After rain and gloom, I was ready to take advantage of the improving weather for some dramatic seacoast.
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| Gorgeous ocean |
But, we decided to make another stop first -- which turned out to just be a waste of time.
When I read about Portugal and when we were in Lisbon, we kept hearing about Sintra, which is just north of Lisbon. We hadn't stopped there on the way to Lisbon because of the rain, but, because the morning we left was clear, we decided to drive there before heading south. Sintra is known for its many 19th-century Romantic architectural monuments, including royal retreats, estates and castles.
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| This what we missed (but the sky sure didn't look like that); Photo: theredlist.com |
It was supposed to be a 30 minute drive, but traffic and confusing GPS directions resulted in almost an hour. As we approached, the weather clouded up again and, instead of looking like a small town as we had envisioned, Sintra looked rather suburban. So, we turned around and headed south. Maybe next time.
Still looking for that Pacific Coast type highway, we decided to take a smaller road south, hoping for sea views. But the road just isn't close enough to the coast. So, we pulled off near the town of Sines.
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| We wanted to have this view for the whole drive |
We did find some pretty scenery...
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| Ocean, rocks and wildflowers |
... but we also found a major fuel pipeline, refinery and port. So, we hurried on to our hotel in The Algarve.
The Algarve ("The West") is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal, the most popular tourist destination in Portugal and one of the most popular in Europe. Extending just south of the Tagus valley to the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, The Algarve comprises mountains (the highest is 2,959 ft. Fóia), islands, islets and a nature reserve that is a stopping place for hundreds of species of birds.
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| The coastline is notable for picturesque limestone caves and grottoes |
We had decided to stay in Sagres because it sits within a Natural Park and seemed to be less touristy than other popular Algarve towns.
Our hotel, the Memmo Baleeira sits right above the harbor, Porto Baleeira.
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| It was beautiful, with ample parking |
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| And, it had a pool |
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| Our room looked out toward the ocean |
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| The view was stunning |
The promised warm, sunny weather had finally materialized. Although the hotel promises a beach, the one it has is reachable only by steep rock steps.
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| Waaaay down there |
After checking the area around the hotel, we went exploring.
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| The colors are astonishing; Photo: Scott Stevens |
First, we went to Ponta de Sagres, a windswept shelf-like promontory that was previously thought to be Portugal's westernmost point (Cabo de Roca actually is).
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| "Sagres" comes from the Roman name, Sacrum Promontorium (sacred promontory) |
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| From Lisbon |
The fort, called the Fortaleza, is built on the site of an ancient nautical school built by none other than Henry the Navigator to train explorers (the same one featured on the Monument to the Discoveries I featured in my blog about Lisbon).
The promontory was important because it offered shelter for ships before attempting the dangerous voyage around Cabo San Vicente, which is across the bay. The school was destroyed by the 1755 earthquake, leaving just a few remnants behind, including a 16th-century turret.
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| Old buildings |
Also on the site, the much-restored church Nossa Senhora da Graça (Our Lady of Grace) church dates from 1579.
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| A very plain design |
It replaced the original church of Infante Dom Henrique of 1459. It was also damaged by the earthquake of 1755. Some alterations to the church were made, such as the building of a new bell tower over the old charnel house of the cemetery. There are still a set of tombstones present.
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| Very rustic |
A walk around the Fortaleza revealed cliffs, a sea cave, fabulous views ...
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| I wasn't expecting it to be this beautiful |
... and gulls fighting the wind ...
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| Yellow-legged Gulls |
We the went on to Tonel Beach, a small cove with cliffs on either side.
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| An interesting beach |
It was a windy day, so the surf was rather violent.
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| I didn't want to swim in that! |
This was the Portugal we had been looking for.
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| Indeed! |
After Tonel, we went back past the hotel and investigated Martinhal Beach, which is adjacent to a very upscale neighborhood that appears to have large homes available for lease.
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| Rocky shore and islands |
Scott had a beer and I took a walk ...
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| Dramatic; Right photo: Scott Stevens |
We assume that every evening is a party on that beach.
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| A great afternoon; Photo: Scott Stevens |
Then, we headed to Cabo San Vicente to watch the sunset and the faro (lighthouse) come on.
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| Sunset |
The Romans considered Cabo San Vicente a magical place where the sun sank hissing into the ocean, marking the edge of their world. According to legend, the cape's name is linked to the story of a martyred fourth-century Iberian deacon St. Vincent whose body was brought ashore here. King Afonso Henriques (1139-1185) had the body of the saint exhumed in 1173 and brought it by ship to Lisbon. The area around the cape was plundered several times by pirates from France and Holland and, in 1587, by Sir Francis Drake.
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| Evening sights |
There was a rather sizable crowd there, all waiting to see the sun drop below the horizon.
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| It did not disappoint |
We ended the day with a wonderful dinner at Tasca, which is an odd little place at Porto Baleeira.
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| The harbor |
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| The stone walls have wine bottles and tiles embedded in them |
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| Scott's ceviche was some of the best we had ever tasted; Right photo: Scott Stevens |
It was a lovely evening.
The next morning, we got up early to go to the Docapesca (fish dock) at Porto Baleeira because Rick Steves had said that there is a very lively fish market there on weekday mornings.
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| A lazy morning |
There wasn't. In fact, it was very quiet.
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| Just some boats in the harbor |
So, we took another look at the beaches and stopped at an old Moorish church at Beliche.
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| The Moors had get influence |
The Algarve is truly beautiful. I wish we had stayed two days.
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| This is heaven |
It was still a bit cool for actual beach going and the wind made the waves wild the first day.
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| Great waves |
It seemed much calmer the day we left.
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| Blissful |
Trip date: April 25-May 15, 2015
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