portugal 2024

dear friends, lets start identical to the last two bigger travel trips to nepal + qatar with my mobile phone's notes and with the favorite pictures made by my wife, will we? 😎

unesco heritage since 1983: the 16th century tower of belem, build to protect the entry

to lisbon via the tejo (tajo, tagus) river. (wiki: it served also as a point of embarkation

and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers and as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon.)

unesco heritage pilgrimage site bom jesus do monte in braga

unesco heritage sintra, pena palace

sintra, freemason regaleira palace, way 2 hell or just to the underground corridors?

algarve, the coast between carvoeiro and benagil

highlights from our roundtrip in portugal as seen by my wife 👩

well, what about portugal (PT) after 2.5 weeks spent here? lets go:

• wiki: PT is one of the oldest countries in europe (since 868)
• wiki: lisbon is apparently after athens the 2nd oldest capitol in europe => huuuh? what about rome?
• 10 million inhabitants, located in the western part of the iberian peninsula + the islands of azores + madeira. borders with spain and the atlantic ocean. the portuguese are ancestors of original iberian + celtic tribes. the area was later invaded by the romans, german tribes of suebi + visigoths, arabic moors ... of course, esp. in lisbon you see today people of almost all origin and colors, especially from the former portuguese colonies.
• there is almost everywhere a lot of free space in PT as the density of the population is lower than in most parts of western europe
• the portuguese empire was the 1st european superpower thanks to its sailors under vasco da gama (india), magellan (1519-1522 the 1st circumnavigation of the globe), corte-real (canada), cabral (brazil) both in 1500, de albuquerque (moscat + ormuz + west indian goa + malacca / indonesia) in 1510 and many more ... the portuguese conquered angola, mozambique, timor, cap verde, brazil, .... many of my dear readers will be surprised to learn that rio de janeiro was the capital of portugal till brazils independence in 1822.
• PT = 
• PORTO industry + work + unesco heritage port wine wineries at the douro river + fish restaurants at the riverbank ⚓
• FATIMA praying
• COIMBRA learning + old university (unfortunatelly, we coudnt visit yet)
• LISBON / LISSABON / LISBOA celebrations & parties + historic tram + eiffel's elevator & bridge similar to the golden gate in san francisco + the 17 km long vasco de gama bridge over the tejo river
• ALGARVE holidays. lagoa + lagos + tavira + fabrica with beautiful yellow + orange limestone cliffs + swimming at the beaches
• huge cork oak + eukalyptus plantations
• ceramic tiles (= fliesen) outside + inside the buildings and even churches
• superior soccer (= football ⚽) players
• lighthouse CABO DA ROCA as most western point of europe. hmm, ist it the beginning or the end? who knows for sure? 
• + the rest of PT

• there were many UNESCO heritage sites on our way: 
• mafra palace
• sintra (summer palaces of the kings and of the rich => pena place + freemason regaleira palace with beautiful garden and a 30m well leading to the hell and underground tunnels)
• tower in belem (lisbon)
• tomar (templar monastery)
• porto's historic center
• alto douro port wine region at douro river (i could swim in the douro river where it gathers the paiva river)
• 1st capitol guimaraes (castle, palace, 2 churches / monasteries + historical city center),
• pilgrimage site bom jesus do monte in braga

• many rivers, few of them unbelievable wide in their mouths into the sea, especially the tejo river in lisboa. i couldnt believe it is a river a not a bay until i tried the water and yes, it was sweet 😇🐋🍀
• lisboa ~ sightseeing, using the historic tram, nice lunch in park, 
• sesimbra castle (castelo) + natural park da arrabida + swimming at the beach
• algarve, sagres, fort + lighthouse + cliffs
• algarve, city of lagos
• algarve, lagoa (3 nights) + carvoeiro + benagil, boat trip to the caves at the beach + walking at the wonderful & colorful cliffs + swimming every day 🏊
• algarve, rural tourism (herdade da corte), two nights at a cork oak plantation in the hills north of tavira
• algarve, tavira => castle & city + cacela velha + fabrica => no cliffs any more, but sandy islands made by rivers and sea (esp. during the high tide) => beach praia da ilha de tavira
• belem (a suburb of lisbon) => memorial for portuguese navigators + the tower
• cascais ~ cliffs + a funny english couple in a beach bar
• lighthouse cabo da roca (5 nights in a beautiful industrialist's mansion) 
• azenhas do mar ~ pool with sea + sweet water (waterfall) below a huge cliff
• mafra palace ~ by volume bigger then verseilles in paris
• ericeira, surfers + digital nomads paradise
• sintra => exuberant luxury in the unesco heritage palaces of sintra meets the extreme poverty in a nearby capuchin monastery
• 3 or 4 wonderful beaches between cabo da roca and ericeira 
• fatima, huge place for pilgrims in front of the church. not nice at all and quite dissapointing for me
• tomar, castle + the unesco heritage convent of christ monastery
• northern portugal => rural tourism (4 nights) close to the city of arouca => 8 km walk in the canyon at rio paiva river + huge eucalyptus plantations for paper industry in the northern hills (up to 1200 m high here in the region), swimming 2x in the paiva river canyon + 1x at the confluence of the rivers douro + paiva = 3x 🏊, castelo de paiva, ecovia do arda, 
• porto (2 nights) = beautiful unesco heritage city center, bridge over the douro river to the city of gaia, dinner + port wine tasting in a winery at the river 
• wind + sea + steep cliffs + waves + ...
• anything else? quite cheap food + drinks. the most often served superbock beer was really good, if you asked me. parking for free or really cheap, but expensive petrol + highway fees. friendly climate, english in the cities and at the coast almost everywhere spoken & understood, low taxation on (retirement?) capital gains of 5% => many foreigners who live here. often surfers 🏄, digital nomads 💻, retirees .... and especially many british people. maybe because of the old english-portuguese-treaty?
• very important to know: the portuguese are really friendly people 😍

well, there is still a lot to see for us in portugal: the remaining unesco heritage sites coimbra university + evora + elvas + the two monasteries close to fatima (in batalha + alcobaca) + the prehistoric rock paintings in coa river valley.

we would also like to see the cities ponte di lima + obidos, the nature in the NP in the very north ... but if you asked me, as we have already been to madeira 15 years ago, we will probably visit the nature paradise azores islands first 😉

pictures, pictures, pictures:

algarve, lagos

porto

     what a nice attitude 💖

unesco heritage pilgrimage site bom jesus do monte in braga

west coast close to ericeira

1st capitol guimaraes

guimaraes castle

port wine barrels + porto as seen from gaia

gaia

porto

porto

the windy beach in northern part of porto, not any nice ...

arouca, our rural portugal experience

mr. frog

bonfire ~ every evening in arouca

mr. goat meets mr. cock

mr. + mrs. coi carp

arouca, river paiva canyon

river paiva meets river douro meets me

tomar

west coast

this cave is accessible only at low tide

sintra, freemason regaleira palace + garden

sintra, pena palace

sintra, capuchin monastery, a very quiet and a very special place 💓

sintra, extreme poverty in the capuchin monastery

two of us

wind, wawes and wind mills?

west coast

some beaches are REALLY DIFFICULT to reach 😉

... but really nice, too

west coast

sintra

tourist bus in sintra

ericeira

1 fisherman + 1 tourist + 1 fortress in ericeira = ???

the huuuuuuge mafra palace

mafra palace, library

azenhas do mar

a lonely sportsman at early morning

lighthouse cabo da roca, the place where our beautiful europe begins

eiffel's (???) elevator in lisbon

santa luzia, tavira

cacela velha

cacelha vela

fabrica

fabrica

tavira

cascais

our stay in cabo da roca

lighthouse cabo da roca

mafra

ericeira

sintra

west coast

wind mill (bar + restaurant) moinho dom quixote, cabo da roca

fatima

tomar

tomar

arouca

lidl and other supermarkets have a huge fish department

castelo de paiva

northern porto

porto

porto

(eiffel's?) bridge in porto

guimaraes

west coast

braga

braga

west coast, waves + cliffs ...

sunshades? not often seen in portugal

tower of belem

belem

the beaches at tavira

lunch break at the island in front of tavira

santa luzia, tavira

rural portugal, oak tree plantations

algarve

strange caves in algarve, south portugal

vasco de gama bridge in lisbon + storks' hotel in central portugal

algarve

bizarre rock formations in algarve

nice purple acacias

algarve, city of lagos?

the storks again ..

a nice beach close to sesimbra, central portugal

eiffel's elevator in lisbon

lisbon

lisbon

freedom for all hostages! the 200 israelis + the 2.3 million palestinans in gaza

a train station in lisbon

good-bye portugal, i hope to see you soon again 😄

~~~

there was a report abt portugal in the facebook group travel facts (source here) recently. of course, you will find many of the the following topics above:

17 Facts You May Not Know About Portugal: 

1. Portugal is home to Europe's westernmost point, Cabo da Roca, located near Lisbon. It's not just a picturesque spot but also holds historical significance as it marks the edge of the European continent.

2.The University of Coimbra, established in 1290, is one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world. Its Joanina Library, built in the 18th century, is renowned for its exquisite Baroque style and houses thousands of ancient books.

3. Portuguese is the official language of not only Portugal but also of Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe, making it one of the most widely spoken languages globally.

4. Porto, Portugal's second-largest city, is famous for its production of port wine. The wine is produced exclusively in the Douro Valley and aged in cellars along the Douro River before being shipped from Porto.

5. Portugal is the world's largest cork producer and exporter, with much of its cork harvested from the cork oak trees that blanket the country's landscape.

6. The Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon is one of the longest bridges in Europe, spanning the Tagus River at a length of over 17 kilometers (about 11 miles). It's named after the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.

7. Portugal's Algarve region boasts some of Europe's most stunning beaches, attracting millions of tourists each year. However, beyond its beaches, the region also offers picturesque fishing villages, dramatic cliffs, and a rich cultural heritage.

8. The Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, is composed of nine volcanic islands. It's a paradise for nature lovers, offering unique landscapes, hot springs, and opportunities for whale watching.

9. Portugal is home to one of the world's oldest bookshops, Livraria Bertrand, which opened its doors in 1732 in Lisbon. It holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest operating bookstore.

10. The Portuguese love their seafood, and one of their traditional dishes is "Bacalhau à Brás," a flavorful combination of salted cod, onions, potatoes, and eggs.

11. The country has a rich tradition of fado music, characterized by its soulful melodies and melancholic lyrics. It's often performed in intimate settings known as "fado houses," particularly in Lisbon's historic neighborhoods.

12. The Alentejo region in southern Portugal is known for its vast cork oak forests, rolling plains, and medieval hilltop towns. It's a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, offering visitors a glimpse into traditional Portuguese culture.

13. Portugal has a long history of seafaring exploration, with renowned explorers like Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, and Bartolomeu Dias. Their voyages played a significant role in shaping world history during the Age of Discovery.

14. The Portuguese town of Óbidos is famous for its well-preserved medieval walls and picturesque streets. It's also known for its annual chocolate festival, where visitors can indulge in a variety of chocolate treats.

15. Portugal has a rich tradition of ceramic tiles, known as azulejos, which adorn buildings, churches, and palaces across the country. These intricately designed tiles often depict historical scenes, religious motifs, and geometric patterns.

16. The Tower of Belém, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Lisbon, was built in the early 16th century as a fortress to defend the city's harbor. It's a stunning example of Manueline architecture, adorned with intricate carvings and maritime symbols.

17. Portugal is one of the sunniest countries in Europe, with over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year on average. Its mild climate, combined with its diverse landscapes, makes it an ideal destination for outdoor activities year-round.

~~~

even more pictures here.