! It’s made from creamy egg yolk filled in rice paper shells. This is a 500-year-old nun’s recipe. We provide two great spots to try them. Our favorite is the first location. The Ovos moles have EU-protected status. This means that for them to be called Ovos moles, a strict traditional method of making them must be followed. This protects the quality and heritage of this renowned treat.
Breakfast at the hotel and we leave at 9.
We are two unhappy campers who were looking forward to Averio. But it seems the tour guide/company did not do their homework. The Marathon was taking place so we could not access the town.
Of course, Pedro was so apologetic, and came up with a couple of options.
According to the itinerary Costa Nova was on the schedule already.
The name "Costa Nova" is related to the location of the place, situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Ria de Aveiro. There was already a coast, the old coast, which was that of Praia de São Jacinto. And with the opening of the bar of Ria de Aveiro, a new coast was born.To protect their belongings from the harsh coastal weather, the fishermen painted the wooden structures in bright stripes, using whatever leftover paint they could find. Over time, these buildings evolved into summer residences, and their vibrant stripes became a defining feature of Costa Nova's identity.
This was for sale. Out of curiosity I checked house prices.
You could buy a 2-bedroom flat from 250,000 € to about 750,000 €. This particular house, semi-detached, is 499,500 €. Personally, it is in very rough shape inside. I would choose one of the flats instead. Unless, perhaps you wanted to spend the money as an investment for a rental property, tourists would lap it up.
Other than that you can pay up to 1.5 million Euros for luxurious condos.
From here we took the non-toll roads for a while. While driving, Pedro waxed on about Nazaré and how busy it would be on a Sunday, and we would waste time lining up for a restaurant.
He "suggested" that he could make a reservation for the group of 46 in a "lovely restaurant overlooking the water, for a good price, that could quickly accommodate a large group, as he knew the place where his family attended his "mother's third cousin's (once removed) daughter's baptism 😉". Forty four of the group agreed, us and "no patience" couple declined.
BTW "no patience couple" refers to when we were in Sintra, visiting the palace, and the crowd moved slowly from room to room, "no patience guy" pushed passed John and John said, patience, patience, and he replied "I have NO PATIENCE". This couple did not any extra activities nor dined with anybody (smart).
Portugal’s famous surf town, Nazaré, is known for the enormous waves that break off its broad beaches. The view of the waves was not on the agenda, but Pedro "threw" a visit to the top of Nazaré (making up for Aveiro).
Nazaré strikes the ideal balance between romantic old-world Portugal and bustling seaside resort. It reminded us of the Algarve.
Though most locals seem older than many buildings here, the town feels like a Portuguese Coney Island — humming with young people who flock here for beach fun. Off-season, it's almost tourist-free — the perfect time to take in the wild surf and get a feel for the local way of life.
The town's layout is simple: Super-skinny streets with sun-bleached apartment blocks stretch away from an expansive, wide beach. The beach sweeps between the new harbor in the south, and the cliffs to the north, capped by the old-town neighborhood of Sítio.
Nazaré gained global fame as a big wave surfing mecca relatively recently, thanks to the presence of the Nazaré Canyon, which amplifies incoming swells. While some bodyboarders explored Praia do Norte (North Beach) in the early 2000s, the true big wave surfing revolution began in 2010 when Garrett McNamara, invited by Portuguese officials, surfed a wave there, setting the stage for a new era of big wave surfing records and tourists.
Intrigued but skeptical, McNamara flew to Portugal on a reconnaissance mission. Standing on the cliff beside the 16th century Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo, at the time abandoned and shuttered, McNamara soon discovered his local intelligence was spot on. Waves 50ft [15m] and higher stormed in endlessly from the horizon, gathering steam as they funneled down the Nazaré Canyon towards their final destination.
The women were wearing traditional skirts made up of beautiful layers upon layers of cloth. The colourful skirts that are usually worn with knee-high socks, hand-stitched aprons and slippers are made of 7 petticoats.
While the exact reason behind the seven skirts is debated, common explanations include representing the seven days of the week, the seven virtues, or the seven colors of the rainbow. Another explanation suggests the skirts are worn to stay warm while waiting for fishermen to return, layering them over their heads and bodies for protection from the cold sea breeze.
But the best explanation has to do with the seven waves. Nazarene tradition has it that when fishing boats wait in the shallows for the sea to run aground, it happens every seven waves. So the women counted them by their skirts, which they folded slightly until the last wave, so as not to get the count wrong.
We head off in the opposite direction to the 44 + Pedro.
There are no lineups at the restaurants and we choose an Irish pub to grab a quick burger.
And an excellent Guinness!
A decent burger and fries, our only concession on this trip to "fast food". And practically the only red meat we've eaten.
We then had time to stroll the beachfront promenade. HMMM didn't meet any of the other 44...
Every morning around 6:00 AM, the village wakes up and every men go to the sea. In winter it is still night but, courageous, they launch the small boats to the cold waters and sail…and when they came back from the sea they have the day’s freshly fished. This is, certainly, a risky job.
Women, called “nazarenas”, don’t go to the sea but they have their tasks well-defined. They are waiting for their men on the beach and for their fish. Once the men return from the fishing, the fish auctions begin and all the diversity is a gift. Here you will find everything, from fish (especially sardines) to crabs or several types of mollusks.
Watch the old tradition of fishermen, putting their mackerel and sardines on nets pulled tightly around wooden frames and left under the midday sun to dry.
The “peixeiras” (fish sellers) diligently lay out their sun-dried fish each day, offering a delicacy highly cherished by both Portuguese and foreign visitors eager to taste its unique flavour. Among the array of naturally sun-dried fish are mackerel, sardines, marmots and octopus.
Passed down through generations, this ancestral practice originated from the necessity to ensure sustenance during the long and harsh winters when fishermen couldn't provide for their families. Sun drying the fish naturally became the sole means of preservation in the absence of refrigeration.
Women selling fish.
The tradition also keeps the original structure of the boats. They are colorful, narrow, with curved prows and an evocative decoration of the first fishermen in the region: the Phoenician people.
And now to the touristy side.
Looks like they're setting up for a parade.
In front of the building, is the Mãe Nazarena Monument to honour women whose husbands and sons went to sea over in order to sustain their families; in some cases, they never returned. It is a bronze statue, around four metres height, with a feminine figure surrounded by children. Over her head she holds an allegory related to Nazaré’s physical appearance, and anthropological and ethnographic motifs of this Portuguese area.
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Well, we are at the meeting spot ahead of time. As is Miss Know it All, then her pal, and the Indian women arrive but not the tour guide or the others. 15 minutes late, Pedro arrives, but no bus. Other stranglers appear. Finally we board our bus.
With a smirk on my face, we listen to Pedro apologize profusely that the "reserved" lunch took so long, that he had been promised that would have extra servers and cooks and had been let down. The sheeple said "oh that's wasn't your fault".
Obidos is our last stop of the day and is one of Europe's most well-preserved medieval towns, a kind of an open-air museum town. Obidos is tiny but packed with attractions and unique things to see and do. This was a favourite of mine.
We had tried ginja in Sintra.
It’s been ruled by Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and finally by the Kings and Queens of Portugal. In fact, in the year 1210, King Afonso II gave the town to his queen as a wedding present.
That started a tradition that continued right up until the 19th century. Óbidos is often referred to as the Vila das Rainhas, or “Town of the Queens”.
The town's historic centre is fully within the main local landmark: Óbidos Castle. It was built between the 12th and 14th Centuries and during that period it had major strategic and military relevance for Portugal, which was then an emerging nation. The long walls surrounding the village have an almost one mile (1.5 km) perimeter and can visited by foot, allowing visitors to enjoy a great view of the village and also the surrounding landscape. Other highlights include the castle towers, the old gateways and the cobbled streets with their regular design and traditional white houses.
The Town Gate combines and old medieval castle door with Baroque decorations.
The town’s main gate, known as the Porta da Vila. It’s not only the main gate leading into the walled town, but it also doubles as a chapel. The blue and white azulejo tiles decorating the upper story are from the 17th century and depict scenes from the passion of Christ.
Buskers or other street performers entertain here.
But even more entertaining is when tourists unknowingly attempt to drive their rental car through the gate. Don’t try this! The two openings on either side are catty-corner, forcing anyone who enters to make a zigzag maneuver.
This was intended to make it difficult for attacking troops to get through, but it’s equally effective against cars!
Stroll along Rua Direita (Main Street) and enjoy its white houses until you get to Paço dos Alcaides, a 16th Century style palace.
We took the lower street in order to do a complete turn of the village.
This is the most important church in Óbidos and has a rich and complicated history. Originally a Visigothic church stood on this spot, then the Moors converted it into a mosque when they took over.
When Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, reconquered the town, he destroyed the mosque and ordered that a church be built on top of its remains.
This was a common practice among victorious Christian armies, just like when Ivan the Terrible destroyed the mosque of Kazan in 1552. Except that in that case, a new mosque was eventually rebuilt on the same spot in 2005.
Look at the oranges!
Calla lilies grow everywhere.
The best way to end your trip to Óbidos is with a shot of “ginja de Óbidos,” or “ginjinha”. This cherry liqueur is a famous local drink, and is often served in a chocolate cup. It originated with 17th-century monks from the region, who combined Morello cherries and brandy, and drank it as an aperitif or after dinner. Today, any time is a good time to try the dark red drink, as many visitors to Óbidos do. You’ll find several spots down Rua Direita where you can have a sip.
This little guy was mesmerized by this busker, commonly called living statues or human statues.
The "Green Man" is a symbolic figure found in various cultures, often depicted as a wild, nature-associated figure with foliage growing from his mouth or face. He represents the cycle of rebirth, particularly in the context of spring and new growth. The Green Man is also associated with the forest and is seen as a guardian of the metaphysical gate between the material and immaterial world.
Aqueduto, Óbidos The aqueduct was a gift of a queen to the town of Óbidos
Commissioned by Queen Catherine of Austria (wife of Portugal’s King João III) in 1573, this aqueduct carried drinking water for the people of Óbidos. Its arches crossed 3km of vineyards and orchards, starting in a spring in nearby Usseira, and its water ended up in the town’s fountains.
The queen paid for the monument herself, by selling her lands around Óbidos. It was restored in the 1600s, and survived the great earthquake of 1755. You’ll see it as soon as you arrive in Óbidos, and it’s completely intact. The area around it is now used as a parking lot, and is where many tourists leave their car or tour buses.
Almost directly across the street from the aqueduct is this small church, now converted into a museum. It was first founded in 1309, again by one of Portugal’s queens.
The church building now houses the parochial museum of Óbidos, which holds temporary exhibits. Just behind the church is the peaceful, contemplative cemetery where the town’s former residents are buried.
We arrive back in Lisbon and check into hotel Turim Marques where we previously stayed. Dinner is on our own.
We have an early! start tomorrow, however we hopped into an Uber for a quick dinner at an Indian restaurant.
We set our alarms for 2:30 AM!
I am catching up on your travel posts. I've now grown facial hair similar to John's, but a bit longer and not so perfectly trimmed. Mine is a work in progress and I am on a learning curve. Even the older can be vain about looks.
ReplyDeleteUs oldies should and are vain about looks!! Some of the tourists we saw should be more vain! Long straggly grey/white hair on men and women has to go, it looks awful. I remarked to John that some people looked like they took all their old clothes with them, perhaps then did!
DeleteWhat a pity you had to miss a visit to Aveiro. I hadn't been there for a while, but visited it during my trip to Portugal in March 2023. Obidos is a very cute village.
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